I come from a long line of Philadelphia sports fans. My maternal grandparents grew up in Fishtown and my paternal grandparents grew up in Bryn Mawr – right near BPR’s current office location. Straight out of the womb, my dad raised me to be a proud and passionate Philadelphia fan.
Philadelphia is a city founded on family, tradition, faith, and hard work — but also disappointment. The history of our sports teams clearly reflects that, as a common phrase among Philly fans is, “There’s always next year.” Yet, every step of the way, sports has inspired me, pushed me and been a defining part of my life.
The Philadelphia Eagles are about to head to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2004, when they lost by three points. The path they took to get here this season is eerily similar to their last run. In 2004, the Eagles had to defeat both the Falcons and the Vikings to get to play the Patriots in the biggest game of the year. Flash forward to 2018: The closer the Eagles have gotten to the national stage, the more the coverage mirrors the past as well, focusing on how crazy and aggressive and mean Philly fans are.
That’s an easy narrative to fall into for people who aren’t from here, and don’t understand what it means to root for a team, no matter how good (or not) they are. To understand what it’s like to watch your Dad cry when the Phillies won the World Series in 2008, to shake your head in silence when the Eagles lost to the Panthers in the NFC Championship in 2003, or to hear stories about your uncle sneaking into Veterans Stadium in a variety of crazy and creative ways because of the electricity a Philly game has.
Philadelphia fans aren’t mean and aggressive and crazy (sure, there are always a few bad apples). They are underdogs. They have heard time and time again that they cannot, and they will not. Being a Philadelphia fan is something that runs in your blood. No matter what we hear from the naysayers, we keep on persevering.
We talk a lot at BPR about how every company has a story to tell, and if you don’t tell it, somebody else will. The Eagles heard that loud and clear; they didn’t let everyone’s pity cast them as underdogs. Instead, they took control of the narrative and became The Underdogs. They wore masks, created shirts and talked loud and proud in the media. They sent a strong message — we love your doubt, we own it, and we will succeed. This team has used that doubt to fuel their fire, and they have adopted the values of family, faith and hard work, to prove that disappointment doesn’t need to be a Philadelphia tradition.
I will be wearing my Eagles green proudly on Sunday, screaming “Fly Eagles Fly!” at the top of my lungs and knowing that no matter the outcome, I’m proud of this team and this city. Let’s bring home our first Lombardi trophy.
Great article. So true !!!