My thoughts on the Championship Parade and Rally today, celebrating the World Champion Eagles...
* I'm wondering how they will count the crowds today. Had to be millions who lined the streets from the Linc to Center City to the Art Museum. If the Eagle players weren't aware of the volume and passion of Philly fans, they do now. People camped out overnight in the chill, windy weather. it was always proposed that if the Eagles ever won a super bowl, what would the reaction be? The fact it was the very first world championship celebration for our football team makes it unique and a once-in-a-lifetime event.
* Great when the players got off of one of the 26 championship buses to shake hands with fans. Touching the Lombardi trophy had to be a thrill for those fans lucky enough to have the opportunity.
* Center Jason Kelsey dressed like a Mummer, in green and gold, kinda looking like Grizzly Adams in a genie outfit. One can say he looked ridiculous, but he bonded with the fans by walking along the parade route a ways, and his passionate, f-bomb filled speech at the Art Museum. He told it like it is, honest to a fault. The best part of his rant was calling out idiot "expert" Mike Lombardi, who had called Doug Pederson "The most unqualified coach ever" when Pederson was hired.
* I watched the entire day on Channel 6. They did a good job, overall, even if anchor Jim Gardner is out of his element anymore. The worst was sports guy Jeff Skaverski. He talked too much ( even Gardner told him not to talk so much), seemed programmed like a robot in his remarks, and was caught powdering his nose a tone point. Channel 6 has a really weak sports department anyway, with Skaverski, Duces Rodgers and Jamie Apody.
* It was cool that some of the players dressed old-school to honor former Eagles, such as Brent Celek wearing a no. 17 Harold Carmichael kelly green jersey.
* Fans were pumped even before the buses left Lincoln Financial Field, as even trash-trucks were cheered.Fans interacted with the players, tossing them cans of beer and bottles of water. fans played catch with small footballs across Broad street. Lots of kids attended since there was no school. Looking back on it, the best bet was to get a hotel room in Center City and walk, rather than drive into Philly or even take public transit, which was worse going home then the staggered volume in the morning.
The blasting of green and white confetti made the parade route fun. The line-up was kept clean- no marching bands or anything else that could take away form the main attraction- the players.
* Jim Gardner made a fatal mistake during the proceedings, calling Ron Jaworski, who was in the studio with Gardner and Rodgers, the "Polish Pistol." Jaws was known as the "Polish Rifle." Jaworski didn't have the heart to correct Gardner.
* The rally was fun. They promised "surprises," and there were rumors that Rocky himself, Sylvester Stallone, would show up, but no so. Since Stallone wasn't at the NFC championship Game either, one wonders if he has cut ties with the Birds?
* Former players were at the ceremony, including newly-inducted Hall of Fame player Brian Dawkins. Instead of bandwagon politicians like Gov. Wolfe and Mayor Kenney speaking, I would've rather heard Dawk talk. Speeches were kept short, with Merrill Reese and Dave Spadaro officiating.
* Three jets flew over the Art Museum area after the national Anthem, and those same jets roared over my house in Phoenixville about 20 minutes prior to their arrival in Philadelphia.
*Other than Stallone, I was a bit disappointed that key historical Eagle figures like Dick Vermeil weren't at the podium. Otherwise, the really important players spoke, including Foles, Wentz and Peters. Rederson and Howie Rossman got tremendous applause. And i was most happy for owner Jeffrey Lurie, who deserved the championship as much as any billionaire owner could.
* It was a great, unforgettable day for the fans, the real heart and soul of the Philadelphia Eagles. I'm sorry i wasn't there, but big crowds and wheelchairs don't mix very well. Still, my heart was with the Birds, and it finally began to sink in that the "Iggles" are world champions of football.
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