Helping you pick a side

by JasonB on Jan 28, 2008 7:09 AM EST in Philadelphia Eagles News

Over the weekend, Inky columnist Bob Ford unleashed a salvo against New York and unequivocally stated his intention to root for the Pats this coming weekend.

I must say, I'm never one to hide my feelings about our rivals, but I was pretty surprised to see Ford go after New York this. Good for him!

For the moment, and for the purpose of picking a side in the coming Super Bowl between the New England (nee Boston) Patriots and the New York Giants, you have to ignore the fact that the Patriots haven't played within the city limits of Boston since 1968 and the Giants have been breathing the toxic air of East Rutherford, N.J., since 1976.

These are vagabonds, my friends, creatures of expediency. By comparison, the Eagles have had six home fields, all of which have been loyally within the civic boundary of Philadelphia. If the Eagles played in a location similar to Foxborough, Mass., they would be taking the field somewhere around Wilmington - and without the added benefit of tax-free shopping!

No, regardless of the actual mailing addresses of the teams, this has to be Boston vs. New York. And the choice is easy. You have to root for the Patriots because, really, what do we care? Go ahead, win again. Steal the signals, wear the hoodie, score a hundred points, go to Disney World. What does this make? Four Super Bowls in seven years? Five in eight years? Whatever. Will Hunting stands at the coffee shop window with his armful of Lombardi trophies, asking, "How do you like them apples?" We don't care. Enjoy your apples. Make a pie if you like.

This is basically the discussion we had here on the blog last week. What does another Pats Superbowl really mean to us? In the end it's nothing. We won't even play the Pats again until at least 2010. The Giants... we'll be seeing them every year, twice a year forever. Is them bragging about a ring for the next 20 years really worth seeing the Pats humbled once?

Take it home Bob....

Boston, bless its tortured Calvinist soul, knows it will have to pay for its temporal excesses with suffering at some later date. Winning streaks end, dynasties crumble, the exalted are humbled. There is, after all, a tomorrow.

If New York wins, though, I'm not so sure.

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No doubt about it....

We all know the Boston sports fan has become insufferable, but there is no way it matches the obnoxiousness factor that a New York sports fan brings with it. Gotta root for the Pats, with the Pats having a run in with the law (Rodney Harrison arrested for picking up a male prostitute?), just to spice things up.

by johndewar on Jan 28, 2008 9:16 AM EST reply actions

I'm sorry but...

I hate Boston. In my mind they are no better than New York. Their fans are obnoxious, they believe in their divine right to collect every possible championship they can. More to the point, they are extremely righteous about their own city, and look with derision at most other places. I'm very, very tired of seeing them win. And you know what? I empathize with the new york team. As much as I hate Eli Manning, I have to say I'm almost proud that that asshole has proven so many people wrong. That team has got some philadelphia heart-on-it's-sleeve soul to it. Besides, I would much rather read about the failure of the Pats to get the perfect season, to see it ended by a huge underdog from the NFC east.

I hate the giants, and next year I hope they die a slow and sorry death, but right now, I want them to win.

God, why can't the eagles just fucking get it together. I can't believe I just rooted for the giants.

by MaxB on Jan 28, 2008 10:18 AM EST reply actions

NO BRAINER!

I hope Brady throws 6 TDs and the game is boring by half time.

This ones like the 2008 election... the lesser of two evils... No matter what happens, it will suck... its just about what sucks the most!

and that my friend would be Eli and Coughlin wearing rings. I mean seriously, before you root for NY try to wrap you head around that one!

"I would rather stand completely naked in the freezing temperatures at lambeau field than cheer for either one of these teams"

by 700 Level on Jan 28, 2008 11:01 AM EST reply actions

Agreed

I go to school in Rutgers New Brunswick, and have to deal with North Jersey / New York Giants fans everyday. They talked crap for two weeks after the giants beat the eagles this season. Winning a Super Bowl would just give them bragging rights until the next time the birds make it to the Super Bowl. Which'll be next year, of course.

To me its like picking the lesser of two poisons. I really don't want either team to win. As one of my friends said, "I hope the Super Bowl ends in a 0-0 tie"

by AmishJedi on Jan 28, 2008 11:44 AM EST reply actions

I probably hate boston so much

because I go to college there right now. But I stand by what I said. Screw the AFC and screw the patriots.

by MaxB on Jan 28, 2008 12:30 PM EST reply actions

but alteast the patriots arent frauds

the giants are!

"I would rather stand completely naked in the freezing temperatures at lambeau field than cheer for either one of these teams"

by 700 Level on Jan 28, 2008 12:44 PM EST reply actions

Let's be selfish here for a minute

Everyone knows that the team that loses in the Super Bowl suffers a severe case of Super Bowl hangover the following year. In fact, the Super Bowl losers odds of making the playoffs over the past decade is under 50%.

So from an Eagles' fans perspective, if we want the best result for our team in '08, then the only scenario we can root for is a Giants loss on Sunday. We also don't need Eli Manning developing his confidence any more than he's done this playoff season. I want the old Eli back and the best way for that to happen is for the Giants to get destroyed by the Pats (with lots of Manning INTs thrown in).

Let's be selfish and think about what serves us Eagles fans best in 2008 - a Giants loss!

by slackerjoe on Jan 28, 2008 8:33 PM EST reply actions