Philadelphia sports fans are known to be tough, brutally honest, and mean to the outside world. Few things in this city matter more than sports, the driving force that dictates fans’ moods on a day-to-day basis. 2022 has been quite a year for Philadelphia fans.
The Philadelphia Union went to the major league soccer final, and despite losing, it was a wonderful run. The Philadelphia Phillies fired Joe Girardi midway through the season, then went on a tear that resulted in a World Series appearance. Since the world series loss, they’ve added Trea Turner and other key pieces to keep themselves in the hunt for 2023.
The Philadelphia 76ers started rough, but are 3rd in the eastern conference. If healthy, they have as good a shot as anyone.
The Philadelphia Eagles finished with the best record in the NFL, defeated the Giants and 49ers in the playoffs in blowout fashion, and are headed to the Super Bowl. It’s the Eagles’ second Super Bowl appearance in five seasons. Despite the outcome, the Eagles are set up to be a force in their conference with depth across the board at multiple positions, and a cap genius in Howie Roseman.
Philly’s New Golden Era?
Ignore the Philadelphia Flyers and ask yourself, “is this a new golden era?”
The vibes are immaculate in Philadelphia, and the city is on a high. Any stranger wearing Philadelphia sports gear becomes an immediate friend, met with a high five, a smile, and a “go birds.” Eagles talk is the star at the work watercooler. Instead of focusing on our day-to-day responsibilities, we’re pulling up highlights or statistics.
We’re looking at game films and sports talk shows. The tri-state area is calm and happy. Rough day at work? Rough day at home? Are kids giving you a hard time? Think about the Eagles in the Super Bowl, the Phillies as a contender, and the Sixers as an elite team in their conference. Our daily stress seems more manageable during this time, and nothing can bring us down.
Don’t Let Outsiders Steal Our Joy
How do we stay euphoric? We block out outside noise. A lot of opposing fans and media have tried to police our behavior. This is about us, not them. They are likely jealous, and they should be.
They could never understand our joy. Their teams are bad at rebuilds, don’t value the trenches, and don’t value the quarterback position. Their general managers horribly mishandle the cap, aren’t willing to spend money, and don’t make strategic trades for pro-bowl-caliber players. Their teams haven’t been to an NFC championship game in nearly 30 years.
They’ll try to nitpick the Eagles’ schedule, say they’ve had the easiest path, and micro-analyze their playoff wins. None of it matters, because the Eagles are in the dance, and that can’t be taken away from us.
The Eagles Have A Chance To Make History
After the 2020 debacle and the Carson Wentz trade, this team looked prime for a rebuild. Jalen Hurts was up for the task and Howie Roseman revamped both sides of the football. The Eagles can win their second Super Bowl in five seasons with a different coach and quarterback combo.
Doug Pederson and Nick Sirianni have reached the Super Bowl in their second season as head coaches, in consecutive tenures. That’s almost unheard of. Jalen Hurts has the chance to be the youngest Super Bowl-winning quarterback in Eagles history, and one of the youngest in NFL history.
If the Eagles hoist the Lombardi trophy on February 12th, how many organizations can say they’ve accomplished that? The last time the Warriors won the NBA championship and the Houston Astros won the World Series, the Eagles won the Super Bowl. Let’s hope that history repeats itself.
Embrace It
We probably keep asking ourselves if this is real. It hasn’t sunk in that we’ve experienced so much fun and success as of late. Seeing Philadelphia fans in such a euphoric state is refreshing and awfully contagious.
Embrace it, Philadelphia fans.
This isn’t the time for negativity or projection due to past Philadelphia sports failures. Philadelphia fans tend to wait for the other shoe to drop. Sports are meant to be enjoyed, and we shouldn’t shelve our current happiness in fear of being hurt. It’s always important to remember that if we do get hurt, the ride was still amazing. This is our time.
We’re allowed to let our hair down and enjoy the moment. The wait for Super Bowl 57 will be agonizing, but we’ll get there. Savor the moment and continue to float on air for the next week and a half. There will be no better place to be at the moment than the tri-state area.
Here’s hoping we’re partying on Broad street soon enough. Go birds.
