Philadelphia Eagles and their Fans Had a Date with Destiny

Express-Times ^ | 1/24/05 | Rudy Miller

[Dr. Scarpetta]

The Eagles' faithful suffered through three consecutive losses in the conference championship game, and when their football team made it to the Super Bowl on Sunday for the first time in more than 20 years, they erupted in joy.

"I've been to all the championship games, and this, I can't explain," said Easton resident Felipe Garcia as he sniffed back tears. "It's priceless. We deserve it."

Garcia was one of about 200 Lehigh Valley residents who rode one of four Trans Bridge Lines buses to the landmark game at Lincoln Financial Field.

"This was history today," said Jack Trimble of Bethlehem Township. "It was long overdue."

Fans counted down the seconds as the game clock expired to a thunderous cheer. Strangers high-fived outside the stadium as cars blared their horns.

Bethlehem Township resident Pat Wagner was there. He hasn't missed a game in the past four years.

"Finally, we won something," Wagner said. "It was awesome. There isn't much else to say."

Snowfall from the previous day and a half didn't affect the bus tour. The group traveled in style. One busload consumed six pizzas and an unspecified number of cases of beer while watching a DVD of Super Bowl highlights.

Wagner is following the Eagles to Jacksonville, but he won't be traveling quite as luxuriously. He will be one of 40 people crammed into two recreational vehicles.

"It only sleeps about five, so I'll be sleeping on the kitchen counter," Wagner said. "Go Birds!"

Wagner's sister, Julie, was "sick as a dog" but braved the frigid temperatures and made the trip.

"I'm proud of them," Julie Wagner said of the Eagles. "Finally, they broke the curse, or whatever it was."

Fans wore layers of clothing to brace themselves from the fierce winds and low temperature.

"It was very cold, but the energy kept us warm," said Scott Wolbach of Walnutport. His 9-year-old son stood on his seat for the entire game and postgame celebration.

"There was all kinds of fireworks and confetti flying around," Scott Wolbach said.

What a change from the past two years.

"I didn't eat solid food for a week the first year," said Denny Snyder of Macungie, who was referring to his diet after the Eagles lost the NFC Championship Game to Tampa Bay in 2003.

Garcia said he was offered $1,000 for his pair of tickets, but he turned down the offer and has no regrets. The longtime fan in the green and white wig said he's going to frame one of the ticket stubs and hang it on the wall in his garage.

"I cried at halftime," Garcia said. "I cried at the end of the game. I had a great feeling inside me that they were going to win this game."

[Wristpin]

"Philadelphia Eagles and their fans have a date with dynasty."
"if the Patriots DO beat the Eagles, it won't be because they shared your naive dismissive attitude about the game."

Apparently my post touched a nerve.

In my opinion the Eagles have looked solid in the playoffs and won't be pushovers.

[jpf]

Those grapes keep getting more and sour. I love it, the Philly haters are squealing like Democrats!

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Congratulations on the Eagles' win! We had friends who went to the game and drove down in the blizzard on Sat.

[Prov1322]

I love it, the Philly haters are squealing like Democrats!

Quote of the day!

[Dr. Scarpetta]

the Philly haters are squealing like Democrats!

My thoughts exactly, and it's not too flattering to be compared to a Democrat.

[Libertarian4Bush]

Apparently my post touched a nerve.

such things can happen when my tolerance for irrational bullspit has reached its limit.

[Physicist]

Uh, huh. What did the "quality wins quotient" predict when the Patriots beat the Rams in the Superbowl?

[HEY4QDEMS]

then we became the first team in history to lose after leading going into the 9th inning of Game Seven.

I can answer that remark with two words..."Bill Buckner"

[Lancey Howard]

The problem with the "quality wins" quotient is that most of the teams the Eagles beat early in the season got so humiliated, demoralized, beat up and injured that the rest of their seasons were a waste. So, while many Eagles' opponents may have been "quality opponents" at the beginning of the game, by the end of the game their seasons were essentially over as they stumbled away in a fog muttering, "Will somebody answer the damn phone?".

That's my theory.

