Eagles Opener May Be Medicine For Phils
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Fri, September 05, 2008 12:03 PM | Comments: 16
Posts
This weekend is maybe the biggest sports weekend in Philadelphia since… well … who knows. Most of the attention, however, has shifted.
Look at the Philly.com sports main page. Notice all the Eagles copy. It’s no secret that with the Eagles opening Sunday against the Rams, the city is moving its focus to the gridiron. Yes, this is still a football town. Especially when critics, pundits and so-called experts are christening the Birds the sexy pick to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLIII.
But the weekend is more than just the Birds’ opener. It’s the Phillies tussle with the Mets, a big three-game set at Shea Stadium that could decide the fate of the NL East. But while Saturday and Sunday’s games will get national attention, here at home, it’ll be page C3 stuff.
That’s just the way it needs to be.
The day the Phillies clinched the NL East last season, the Eagles geared up for a huge night showdown with the Giants. Donovan McNabb was sacked to eternity, and the Birds lost big time. It marked the beginning of the end of the Birds’ playoff hopes. And it marked the moment the Phils became the city’s top team. With all eyes on the pinstripes, they were swept without a yelp by the Rockies.
It doesn’t mean the attention shrinks the Phils, but it means that when the city plays down the Phils, they seem to find their legs. When all the city’s hopes and dreams are pinned on the Phils, urgency creeps in. Heck, listen to Jimmy Rollins for proof. When we’re heated, we’re bad for business.
So while the Eagles gain the city spotlight this weekend, the Phils can concentrate on winning games, not appeasing the “front-running” fan base. I have confidence that without the attention, you’ll see a slightly different team in Queens.
Posts: 0 Chris.I
Sorry but I don’t think that the Eagles season has anything to do with the Phils beating the Mets, or making the playoff’s. I admit this is a football city, but times are changing..Since we’ve been selling out alot of home games, I think it’s fair enough to say that baseball is making it’s come back in Philly.
Posted: 12:15 PM on September 5, 2008
Posts: 0 NJ
Tim makes a good point. This team are on the whole a bunch of girls who cry for attention and choke when it’s on them, maybe a late cry for attention will have the Phils playing hard for more than a couple of games.
Go Eagles! At least there’s one team in Philly that has responsible ownership and a front office in order…
Posted: 12:33 PM on September 5, 2008
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
I just feel this team thrives on being the underdog team. And when the Birds get more attention, that labels the Phils as dogs in their own city. We’ll see.
Posted: 12:35 PM on September 5, 2008
Posts: 0 NJ
It’s true, the Phils aren’t built to succeed so much as they are to be the ‘(slightly) edgy rebel’… It’s the guys with a chip on their shoulder performing on this team but the legitimate talents aren’t winners and need to be put down to show what their made of.
Posted: 12:54 PM on September 5, 2008
Posts: 0 NJ
*Except Utley, he has the Shmidty like aura of talent and attitude.
Posted: 12:56 PM on September 5, 2008
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
This makes sense to me though. Think about this also. The Phils were doing well in May also when the Flyers were marching on in the playoffs.
Posted: 01:03 PM on September 5, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
AND NOW, BACK TO POSITIVE-ONLY PHILLIES TALK…brought to you by: PizzaHut and the $5 Mamma Mia Pizza!
Posted: 01:11 PM on September 5, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
Guys, that is seriously a freakin stretch to suggest that the Eagles or Flyers playing has ANYTHING at all to do with how well the Phillies play…
Were they effected when THE DARK KNIGHT came out in theaters too and took some fans away??
Posted: 01:12 PM on September 5, 2008
Posts: 0 Chris.I
Thank God someone agrees with me here. I can see why Mets fans hate us, because were not true fans at heart…When were not doing good, we focus on the Eagles, or Flyers! Maybe when we sweep the Mets, and actually get closer to the playoff’s everyone will jump back on the band wagon. J-roll was right! Our fans are a bunch of front runners.
Posted: 01:25 PM on September 5, 2008
Posts: 0 David, the Mets fan from Queens
I’m a Mets fan and I don’t hate Phillies fans. We are both avid fans of the greatest sport in the world! Whether we live in Philly, Queens, Milwaukee, LA, Oakland, etc – it is inconsequential! We all love baseball!
I’m psyched! I’m attending all three games this weekend. I’ll have fun booing Jimmy Rollins as will all other Mets fans! I am going to verbally shit on Brett Myers though. I have friends that are wearing wifebeaters that say, “Beat the Phils, not your wife.”
It’s terrible, but quite comical from a Mets fan perspective.
Quick question to you fans watching the game on Philadelphia’s Comcast SportsNet: Is tonight’s game in HD?
Posted: 01:45 PM on September 5, 2008
Posts: 0 mikemike
Chris I don’t know you but I feel sorrow for you. You care about the phillies even though they the owners don’t give a shit about you. this isn’t about front running. I can’t speak for others but I have had enough of bad ownership. Jimmy rollins gets his money nomatter what he does and he should keep his mouth shut for the year he is having. The people are not mad at the ruiz or jenkins but at the ownership,unwilling to go out and get what it takes to win. When i go to see the phillies and carlos ruiz or jenkins is up I am frustrated not with them its not there fault they are bad players they are trying.It’s the ownership bad judgement to think ruiz is starting catcher for a world championship team.or that jenkins can help a team win .
Posted: 01:53 PM on September 5, 2008
Posts: 0 DAVE
Aren’t the Eagles ALWAYS the sexy/sleeper NFC Super Bowl pick? And don’t they ALWAYS fizzle out somewhere around week 12? Why should we expect this season to be any different with an always-injured QB and a WR corp led by Hank Baskett? The Giants are the clear class of the NFC and will continue the misery of Philadelphia as New York’s 2nd fiddle.
Posted: 01:58 PM on September 5, 2008
Posts: 0 Chris.I
You feel sorry for me? Dont feel sorry for me. I’m just telling you how it is. I’m a true fan, win or lose…I watch every game, even when were down 8-2, and come back and win, when everyone else turns their TV’s off. I just don’t understand why all of a sudden everyone is giving up and making excuses for the loses. We’ll pull it together…
Posted: 02:19 PM on September 5, 2008
Posts: 0 mikemike
chris I Says Excuse me but what you are saying is nomatter what the owners do to this team. Nomatter what product they put on the field you will root for them and pay money to go see them. And that people who don’t aren’t as good a fan as you. The people who know that they won’t spend money in the draft, international freeagent market, major league free agents . That they the owners only look at the bottom line.Chris fool me once shame on you fool me twice and I am a phillies diehard fan.
Posted: 02:28 PM on September 5, 2008
Posts: 0 Anth
Looking forward to it. Hopefully PBurrell puts on his superman cape and goes to town in Shea like usual…
Posted: 02:33 PM on September 5, 2008
Posts: 0 Eb
TADIHITO JUST SIGNED WITH THE PHILS
Posted: 03:22 PM on September 5, 2008