The game that made me an Eagles fan for life

[Pliny]

I was watching today's "Where are they now" on the Eagles site about Norm Snead. In 1966, there was 1 game in particular that made me an Eagles fan and a Cowboy hater for life. Up until that time, I was not aware of football as a small child.

In 1966, the Eagles finished 9-5 with the venerable Norm Snead at QB. It was maybe the last bright spot, in what would become an awful decade after that for the Eagles.

I was only a 5 year old living in Allentown, PA. I remember at the time that the entire Philadelphia area was in an uproar, because the Eagles were crushed by the Cowboys 56-7. After that game, fans berated the Cowboys and Landry for running up the score. That was the day that I was programmed into believing that the Cowboys were Satan and the Eagles were God's workers It wasn't really about football. It was good vs evil.

Here is the box score for that game:

https://www.pro-football-reference.c...6610090dal.htm

Later on that season, the Eagles would eek out a 1 point win against those same Cowboys. I remember how important of a revenge game that was for the city.

That was when I became a football and Eagles fan. It was the good guys vs the bad guys every week. And, the worst of the bad guys were the Cowboys.

Those feelings have never gone away and that explains my hatred for the Cowboys still. It's funny that I know the exact date when I became an Eagles fan and Cowboys hater: Oct 9, 1966.

Just thought I would share.

[Eagle60]

It was the 1960 championship game for me. What a magical season that year was when every game they pulled out a barnburner. Of course I was only able to watch Eagles away games because they got more money from the gate than they did from TV back then.

[musicman]

damn you guys are old

[sfphillyfan]

There was no particular game. I just started watching one day and never stopped. And this was the Marion Fox era so you know we sucked.

the first college basketball game I ever watched was the Villanova Georgetown NCAA champion ship. Been on the nova bandwagon since.

[Jukin]

No singular moment for me either. My Dad & Uncle had season tickets so my brother and I would take turns going to the games. Not sure when the first game was, but I have a ton of memories from the early 70’s of sitting in very cold seats, listening to the fans around me curse and complain about the team and walking out disappointed more often than not. Guess that’s true for pretty much every Eagle fan under 65.

[Pliny]

No singular moment for me either. My Dad & Uncle had season tickets so my brother and I would take turns going to the games. Not sure when the first game was, but I have a ton of memories from the early 70’s of sitting in very cold seats, listening to the fans around me curse and complain about the team and walking out disappointed more often than not. Guess that’s true for pretty much every Eagle fan under 65.

Yep. 1967 thru 1977 were the absolute worst. These were my childhood years when I really became an obsessed Eagles fan. During these 11 years they never had a winning record. I was starting to seriously wonder if I would ever see them in the playoffs in my lifetime.

Then, in 1978 they finally made the WC playoffs and opened against Atlanta. This was my first time seeing an Eagles playoff game and I was ecstatic. The Eagles opened up an early lead and then lost their FG kicker to injury. I will never forget this game. That Falcons led 14-13 and the Eagles were lining up for chip shot FG to win the game, but had to use their punter to kick the FG. I still remember the poor punters name was Michel. He had already missed a FG and an XP. He completely shanked the kick. I thought I was going to die and the time. But, I felt horrible for the guy.

[Eagle60]

damn you guys are old

That's why you need to listen to us Grasshopper.