Taking a quick break today from feverishly watching where the chips fall for the Phillies to lead off with a little Sixers.

Yes, the Sixers’ first preseason game is about a week away (Oct. 2 against the Knicks, mark your calendars), but the excitement yesterday was around the team bringing back its iconic black jerseys from the 2000-01 season.

You know, the one Allen Iverson wore when he stepped over Tyronn Lue in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Lakers? The one that made Dikembe Mutombo look just a little bit more intimidating on game nights? Well, it’s back and part of the rotation of game day wear this season.

Where do they rank among the best Sixers jerseys of all-time in your estimation? That’s our question for today. Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

To help kick-start your memory, Inquirer writer Ariel Simpson delivers this retrospective on Sixers uniforms from the past and present.

Speaking of the present, this rain isn’t going anywhere Philly. Expect showers today with highs only reaching the mid-70s.

— Kerith Gabriel, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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The Phillies combined for eight home runs (you read that right), in an 11-1 win over the Marlins last night, securing a first-round bye.

Stealing a line from the Inquirer’s Scott Lauber, who writes: “How’s that for a way to lock up the No. 2 seed in the National League playoffs? The Phillies will get a bye in the wild-card round, a best-of-three trapdoor best avoided by a 93-win division champion, and open the division series at home on Oct. 4.”

But one more impressive feat is that slugger Kyle Schwarber hit two more home runs, bringing his total to 56 on the season and keeping pace of Ryan Howard’s franchise record 58.

Lauber has more on just how awesome last night was, and what it means going forward.

Next: The Phillies wrap up their series with Miami at 6:05 tonight (NBCSP). Walker Buehler (9-7, 5.13 ERA) is scheduled to start Marlins righty Janson Junk (6-3, 4.27).

What we’re …

🧮 Calculating: The numbers that bode well for the Eagles heading into a Week 4 matchup against Tampa Bay this Sunday.

👏🏾 Applauding: The football gods for giving former Eagles rusher LeSean McCoy a possible early nod for the Hall of Fame.

🤔 Wondering: What made Temple running back Terrez Worthy want to leave the program so abruptly?

⚾ Envisioning: How baseball will look this time next year when robots are running the show behind the plate.

A.J. Brown didn’t mince words on Wednesday. While he’s happy that he’s a part of a 3-0 team headed to Tampa this weekend, he wasn’t ready to say that the offense is on the same page when it comes to play calling.

“I don’t want to say that we’ve got it figured out,” Brown said. “That was a half that we took advantage of, and we made it happen when we needed to. Like I said after the game, we’re going to try to build off that momentum, whatever that looks like, and keep it going.”

So what does progress look like? Inquirer writer Jeff Neiburg has more from Brown and the game plan moving forward.

The belief that there’s upside in a retooled Flyers unit starts with center Noah Cates. He ended last year setting a career high in goals (16) and had 37 points last season, one shy of his career best.

Many believe that “the sky is the limit” for Cates, who will be a big piece of the Flyers getting off on the right foot. For now, it’s working through the kinks as preseason continues tonight against the Capitals (7 p.m., ESPN+).

Here’s a look at Cates and the aspirations for him and the rest of the team as the regular season draws closer.

Kiyomi McMiller was rated as one of the best girls’ basketball players entering college in 2024.

Ask her today, and she believes she’s the best player in women’s basketball. The South Jersey native, who dominated the stat sheet and headlines while she was at Life Center Academy, is taking her talents to Penn State after a transfer from Rutgers.

McMiller said she needed two things from her next school: a winning culture and a hardworking team. Penn State checked both boxes.

“I definitely [wanted] a new culture. A team that wanted to win, wanted to get to the [NCAA] Tournament, wanted to win a national championship, wanted to work hard,” McMiller said. “That is what I was looking for, and Penn State was a perfect fit.”

Inquirer writer Greg Finberg has more on McMiller’s decision and the unique place she made it.

On this date

Sept. 25, 1960: Phillies defeat the Reds, 7-1, ending a streak of 16 straight losses on a Sunday. It was one of the few highlights in a season in which the team finished eighth in the National League, 36 games behind the first-place Pittsburgh Pirates.

Standings, stats, and more

Looking for the ins and outs of how last night’s Phillies game went down from a statistical perspective? Here’s a place to access your favorite Philadelphia teams’ statistics, schedules, and standings in real time.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

HISNO MALNT

This Eagles player was placed on injured reserve yesterday after tweaking the same injury he just rehabbed with an offseason surgery. Think you know? Take a guess and click here to see if you’re correct.

What you’re saying about Eagles-Bucs

We asked: Will Hurts and the Eagles get their revenge against the Bucs this weekend?

Four tough games in a row, to start the season, is a big ask, but I think if the Birds can get off to a quick start, they can go 4-0. The temps are supposed to reach 100 degrees, so the big boys better start hydrating now. Go BIRDS!!!! — Tom G.

Should be a blowout. Birds 42-Tampa Bay 11. Hopefully, this will shut the whiners up for the season. GO BIRDS! — Ronald R.

Yes the Eagles will get revenge in Tampa Bay and come back home 4-0. I think we will see a different team this week, one that will play with a strong attitude of ‘we will win this,’ instead of the recent approach of playing not to lose. And in doing so I think they might break Saquon lose. — Everett S.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Gina Mizell, Ariel Simpson, Scott Lauber, Jeff Neiburg, Jackie Spiegel, Ryan Mack, and Greg Finberg.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Thanks for spending part of your day with me. Jim is back to get you ready for the weekend tomorrow. Have a good one. — Kerith