Eagles mania

SEAN McNABB GUEST WRITER SM727@CABRINI.EDU

Eagles fans are notorious for being unruly and even out of contro I. Their spirit defies and exudes the norm; it transcends spirit and tips towards mania. Eagles fans have become infamous for their past acts, which separates them from the crowd of all other NFL fans.

The Philadelphia fans have become infamous not only for cheering, but also for booing; the Eagles fans booed Santa Claus, cheered when Michael Irvin lay nearly paralyzed on the Vet's turf with a career ending injury, threw batteries at St. Louis Cardinals' outfielder J.D. Drew, and booed third baseman Mike Schmidt.

Eagles fans have an especially low tolerance for failure and will always let people know when they think that a wrong decision has been made. When the Eagles drafted Donovan McNabb in 1999, the Eagles fans booed to their hearts content, as McNabb was not their top choice. As a result of the Eagles fans actions, Veterans Stadium was the first major sporting arena to contain a judge and jail inside the stadium.

Veterans Stadium seemed to embody the spirit of Eagles fans. It was loud and anything but comfortable for the fans of the opposing players. It truly gave the Eagles a home field advantage, as the seams in the turf gave all opposing players worries. While the Vet ostensibly embodied the spirit of the Eagles fans, it was merely an ephemeral building which will be torn down in Feb. 2004. Eagles fans are anything but transient. Players, coaches and stadiums may come and go but the fans will always remain - whether to cheer or boo.

Some people find "Eagles mania" offensive, as it infringes upon other sports and attracts too much attention. Dr. Jim Hedtke, political science chai,r said, "Eagles fans would have a life if they had a brain." Hedtke expressed dismay at all the attention the Eagles and new Lincoln

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Philadelphia Eaglesquarterback Donovan McNabb (5) looks to pass in the second quarter of Saturday's NFC Divisional playoffbetween the Eagles and Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.

Financial Field were getting, while the Phillies were in the midst of a pennant race. Many New York fans were furious that when the New York Giants vs. New York Jets game on Sunday Nov. 2 went into overtime, the telecast was cut in order to show the Eagles game that was starting. After the Eagles dropped their first two games, they have won five of their last six, including three in a row. The mania that was subdued after consecutive losses to start the season, never actually left - just waiting to explode again. With the recent winning streak, Eagles fans finally have something positive to go crazy for this season and they are making the most of it.

Some people see the crazed fans in Philadelphia and become turned off by their actions, as well as the media attention that the Eagles receive, overshadowing other teams' performances and plays on talk radio and sports shows. Eagles fans are intensely loyal. The Eagles have never won a Super Bowl but the fans never lose hope. They always have the "this is the year" sentiment. Matt Lisowski, a freshman, said, "The Eagles are one of the few teams with the talent to win a championship, and they give us hope that that could eventually happen." While the means by which Eagles fans show their dedication to their team may be questioned and criticized, the undying loyalty and eternal allegiance the Eagles fans have for their team is without dispute.