I don't know about you, but I'm still celebrating the win in the Super Bowl by the Philadelphia Eagles. Not only was it a long time coming (52 years), but because how it came about and how it happened makes it a victory that cannot be diminished or taken away from them. It was hard earned and hard won.

A Season Well Played!

Let's look at what happened this season. Through good coaching and good playing, the team established an enviable win-loss record. Then, on December 10, 2017, their quarterback, Carson Wentz, sustained a knee injury. Then sports news outlets started predicting gloom and doom; that was it for the Eagles. They lost their star quarterback. But then the backup quarterback, Nick Foles, proceeded to lead the team into the playoffs.

Once they were in the playoffs, and facing the Minnesota Vikings, even the NFL didn't expect them to win. Promotional materials for Super Bowl ticket sales had the Vikings and the Patriots depicted, and the league looked foolish when the Eagles won 38-7, earning their spot in the Super Bowl.

Pre-Game Buzz Against the Eagles!

In the two weeks leading up to the game, I was surprised at the number of people that wanted the Eagles to lose because they didn't like the rowdy Philadelphia sports fans. But, as I would point out, they're not the ones playing the game!

These players worked (and played!) hard all season and deserved to have some support. People were also touting the prowess of Tom Brady, and how his team had won 5 Super Bowls. How could the Eagles even hope to win against such a juggernaut?

This buzz continued after the game too. An example of this is a statement by Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen that was taken up by the press as the Patriots somehow "letting" the Eagles win. She meant it in general terms, but it was taken more specifically to sensationalize it and fit the narrative of the media; shame on them!

Finally, A Game Well Played!

Then, there was the game. The two teams traded touchdowns and field goals in a tightly scored game that was anything but a blowout. The Patriots only led once during the game, in the second half, and not by much. Even then, people were pointing out how the Pats had won at the last minute before and that it "wasn't over til it's over."

Then a last minute field goal made the Eagles "touchdown proof" in the last two minutes, with a Patriots needing a touchdown and a 2-point conversion just to tie the game! At that point, they just had to run down the clock.

So, in essence, the Eagles fought through the loss of their star quarterback, tough battles against other good conference teams, won playoff games no one but their fans thought they would, and played admirably against a team that had been the victors on five previous occasions. They didn't have it easy, they earned it, and that can never be taken away from them!

Next, pitchers and catchers report on February 14. Play ball!

Steven J. Richardson
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Bankruptcy, Collections, Student Loan, DUI and Traffic Court attorney in Woodbury, NJ.
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