One Texas-Sized Game: Two Very Different Philly Wishes

It’s Cowboys week an annual week to spew distaste for everything and anything Dallas. Since Sunday’s match-up is a regular-season finale oozing with playoff atmosphere, it's like Cowboys week on steroids.

But this Cowboys week is unlike any other.

The usual warlike attitude that fans bring into a game against their hated foes (especially one with playoff implications) has subsided into a passive, lethargic week of Eagles’ fanfare. But why?

Everyone knows why -- it’s the unimpressive game that the Eagles played against the Washington Redskins. And when LaRon Landry knocked Reggie Brown inches away from the goal line -- suddenly -- Cowboys week turned into a week of questions.

  • Can the Eagles still make the postseason?
  • Can the Raiders (4-11) really beat the Bucs (9-6) in Tampa?
  • Can Eagles fans really cheer for the hated Giants against the Minnesota Vikings?
  • Is this the end of the Andy Reid Era?
  • Is this Donovan McNabb’s last game as an Eagle?

With these questions in mind, Eagles fans come into this week’s game divided into two categories:
Birds Optimists and Negadelphians (the typical hardcore, pessimistic Philadelphia sports fans).

The Birds Optimists go into Cowboys week praying for a miracle. They want the Birds to claw into the Cowboys and get some help -- a football miracle.

The Birds Optimists are still holding onto hope that their beloved Eagles will limp into the NFL playoffs. They still believe that if somehow everything comes together (Eagles actually run the ball, receivers actually catch the ball, L.J Smith actually gets in his right position, the defense actually get turnovers, etc.) then maybe the Eagles can win it all.

Good luck, optimists -- you (and the Birds) will probably need all the luck possible.

The Negadelphians love their Eagles and in their hearts they really want their birds to bring home the Vince Lombardi trophy.

But, on Sunday, something burning deep in those same Negadelphians’ hearts will want to see the Cowboys stomp over the Birds in the most embarrassing way possible.

Why? Because Negadelphians want change more than rallying Barack Obama supporters.

They want things to get so bad on Sunday that Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and President Joe Banner will be forced to make monumental changes (particularly with the head coach and quarterback).

Good luck with that too, Negadelphians -- the ownership seems to believe in one mantra only, "In Andy we trust."

The reality of the matter is that most likely none of those two things are going to happen.

The Eagles will knock off Tony Romo, T.O. and company in a crazy home atmosphere.

A win over the Boys will allow the Eagles power duo to believe that they can pacify the fans and media alike. Therefore, justifying keeping Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb. 

A win Sunday will be great for the Eagles but their playoff dreams will be over before they even kick off. They need two out of three playoff hungry teams to lose. That must include a Tampa Bay team losing to lowly pathetic Oakland squad. That just AIN’T GONNA HAPPEN.

So, in the end, both the Negadelphians and Birds Optimists will not be satisfied by Sunday’s results.

The Birds Optimists will continue on with the rallying cry of Eagles fans of yesteryear and today: "Get 'em next year."

The Negadelphians will get a chance to complain, cry and moan another season.

Either way, this Sunday, neither side will get their New Year's wish.

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