One of the great misconceptions in the world is that the New York media are the toughest on the planet, that they'd just as soon whack you with their laptops as type on them.
How did such an absurd notion ever get started? I'm not sure, but whoever did it never picked up a sports section in Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia media are a rough and tumble bunch. And they're not alone. Philly crowds are tougher than a bar-time steak at Denny's. The first three words a baby learns in Philly are mama, dadda and boo.
When they say they'd boo Santa Claus in Philly, they're not kidding. To wit: The old boy once tooled around Veterans Stadium in a convertible, whereupon he was pelted with snowballs.
How tough are Philly fans? Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin sustained a career-ending injury there and the paying customers cheered like they had just won the Pennsylvania lottery. Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt got booed every time he didn't hit one of his 500-plus career home runs.
Crowds are so rowdy at Eagles games, a judge used to hold court in the basement at Veterans Stadium, meting out instant justice, a la Roy Bean, to every drunk who showed up wearing handcuffs and a bloody T-shirt.
Why the attitude? There's probably a lot of deep-rooted psychoanalytical gobbledigoop involved, but we needn't go there today. Besides, in the end, the answer is simple: Philly teams never win.
No wonder Donovan McNabb, in the days preceding Sunday's NFC Championship Game, said, ''I'm not going to guarantee a win or anything like that.''
Of course he isn't. This is the Eagles we're talking about. This is Philly we're talking about. Philly athletes don't win championships. They screw up, they get booed, and they get run out of town. It's a way of life in Philly, right up there with cheesesteaks and summer sojourns to the Jersey Shore.
<!-- PARAGRAPH OBJECT --><!-- Type: htmlblock --><!-- Id: 9833 --><!-- Alignment/Wrap: center/ -->
How did such an absurd notion ever get started? I'm not sure, but whoever did it never picked up a sports section in Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia media are a rough and tumble bunch. And they're not alone. Philly crowds are tougher than a bar-time steak at Denny's. The first three words a baby learns in Philly are mama, dadda and boo.
When they say they'd boo Santa Claus in Philly, they're not kidding. To wit: The old boy once tooled around Veterans Stadium in a convertible, whereupon he was pelted with snowballs.
How tough are Philly fans? Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin sustained a career-ending injury there and the paying customers cheered like they had just won the Pennsylvania lottery. Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt got booed every time he didn't hit one of his 500-plus career home runs.
Crowds are so rowdy at Eagles games, a judge used to hold court in the basement at Veterans Stadium, meting out instant justice, a la Roy Bean, to every drunk who showed up wearing handcuffs and a bloody T-shirt.
Why the attitude? There's probably a lot of deep-rooted psychoanalytical gobbledigoop involved, but we needn't go there today. Besides, in the end, the answer is simple: Philly teams never win.
No wonder Donovan McNabb, in the days preceding Sunday's NFC Championship Game, said, ''I'm not going to guarantee a win or anything like that.''
Of course he isn't. This is the Eagles we're talking about. This is Philly we're talking about. Philly athletes don't win championships. They screw up, they get booed, and they get run out of town. It's a way of life in Philly, right up there with cheesesteaks and summer sojourns to the Jersey Shore.
<!-- PARAGRAPH OBJECT --><!-- Type: htmlblock --><!-- Id: 9833 --><!-- Alignment/Wrap: center/ -->
I've heard that the last 3 years. When we lost to Tampa "Well that's it...end of the era". Then last year "If the Eagles lose to Carolina...the franchise will have to break up the team. They will never get back to the Championship Game this year."
We're just tired of losing....tomorrow can set a lot of things right in my world.
sb
Wishful thinking Fishhead. Set aside your bias and watch the Eagles in press interviews. They are certainly relaxed and confident. Does'nt mean they'll win but Atl will definitely have to play a game like no other game they have played all year to win Sunday. BTW, Atl is the only team in the playoffs that has not played an elite team this year.
the one constant with this team, at least for the past three NFC championship games, is that they come in with at not at 100%. What I mean is that in 2003 against the Bucs McNabb was coming back from his injured ankle, last yr Westbrook's injury situation against Carolina, and this yr no TO. 13-3 is an awesome yr, but for this team and this town, it's Superbowl or bust.
