"But now, as the Phils enter the World Series after posting their sixth straight winning season, I'm realizing that a genuine rivalry isn't a sign of weakness. It's a sign that, after decades of futility, you've finally stopped losing."

The thing about that is- it may apply to the Phils, but what about the Eagles for example? Gigantic rivalries with the redskins and dallas for years.

The problem isn't needing a rivalry- the problem is the inevitable implosion. Philly doesn't get "beaten" in championships- we implode. The "self loathing" is because the losses are generally due, not to our opponents, but to philly not being able to close the deal. we get close- we're above average most of the time across all the teams- but we never seem to be able to go that extra inch that wins the big game.