[End Times Sentinel]

Eagles fans:

1. Are jerks (cheering when Michael Irvin broke his neck)

Wrong.  First of all, the charge was that we booed Michael Irvin, not that we cheered.  And since I was at the game, I can tell you it was Dieon Sanders doing his "funky chicken" healing dance that drew the derisive reaction.  Despite our dislike for the Cowboys in general and Irvin in particular, he received a round of applause only when he was taken from the field which is a sign of goodwill.

2. Are bandwagoners (witness the ripping of Reid and McNabb last year after NFC title game loss number three)

Bandwagoners???  Why do the Eagles sell out including obstructed view seats at the Vet in seasons where we win 3 games?  Why do the Eagles draw 10,000 people daily to practice at Lehigh, a 90 minute drive from the city?  This team hasn't been to a SuperBowl in 24 years and they still have the most loyal, rabid fans in the game.

McNabb and Reid were ripped???  What are you talking about?  McNabb took a rib injury in the second quarter and still tried to play in a heroic effort and that's exactly how it was taken here.  Reid?  His top two offensive players were injured (McNabb and Westbrook).  He wasn't ripped.  Thrash and Pinkston, who couldn't get any separation, were ripped and justly so.  Holding them up as heroes would be stupid, not loyal.

3. Are not very bright
For point #3, let me take you back about five years or so. "With the third pick (sic) in the 1999 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select Donovan McNabb of Syracuse University." "BOOOOOOOO! BOOOOOOOOOO! I can't believe we didn't pick Ricky Williams! BOOOOOOOOOO!"

Unfortunately, you once again have your facts wrong.  Angelo Cataldi and his cadre of idiots, "The Dirty Thirty" showed up in a gang that was organized by Cataldi to boo McNabb.  Cataldi didn't even know who McNabb was in February, having never seen him play.  To use this clique of retards and misfits who follow the seemingly constantly drunk morning show host of a Sports Talk Radio station as somehow representative of an entire group of fans is hopeless.

 

Go ahead and hate Philadelphia, but don't pretend you know anything about it.

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

[Lando Lincoln]

From this Packers fan who still has a twinge of pain over 4th and 26.......Congratulations! Donavan and Andy are class acts. I just hope the Super Bowl is worthy of its moniker.

Lando

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Congratulations! Donavan and Andy are class acts.

Thank you

[Tribune7]

NE has an absolutely great team and deserves to be favored.

The thing is the Eagles are also a great team and underrated by many -- although I doubt Belichick is among them. Still, I have no doubt the Birds can win.

[vrwinger]

Oh, come on Owl_Eagle, don't go and ruin his perception of Eagles Fans with facts...

The Eagles sure are "The Team Feepers Love to Hate," and it has to come from some twisted allegence to Rush and the heat he took for his comments back in October 2003...

[End Times Sentinel]

Oh, come on Owl_Eagle, don't go and ruin his perception of Eagles Fans with facts...

You're right, and it is a typical Philadelphia fan jerk move on my part.  I'm just waiting for the snowball comment to come along and prove me wrong once and for all.

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

[vrwinger]

Yes, I'm sure if his mom didn't need to use the PC, #4 would have been "The Eagles' fans booed/snowballed Santa" and #5 would have been "Eagles fans are fat" and used all the cliches in one post.

[KC_Conspirator]

I also want the Bush supporting QB to win.

Look during the Bush reign the Pats have been to 3 Superbowls and broke the curse of Babe. Boston should be thanking Bush.

[Chunga]

Winning a conference championship is worth cheering about. Any "fan" unhappy with or apathetic to such an achievement is too jaded to enjoy the game, and anyone poo-pooing the emotions of fans celebrating playoff victories must be miserable company.

Losers are "happy" if their teams advance in the postseason and fall one game short? Tell it to Chicago baseball fans, St. Louis baseball fans, or the fans of teams from any other great sports towns who are happy merely, year in and year out, that their teams have taken the field. Such fans are the real winners; for them, all success is gravy and loyalty is its own reward.

[Tribune7]

ITS JUST A F*CKING GAME!

Ditto that.