Fans cannot get enough of the monumental win posted by the Philadelphia Eagles over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII Sunday. From minutes after the final fateful play when Tom Brady’s “Hail Mary” pass fell to the turf, from shock, tears and everything in between, fans were happy that a season full of ups and downs resulted in in the city’s first ever Super Bowl victory.
The historic win has even closed down area schools on Thursday so fans can participate in the Eagles victory parade, which will start at Broad Street and Pattison Avenue and makes its way up to the famous Philadelphia Art Museum steps.
As of Monday afternoon Upper Darby School District, the Philadelphia School District and all parochial schools within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia - city and suburbs - have announced they will be closed for the day. Because they will be hosting the staging area at the end of the parade, the Philadelphia Museum of Art also will be closed.
In long lines at the Modell’s Sporting Goods store in Clifton Heights, fans were over the moon for the league’s biggest underdogs. No one wanted to miss out on the chance to celebrate.
For Philly born and raised Lou Diluzio, he couldn’t be more excited.
“We won a Super Bowl, it doesn’t matter who it was (against),” he said.
“I bawled my eyes out crying,” said Victoria Dooner of the game, her voice very hoarse from all of the cheering and shouting the night before. “I was in Aldan watching and as soon as that clock hit 0:00 I ran right to the trolley and took it to Broad Street.”
Donner admitted that she didn’t get back home until around 6:30 in the morning from a night of celebrations.
“To see that look on Tom Brady’s face was well worth it to me,” she said.” I don’t know if I’m happy that we beat the Patriots or that the Eagles won.”
She definitely plans to attend Thursday’s parade.
The win over the reigning Super Bowl champs was the first championship title for the Birds since 1960, obviously pre-dating times when the Super Bowl became the marquee matchup of the NFL.
“I was gathered with friends in 1960 when they played the Green Bay Packers and won their last championship,” said Bill Drake. “It’s been a long time coming, but it’s worth it.”
Mike Vasatur may not have waited since 1960 for another big win, but he has waited a lifetime, literally.
“Finally winning a Super Bowl after 52 years we’ve been waiting for this. I’m 52 so I’ve been waiting all of my life,” he joked.
“It’s a great time for the city and we’re happy not only for the Eagles, but everybody in the region.”
This was a win for the life-long Eagles fans, no offense to the wagon jumpers, said William Manson.
“We’ve been cheering for them every win, loss, every season so when you’re diehard and true to your roots, it’s genuine,” he said of fan sentiment.
Bill Briddes said the Eagles’ win was a dream.
“For the Eagles to win is just monumental. I still can’t believe it,” he said. “It takes a while for it to sink in, it’s nuts.”
Like Dooner, and a projected 3 million others, Briddes will be going to the parade and will make the necessary arrangements at work to do so, he said.
He likened Philadelphia sports teams to always going up against Goliath, no matter the sport.
“The Flyers couldn’t beat the Red Wings; the Sixers couldn’t beat the Lakers; the Phillies couldn’t beat the Yankees; but the Eagles beat New England. It was awesome, fantastic,” he said.
Many people credited the sack of Tom Brady and the resulting fumble in the very intense fourth quarter as the pinnacle moment of the game. For Manson, the game wasn’t over until all of the time ran out.
“When the clock hit 0:00, Brady was done. That’s when it hit me,” he said. “We just threw dirt on everybody (this season). Especially the Patriots, we threw dirt on them … We beat Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, the evil empire; we took them down.”
Manson looked at the victory as redemption not only over their loss to the Pats in the 2005 Super Bowl, but for replacement starting quarterback Nick Foles, who carried the team through the playoffs after starting rookie QB Carson Wentz was down with a torn ACL.
“He was shipped out of here and that was unfair. Chip Kelly did him dirty, he did us dirty. (Foles) was calm and very humble and he came back. He was MVP of the Pro Bowl, he’s not chopped liver and here we go right now!” he said.
Mike Chmielowski hinted at a possible dynasty in the works with the winning team, considering all of the strong players and Doug Pederson’s effective coaching.
Vasatur erred on the side of caution seeing how hard long it took to get one Super Bowl won, and another crowning championship after 58 years.
“There’s no guarantee that you’ll get it again, but you got it now and finally you beat the best team,” he said. “It’s hard to repeat again. If the Eagles come out as the same team and continue winning, and when Wentz comes back, we’ll win the next Super Bowl with (Wentz).”
Dooner could not wait to get into Modell’s to grab all of the Super Bowl-laden merchandise she could of her favorite team.
“I’m grabbing anything I can get my hands on. I don’t know when this will happen again.”
The Eagles parade through the city will start at 11 a.m. on Thursday at Broad Street and Pattison Avenue. More details are expected from Philadelphia officials on Tuesday.
