Mom

Right now my mom is fighting for her life in intensive care. A sudden tragedy ironically hit our family like a large tsunami. The shock and aftershock creating large ripples and rifts for now weeks. You really don't know how important your mom is until one day she's not able to call you, to reach out, to check on you, to see how your day is going to talk, to laugh, to joke, to tell you why she's sad. She's fighting and that's been my mom for the 41 years I've known her. She will take on any opponent. A short woman in stature, but giant in life and heart. We continue to say our prayers and hope for a miracle. I figure if anyone deserves a second chance, it's her.

Where there is great love there are always miracles. -Willa Cather

Over and Out

It's amazing what you can hear when you listen. It sounds stupid, but a lot of the time, especially with today's fast pace, we may hear, but we never listen. Sit there contently or read something, but never fully process the full impact of the words. I always believe that I have to get better at listening. Not just hearing the words, but processing them and then coming up with a response that doesn't alienate or belittle the sender. Sometimes less is better with responding. Just a few, "I understand, I get it, I hear you...." may do the job. Sometimes too many words can come off as preaching. Sometimes it can be a lose-lose situation and you need to tread lightly. The fact you will sit there and listen or read is very important though. Don't discount that simple action. And sometimes not responding doesn't mean you don't care. Just may not have anything to add at the moment. Communication between people can be difficult, but if you show you love someone and they respect and care about you, you can get through anything with a few caring and supportive words.

A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker. - Chuang Tzu

World Champs!!!

So the day was finally upon us. The day so many of us waited our entire lives for. Before I even woke up, this playoff run was one for the ages. We ended up getting home field advantage. We got the Falcons. The entire game was close. A lot of missed opportunities on our side to put it away, but in the end we pulled it out. Watched the game with some friends down at a bar on Main Street. Next up was the Vikings. A game for the ages for the Birds O. It seemed as if we scripted the perfect offensive and defensive playbook for these guys. After P Rob's pick, we didn't let off the gas. Foles played great and the running game ran all over the strongest defense in the league. No match for our D or our line. I think for some, it was hard to believe we would beat them by so much, but we did. By the end of the 3rd quarter it was basically in the bag. Foles played out of his mind locking in on some open receivers putting the ball in spots that were just insanely precise. I watched this game with my sister, my two nephews, my mom and my brother in law. Such a great experience to share. We're going to the Super Bowl!!!

And now that time in between to reflect. So many years following the eagles, having season tickets before The Linc opened, going to games when I could. But I think of all those players who came before this team. Reggie, Jerome, Seth, Eric, Dirty Waters, Randall, Heath Sherman, Keith Jackson, Keith Byars, Hershel, Arkansas Fred, Mamula, Ricky Watters, Rodney Peete, Bobby Hoying, Ty Detmer, Mike Mamula, Tra Thomas. Hollis Thomas, Correll Buckhalter, Todd Pinkston, Todd Herremans, McNabb, Westbrook, Freddie Mitchell, Trent Cole, Hugh Douglas, Trott, Duce, Thrash, Ryan Matthews, LeSean, DeSean, TO, Akers, Bobby Taylor, Cox, Lane, Celek, Ertz, Alshon, Mills, Jones, Clement, Burton, Graham, Allen, Curry, Smallwood, Blount, Wentz. Foles, Torrey Smith, Barnett, Elliot, Jones, Peters, Vaitai, King Kelce, Wiz, Sproles, Dawkins, Dougie P, Bradham, Walker, Barner, Ags, Johnson, Hollins...anyone I missed.

I mean, you grow up here, it’s like instilled in you to root for our sports teams. You live in Philly and root for the teams and people become phriends and people become phamily. The earliest days, my sisters, my cousins, my parents, my grandparents, my uncles, my aunts, my friends. Philly or nothing. You just don’t go and root for some other team.

That Sunday, February 4th, 2018. I woke up around 8:03am. Marchianos downstairs started letting people in to buy their famous breads and strombolis. A buddy asked me to secure a few for him and I figured I would get two for myself. I am not even out of bed and I can hear the DJ playing music and I am awakened by “Fly Eagles Fly”. I immediately start smiling. Adrenaline starts pumping. I can’t even lay still. Throw some shorts on and my Go Birds tee (mind you it’s pretty damn cold this time of year). Roll in there and full line and beers in coolers. Give hugs to Daneen, get my 4 strombolis and get to register and hear her whisper, “give him half off…” Godfather Special. Ha. Already started the day off right. I had so much to do, but it was like moving fast in slow motion. Went to the gym. Felt like I could leg press a house. Went home and got my buddy’s two bolis, dropped them off and shot the shit, then go get a haircut. Go back home and it’s complete mayhem. Singing, dancing, people driving by honking horns, and just in total celebration mode. The Marchianos crew throwing bolis like fastballs. One makes into a truck bed. Music blaring and everyone just so happy. Me and my buddy Brian head over to Penn Valley for some food. Some beers and fried food to get the Super Sunday started.

