Ben Franklin.

       The Liberty Bell.

        Independence Hall.

        Ask any Wisconsin sports fan about Philadelphia, though, and they'll probably respond:

        "4th and 26".

        "Glenn Robinson's missed shot".

        "A four game sweep that cost Ned Yost his job and almost doomed the Brewers' playoff hopes this summer".

        This is a place where Wisconsin dreams go to die (it apparently extended further out state where Penn State drubbed the Badgers last fall, starting a swoon that doomed UW's BCS bowl hopes).      But, things cut both ways: Philadelphia has it's own little black cloud, that being the curse of William Penn.

         The man for whom this state (and a lot of other things in Philadelphia) is named is memorialized with a statue atop the local city hall.      And, for years, his perch was the highest in town.     No building stood taller than he until 1987 when the memorialized Penn watched silently as a brand new skyscraper shot past his metal melon.      Another followed.     And the trouble began.

        Philadelphia hasn't won a major sports championship since (unless you count this summer's Arena Bowl--right, like I said, no MAJOR ones).      The Eagles dropped a Super Bowl to the Patriots.      The Phillies got to the World Series in 1993 but Joe Carter's ninth inning blast gave the Blue Jays the crown.      Nada for the Flyers.      Same for the Sixers.    Even Smarty Jones, Pennsylvania's most recent Triple Crown contender, seems to have fallen to the curse by winning the first two races before getting smoked in the Belmont Stakes in 2004.

       Remember, folks: this is only the first round of the playoffs.     Philadelphia teams have no trouble getting to the postseason, or even with advancing in them, so don't look to Billy for any help against the Phils.     Then again, don't look for Philadelphia to bust out the wrecking balls and redoing it's skyline to meet pre-1987 standards either if the Phils fail to finish the job.     In fact, a newer, taller skyscraper is supposed to be finished here in four years.