Philly in the World Series: 'Rocky' inspires Cubs' comeback, Michael Martinez makes final out

I have to start this post with the disclaimer that I think "Rocky" references are way too overplayed in popular culture. I also think Philadelphia is a far different city than it was when Sylvester Stallone theoretically ran a 31-mile course through the streets of Philadelphia in 1979.

But hey, everyone's apparently crediting the Cubs' playing of the "Rocky" movies in the clubhouse before Game 5 of the World Series for inspiring the team's comeback. As Newsday's Marc Carig wrote at the time:

They do not play in Philadelphia and they do not profile as scrappy underdogs. So on Sunday night, just before the Cubs took the field and tried to save their season, it all seemed forced when the ballpark's loudspeakers blasted "Going the Distance" from "Rocky."

But deep in the guts of Wrigley Field, out of sight from the nervous-wreck Cubs fans in the crowd of 41,711 who had settled in and braced for the worst, first baseman Anthony Rizzo demanded that every television in the Cubs' clubhouse show Rocky I, Rocky II, Rocky III and Rocky IV, all at the same time.

And when this wasn't enough to ease the tension before facing elimination, catcher David Ross said Rizzo was spotted "running around, jumping around, half-naked, doing boxing moves."

"I wanted to let everyone know that we're planning to go the distance," Rizzo said, quoting one of the film's iconic lines, shortly after the Cubs forced a sixth game in this World Series. "Obviously, there's a lot more that goes into that. But we've bought in. And we believe in it."

For the first time this season, Rizzo walked up to music from "Rocky," then used the aftermath of a fourth-inning double to drive home his point. Upon reaching second, he popped out of his slide, crouched into a boxing stance and fired a three-punch combination into the crisp night air. After the natural southpaw's left-right-left flurry, he looked to his dugout and screamed "Let's go!"

Apparently, this means that one of Philadelphia's most famous exports was a key thing in winning a championship?

Which could mean that some people will think that Philadelphia sort of, kind of, maybe, won a thi...

... No. Stop it.

The only title the Phillies won this year was for scoring the fewest runs in baseball.

(Though at least the team's new hitting coach is a guy who knows how to win a World Series.)

If you want to say Philadelphia had a role in the World Series, then put a spotlight on former Phillies infielder Michael Martinez, who made the final out of Game 7.

A decent portion of the city that mocked him during his time here was asleep by then, especially people who had to leave for work earlier than usual because of the SEPTA strike.

But if Martinez thought he could get away without one last roasting from this town, he was wrong.

Enough with canned, overused Rocky references. Enough with Michael Martinez. Heck, enough with shots at Joe Maddon's bad in-game management.

The Cubs won the World Series. That's all that matters.