One Month On

In the midst of what was, for me at least, a bewilderingly busy winter the Eagles won a championship. Still somewhat hard to believe. Sherry took a photo of me just seconds after time expired. In it I'm standing still, with my right arm folded underneath my left, with my left hand scratching my chin. It's not a pose of jubilation, but of calm disbelief.

There are other pictures from the party we attended that night. The look of joy is pretty obvious on them.

For those of you reading this who don't live in the Philadelphia area, it might be hard to convey the feeling Eagles fans felt upon winning that Super Bowl. The best I can convey the feeling, though, is to suggest that you consider the film Rocky, a Philadelphia story if ever there was one. What me and my fellow fans experienced was akin to watching Rocky for, I don't know, the 30th time.



But this time, Rocky wins.

The particular scene from that film I can't shake comes in round 14, when Rocky is knocked down, rises, goads Apollo to resume the fight, and Apollo just looks to the canvas in disgust.

Thoughout this year, I kept remarking to my friends that this Eagles team won games that Eagles teams don't normally win. It was a season characterized by wins that didn't follow to this team's historical form. It was a season that reminded me of the joys of being a fan. It was a season that reminded me of the thrill in watching inspired leadership and unlikely heroes rising to the occasion.

There will not be another sports victory that I watch that will be as stunning as that one.