Fly Eagles Fly! (Aslong As I Have My Lucky Underwear On)

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Eagle fans are the most passionate supporters in the NFL. They are recognized for their high level of football intelligence, famed for their infinite obsession, and branded as the most merciless, most hard nosed enthusiasts of the entire pig skin planet.

What sets them apart from the other fans? I mean, I am certain that there are fans of the other thirty one squads that "bleed" the colors that dawn their team. How are Eagle fans so special?

Experts in the field of "I have nothing else to report/write about, so I will attempt to create a story out of the blue" have been hard at work attempting to solve this puzzling mystery for years.

Here are their main points of Philadelphia's passion:

1. During halftime of the last game of a 2-12 dreadful 1968 season, Eagle fans hurl snowballs at an unwanted, unentertaining Santa Claus.
   
   
2. When the team isn't playing well, the fans hoot, holler, boo, and make public of their disgust. When they are really ticked off, Eagles' fans will boo after every on-field mistake and incompletion.
   

Although these are valid arguments for the NFL's Most Aggressive Fans, they can hardly be a convincing basis for passion.

You can say Eagle Fans boast amazing tail-gate experiences, that the Philadelphia Eagles have the second-highest stadium capacity filling percentage since 1996, and that they have an impressive amount of traveling fans. You can say that they are the loudest, evilest, meanest, most unbearable, and most obnoxious fans on planet earth, but there is one category that truly embodies everything that passion stands for.

That category is superstition.

The Eagle Faithful are very superstitious.  Each individual superstitious Eagle Fan solely believes that his course of actions and pre-game rituals during the week will assist the team into performing well.  This, my fellow Eagle Fans, is passion. 

Most Eagle fans cannot attend the games, and, obviously, all of them are unable to play in them.  Therefore, the only way they can help the team is spiritually, and through the belief of superstition.  Anything to help the team, right?

Eagle fans have the best pre-game rituals, superstitious activities, and other good luck charms.

After doing some research, here are some that I have complied:

Passionate Eagle Fan #1:
"I wear my white Dawk jersey with a spaghetti stain on it. I got the stain during the Cowboy game [2007, Week 15 matchup], and refuse to treat it until after the season.  I am also eating 20 Asian style hot wings every Sunday, with the first wing being consumed during the opening kickoff."

Now tell me if a Lions fan wouldn't wash a spaghetti-stained jersey.

Passionate Eagle Fan #2:
"I've actually worn my black McNabb jersey, with a green Eagles sweatshirt under it, every game since the Carolina game [2006, Week 13 matchup]. During Christmas, I bought a Dawkins jersey and I want to wear it for a game but I can't mess with the streak now."

Not wearing a Christmas gift because he believes he is helping out his team is just downright heroic.

Passionate Eagle Fan #3:
"Haven't gotten a haircut.  Don't intend to as long as the Eagles are winning. If they win the next 2 games, I'll have a mini fro by the time they get to the Superbowl."

Growing a 'fro for a team that hasn't a clue that you even exist. That is what I call passion.

Passionate Eagle Fan #4:
"The night before [a game] I have to sleep with my Eagles blanket, right side up. During the game, I set my phone ringer to the "FLY EAGLES FLY" song and have a player background. Also, whatever I drink is in my Eagle punder glass. I've wore the same Eric Allen throwback every game I've watched.

Now if the Birds are playing badly, I have to change the channel two up, then back two down back to the game.

My wife thinks I'm nuts.....but I'll never quit."

Wow.

Any human being with a brain knows that superstition doesn't actually exist, or help the team win in any way at all.  However, this is truly a time when "its the thought that counts." (By the way, I would hate when my parents would say that after receiving a useless gift, and you know you did, too.)  These are ordinary fans who have a passion for their team, and want to help them win in anyway they can.

Because we at Bleed Green know for a fact that Eagle Fans are the most passionate fans to walk the earth, we would like to hear more superstition stories from you.  We believe the superstitions that have not been shared can out-do the ones that have been shared.  Inform us of a time during an NFL season in which your "rituals" actually worked.  Big or small, we would love to read them. After all, we all have had superstitious thoughts throughout our entire life.  Take me for example:  I now wear my shorts on backwards when I write, because the last time I did that I received 9 comments. But, I'll save that story for another day.

So, have you grown an unbelievably insane mullet? Have you worn the same underwear everyday until the birds lost? Or have you ate thirty-six chicken wings before a game to ensure that Westbrook has a great day?
Email: alec82@gmail.com or cjben0511@aol.com to share them with us. You may also comment below.

Your stories may get published in a future "Why Eagle fans are the most passionate" type article.

Well, I am done for now. The article is finished. I'm going to go grab a lemonade, and turn my shorts around.

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