How rival NJ fans will handle the Eagles-Patriots matchup
Now that the Super Bowl is set (a cheese steak and chowder showdown), there's a polarizing reaction along New Jersey team loyalties.
As the Eagles faithful and bandwagon fans are picking up new gear, there's an equal movement to avoid certain colors like the plague. See, most Giants, Cowboys and Redskins fans now are begrudgingly rooting for the Patriots. (For those unaware, most Jets fans are firmly in the "Anyone but the Patriots" and "Anyone but Brady" camp.)
Sports superstitions are a mystifying phenomenon. Growing up in Union County, my family had no strong sports team affiliations. It was a new set of quirks to get used to as I dated and then married a devout fan (Giants and Yankees). The experience has been at times amusing, other parts annoying, but it definitely becomes easier to predict the die hard fan mentality.
As the ‘underdog’ Eagles clinched their spot in the Super Bowl against the Patriots, here's my thought process on how this will impact the next two weeks of my home life:
1. Guess we'll be avoiding green outfits until after Feb. 4th, so as not to be confused with Philly support. Come to thing of it, this St. Patrick's Day might mean a drastic revamp for our attire. Guess we'll be dressed as orange and white as my favorite Kohr's soft-serve custard. (Or, maybe we'll go super Irish old-school and opt for blue instead.)
2. We will not be day-tripping to the Camden Aquarium, or anywhere south of Ocean County, until after the Super Bowl at the earliest. That's 'rival territory'.
3. I will have to ignore the genuinely sincere and inspirational nature of rehabbing Philly QB Carson Wentz, so as not to accidentally 'like' any of his Twitter updates. The stakes are just too high!
4. Thank goodness our pre-schooler isn't an avid fan of the cartoon "Paw Patrol". Sure he's dressed in blue, but that Chase has unknowing become a mascot of 'Iggles' nation. Dog masks, German Shepard especially, have flown out of stores as fans embraced the 'underdog' status. South Jersey Angels slugger Mike Trout is among them.
5. True Story: I actually changed out of my rain boots Monday morning, since they are green with dogs on them. Depending on how the Big Game goes, I may be in the market for a new pair. (Once my husband realizes this, he will voluntarily buy me a new pair, before then.)
The deep seated rivalries and the often obnoxious if not aggressive behavior between fans of said teams, means that this goes beyond 'not rooting' for the Eagles.
I may not ever fully comprehend the idea of thinking that such mundane actions actually have any cosmic effect on a sporting event. But even I can admit, I've personally grimaced at today's displays of support for the Philadelphia 'birds', by both New York City's Today Show host Savannah Guthrie and the Empire State Building.
And, maybe saddest of all, there's a good chance I won't be eating a cheese steak or a Philly pretzel for a loooong time.
Proud Jersey Girl Erin Vogt’s first reporting gig involved her Fisher Price tape recorder. As a wife and momma of two kiddies, she firmly believes that life’s too short to drink bad coffee. A fan of the beach, Dave Grohl and karma, in no particular order.
Follow her on Twitter and on Facebook as ProudJersey.