Head home for the quiet before the storm. Not much time before the start of the game. My cousins both suggested heading down to a buddy’s house down in South Philly. I had never been. So I wait a little. Hoping I will miss the rush of traffic. Rain starts. Pouring. Game actually starts on time. I get the uber and head down. I get to Ellsworth Street and the house with the red door. I walk in and there’s no one in sight. I am wondering if I am even in the right house. A side note, I actually went to the wrong house first and knocked on the door. Ha. So I get in, realizing the game had started and everyone is downstairs. Jake’s buddy Mark has an amazing house and setup. I head down and there’s about 30 people all in front of a huge projection screen. Waves to my cousin Jason and Jake and set my ass down as first quarter is mid-way through. Commercial break and make my way over to say hi to Jason, Jake and Mark. Make friends with the people in the back. Like I said, new friends, old friends, all Eagles fans. Start putting down some beers and settling in for what would be a great game.

The entire game was back and forth. Really was an offensive battle. We got out ahead in the first and second quarter. Some clutch throws by Foles. Laying in to Jeffrey after Blount’s run. Jenkins laid out Cooks and that really woke everyone up. Cooks never came back. Blount had a nice 20 yard run and into the end zone. Dougie P runs the Philly Special and Trey Burton throws a great pass to Foles open in the end zone. Foles lays a pass into Clement that doesn’t even seem physically possible. Literally like under two Pats defenders, into Clements arms and touchdown. Pats keep coming back now. Elliot kicks a field goal to make 33-32 Patriots. Then, Foles finds Ertz on a 10 yard pass. He jumps into the end zone and the ball pops out, but Ertz maintains possession. With Brady driving, probably the biggest defensive play in Eagles history. Brandon Graham’s strip sack of Brady and Barnett’s recovery. Complete insanity ensues at Mark’s house. People hugging….it’s not over yet. Eagles get it back and FG by Elliot for some padding. Here we are. Mr. Perfect. Tom Brady….90 yards and 58 seconds. His last ditch effort for the end zone makes it to the end zone, tapped around, batted, falling…falling…falls to the ground. Your Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl Champions.

A blur. A what the fuck just happened? Has time run out? Yes, I see :00 on the TV. Looking at Jake, Jason, Mark, Mark’s friends. Everyone in green. Can’t even believe it. Hearts pumping. Is this real? Did we just see what happened? I didn’t even watch any more of the TV. It was real. It did happen. We are the world champions. This rush of relief, joy, excitement, adrenaline, and just over all happiness rushes over you. Everyone in the room is just like, “did that just happen?” we’re the winners?!!! It was hard to process. You saw it, but you were still processing.

Look at Jason, Jake, Mark….well, we’re heading out Broad Street. Grab our jackets, grab our gear. Grab some road sodas. Head out and it’s complete and utter pandemonium. I can’t even explain it, but will try. A sea of people. Sea of green. Cars driving by. People hanging out the windos. All races, all creeds, all ages, all classes. One city. People are just running around, hugging, screaming, running, laughing, yelling. Fucking Super Bowl Champs!!! Someone lighting fireworks right in front of Mark’s house. We all head out to Broad Street and start the walk to City Hall. Tons of people all around. All in Eagles gear of some sort. Anything. It didn’t matter. Run into Marissa and her friends out of nowhere. Take a swig of someone’s jungle juice, grab a picture on the back of a paddy wagon, enjoy this time with the family, enjoy this time with the city. Heading toward City Hall. Fireworks start going off. Amazing. Not little fireworks. Huge fireworks. Everyone just looking up. Realizing how special this night is and enjoying the moment. I know when I’m old and gray, I can say, I know where I was when the Eagles won their first super bowl. I was either with the people I love or thinking of everyone I care about in my life who loves our team. All our friends and family who truly bleed green. This is our time. One city. One win. One Championship.