The Cheesesteaks at Pat’s have lost a bit of their flavor, the Italian hoagie’s at Wawa have lost their zesty appeal. Yuengling Lagers have lost their sweet, sweet taste. It’s a sad, sad time to be from Philadelphia.
What can I say. The biggest Philadelphia Eagles fan on the Georgetown campus is hurting, bigtime. And my non-Philly friends haven’t been making it any easier. Note to my friends: knocking on my door at 2 a.m. after the Eagles third straight NFC Championship loss cheering “Let’s go Panthers” could land you in the infirmary.
Losing in 2002 to the “greatest show on turf” Rams in St. Louis was disappointing, but we weren’t supposed to win. Losing last year in the final game at Veteran’s Stadium, when it was constantly mentioned that the Bucs never win when it’s below 40 degrees, sucked big time. I was abroad and I remember my six hour stroll around the streets of Dublin contemplating life after that loss. And then there’s this past Sunday. I was confident, even talking about Houston. I had a deal set up with my die-hard Patriots buddy who I had somehow convinced to buy tickets to an Eagles-Pats big dance. He bought the tickets, I bought the beer; a drunken agreement, but an agreement nonetheless. It was all worked out.
Then the Eagles let Philadelphia down. We have become the Buffalo Bills of the NFC. Even worse, while the Bills got to the Superbowl, we’re stuck a game short. The Bills still have one more loss on us at four in a row, but with Andy Reid refusing to admit that James Thrash and Todd Pinkston, the skinniest man alive, are the worst receiving corp in the league, they could lead to another mid-January meltdown.
This isn’t a Xanex; it’s not an easy pill for me to swallow. As a loyal Philadelphian, I live, eat,and breathe Philly sports. Not having classes on Monday was a blessing because there was no shot I was going. I appreciated the massive amount of phone calls, IMs and text messages from friends checking up on me. I hope you can understand why I didn’t respond.
On the other hand, Redskins and Giants fans, you know why I didn’t respond. Bastards. I’ve got a bone to pick with you. Yes we lost again in the NFC Championship game, but we’ve still dominated you for the past three seasons. Your only weak-ass response was that you’ve won a Superbowl in the last 20 years. You know what, I have history on Tuesdays and Thursdays, not on Sunday. Stop living in the past and simultaneously looking towards your sorry future. Joe Gibbs and Tom Coughlin won’t help you take back the NFC East, because even though we choke, the Eagles are the embodiment of a “team,” whereas you are busting apart at the seams.
It’s been three long days, and things are starting to pick up for me a little. The glass has gone from completely empty to maybe half empty now. There’s talk about signing Terrell Owens, Darrell Jackson, Warren Sapp, Charles Woodson and Champ Bailey. OK, well maybe one or two of them. The black B-Dawkins jersey I’ve grown to love hangs in my closet, as does my 1980’s neon green Eagles starter jacket. It’s been 21 years since a champion was crowned in the city of Brotherly Love. But here’s to the future and not living in the past like those lowly Giants and Redskins fans. Pitchers and catchers report in less than a month. Let’s go Fightin’ Phils!
