Final Thoughts on Super Bowl LII

Super Bowl LII   

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Philadelphia Eagles 41, New England Patriots 33

Super Bowl LII Champions

Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia's Success Could be Lasting

The Eagles became only the fourth team in NFL history to recover from a losing season to outright win a Super Bowl the next season. And if you look at the history of those teams - the 1981 San Francisco 49ers, the 1999 St. Louis Rams, and the 2001 New England Patriots - each of the teams that did it previously went on to be highly competitive, and to reach Super Bowls, for years shortly after.

The San Francisco 49ers won their first ever championship in 1981, but they went on to win three more in the 1980's to become the "Team of the Decade." The Niners won another title in the nineties, and enjoyed one of the longest periods of sustained success in NFL history. The St. Louis Rams won their first title in 1999, and that was the first of three straight seasons when the Rams did certain things each of those seasons: started off 6-0, had the highest scoring offense (they scored at least 500 points each of those years), and they went to the playoffs. They won the title in 1999, and went in 2001, but lost. The team that they lost to was the last team on this list, the 2001 New England Patriots. Since then, the Pats have won five Super Bowls in eight appearances overall, and have also enjoyed one of the longest sustained periods of success and winning in NFL history.

Now, that does not guarantee success, of course. But it does bode well for this team!

Philly Fans

Let me be clear: I am not really a fan of either the Philadelphia Eagles or the New England Patriots. Yet, neither team really bothers me, either. I actually like the Patriots to some degree, and definitely do not share the sheer hatred of them that so many seem to have, because the memory of them stumbling through 1-15 and 2-14 seasons does not seem all that long ago. And the Philadelphia Eagles, admittedly, I used to hate, particularly around the late 1980's, when they constantly beat the Giants, and just seemed to have a nasty image and attitude, with then coach Buddy Ryan, who was a classless idiot.

I have had run-ins with Philadelphia fans of sports teams on a few occasions. The first, and most notorious among family and friends, was when my brother and I went to Philadelphia in 1994 to see the Giants take on the Eagles. It was a wild game, with both teams at 7-7, and fighting for their playoff lives. It was almost a de facto playoff game, with the loser being eliminated from playoff contention.

It also wound up being a wild game! The Eagles seemed in control for most of it, but the Giants clawed their way back in the second half. Eventually, they managed to tie the game, 13-13, and it went to the final minutes. With a very late field goal attempt, the Giants were able to win, 16-13, and stayed alive, while the Eagles were eliminated. 

The game itself was excellent. But our experience was soured - greatly soured - by the fans in Philadelphia. They were violently hostile. Fights broke out like crazy. There was one Giants fan who went tumbling down the aisles, hitting his head along the way. When he got up, he looked wobbly, kind of out of it. Security came, and took him away, and most fans in our section cheered! I myself was hardly trying to make any trouble or picking a fight, yet there were some people there who were calling me to get kicked out, because I was rooting for the wrong team. At one point, the Giants did something good, and instinctively, I shook my fist in a "Yeah!" kind of gesture. As soon as my hands lowered, there was spit that flew past where my hand would have been, and right onto the back of some Eagles fans right in front of us. They turned around, and we explained what happened. They agreed that there was no call for that, and understood that we were not there for any trouble. Why would I try to make trouble when outnumbered by tens of thousands of hostile fans?

I saw similar hostilities with Flyers fans at a Devils playoff game, and this was up in New Jersey! By and large, whenever I have encountered fans of Philadelphia teams, they tend to be nastier and more confrontational than fans of other teams, regardless of the sport. Not sure why this is, but this is, truthfully, the feeling that I get with them. It's not a good feeling, and feels like decadence taken to a new level - and that's saying something for sports fans, who can be downright rabid and hostile. But in Philadelphia, it seems to be made into an art form!

So, that is why I usually hesitate before pulling for any Philadelphia teams. No problems with the teams themselves (I long ago got past my hatred for the Eagles as a football team), but there is a sincere sense that the fans down there do not deserve to enjoy success. And the proof is in the pudding. Look at how violently they reacted to the Eagles winning the Super Bowl a couple of nights ago! Why do they react like that? How do you celebrate your team winning by virtually rioting in the streets?

That is the main reason why I find pulling for the Eagles difficult, and trust me, I am far from the only one who feels this way!