Several days ago, I linked to the SportsProf for his fantastic post on the Eagles and the NFC Championship. At the time, I found it difficult to publish excerpts of it because it was difficult to single out one passage over another. Today, the SportsProf has another such post, this one describing the run-up to the Super Bowl. Again, it's difficult to single out one passage over another, but this time around, I'll excerpt a few to comment on.
On the contrast between the Phillies and Eagles:
Philadelphia is a football town now. The Sixers have had more ups and downs than the average elevator at One Liberty Place. The Flyers aren't playing, and there just aren't that many hockey fans out there. The Phillies have disappointed so much that their fans don't trust them anymore. And the Eagles have done everything right -- they manage the cap well, they draft okay, and they get the right free agents to fill holes. The team has earned the fans' trust, and the fans love the team because of it.
I think that is spot-on. If you wonder why the Eagles are more popular than the Phillies, that is all you need to know. The Eagles have earned our trust, the Phillies haven't. In their offseason, the Eagles recognized a flaw (more like two, Thrash and Pinkston), and fixed it by getting Terrell Owens. And not only did Reid & Co. know what their problem was, they knew how to fix it, and, they had the resources to do it. Whereas the Phillies, even if they recognize a problem, can't always fix it.
On Eagles fan pilgrimages and in-game behavior:
Another friend was at the game, on his cell phone with, or text messaging, his son, who is at college in the Midwest. At least ten times, probably more. The son wanted to return for the game, but studies interfered. The consolation prize: they will be in Jacksonville together on Sunday. Rooting for the Eagles.
Fathers and sons. There are so many examples.
A young woman telephone and wanted to dedicate the game to her father, who loved the Eagles and taught her everything she knows about football. College kids called in and said they were caravaning back this weekend for the game, whether to watch the game with family and friends and to go to the best sports bar not featured in this week's SI, Chickie & Pete's. They just know that despite their commitments elsewhere, they just couldn't miss the experience of watching their game in their hometown for the world. One of them cannot miss a class on Monday in the Boston area, so he'll drive all night after the game to get back to make his class.
This portion resonated with me not only because of my tendency to make calls and text messages (I call it pigskin-dialing, similar to drunk-dialing) with friends and family during big games, but because I am another Pennsylvania ex-patriate who will be returning to his/her roots for the game. I'll be getting together with my brother and father for the game. There is talk of us watching the game at my brother's apartment in Kutztown, however, despite the advantage his abode presents in the fact that he has two TV's sitting side-by-side in his living room, he also has two seats from Veteran's Stadium in the same room (he gets his decorating style from pictures in Bachelorhood & Graduate Student Quarterly). I don't want to say I am superstitious and believe in karma, but lets not fool with it, OK?
Now, after having excerpted half the article because it resonated with me, go read it in its entirety. I am sure there will be portions that ring true with you as well, no matter where your allegiances or interests lay.
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Recently, the teams I root for have had a lot of food fortune (other than the Phillies), and though I highly doubt it, I may be responsible in part for these events. As it stands, my teams are 2-0 when I post their fight song (again, I don't want to say I am superstitious and believe in karma, but...). And so, without further ado, the Eagles fight song:
Fly Eagles fly, on the road to victory...
Fight, Eagles Fight...
Score a touchdown 1,2,3...
Hit em' low, hit em' high, and watch our Eagles Fly...
Fly, Eagles fly, on the road to victory!
E - A- G- L- E- S - Eagles!
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My prediction: Eagles 20, Patriots 17. Jim Johnson has said that his goal in every game is to hold the opposition to 17 points and I believe the defense can that against the Patriots. Furthermore, with Terrell Owens starting, I think the Eagles should be able to muster just enough points to beat that.
