Every Eagle Fan's Dream

By Ryan Barbieri

When I think of significant memories in sports; a few come to mind. There was the Saint Joseph’s University basketball team’s famous undefeated season in 2004, which saw them eventually come short in the Elite 8. Or, there was the 1996 Home Run Derby in Philadelphia where Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds went head to head in the final round (Bonds ended up winning). However, I don’t think anything can top off last year’s Eagles season, one where I attended my very first Eagles game.

Every Eagles fan knows how difficult it is to get your hands on tickets for a game. I had been dreaming about that for almost 12 years. When my Dad told me to mark my calendar for October 8th, and that I’d be attending my first Eagles game, I was more happy than I was after I finished my first term at Drexel. I could have cared less about what team it was against, but when I found out it would be the NFC rival Dallas Cowboys, I nearly fainted.

This was the game that every Philadelphia fan was waiting for. This was the game where disgruntled wide receiver Terrell Owens would make his much talked about return to the City of Brotherly Love, a city that had no love whatsoever for him. A year ago, he had caused a temper tantrum so alike to a 6-year-old brat; it led to his dismissal from the team. Sure, he might have helped the Eagles make it to the Super Bowl, but now he was playing for the archrival Cowboys. With that put aside, I knew that this would be one day that I would never forget.

The game itself was one of the best games I have ever watched. The crowd was into it from the start, booing Owens’ every move and chanting E-A-G-L-E-S every chance possible. The game got off to a quick start as Eagles’ running back Brian Westbrook ran in a touchdown on the opening play. However, Dallas quickly bounced back and ended up leading at halftime 21-17. The second half saw the Eagles come out swinging more than the opening drive as they held Dallas to three points the entire half. To top everything off, Eagles’ cornerback Lito Sheppard concluded the game with a 102-yard interception for a TD. The crowd went absolutely crazy and for a second it seemed as if everyone had forgot that Owens was even in the game. The media made the game out to be a David & Goliath type match up between Donovan McNabb and Owens. Thanks to a Pro Bowl performance by McNabb, the game was high scoring as he threw for 354 yards and two touchdowns, even running in a touchdown himself. Owens however, didn’t have a Pro Bowl-type performance, finishing with just 3 receptions for 45 yards.

What made this game so special wasn’t just that it was my first game, but it was the overall passion of the crowd. Every play was exciting as the fans reacted to each moment. It seemed at times that the Philly fans were just too much for Dallas quarterback Drew Bledsoe as he threw 3 interceptions and was sacked 7 times. We, along with every other fan were on our feet for every play of the game. This is what made the game so memorable.