Champagne on Ice

From the Desk of Eagles Outsider Barry Bowe

Got the champagne on ice for Sunday.

Eagles versus Vikings. Special significance:

First: Love to see the Eagles win and go to 4-2. Undefeated in two games at home thus far. Despite being 2½-point underdogs, I like their chances.
Second: Love to see the Eagles defense prove they’re better than they looked against the Redskins last week. Out-schemed, couldn’t tackle, couldn’t cover.
Third: Love to see the Eagles defense make Sam BADford look like the chump he is. Never liked him. Glad to see him in another uniform.
Foremost: Love to see the Vikings go down. Want to crack open my bottle of champagne. Drink it down in one sitting.

BACKSTORY

August 1972. Moved to Fort Lauderdale. Fortuitous move. Just in time to witness the Miami Dolphins put together the only Perfect Season in NFL history.

A lifelong Eagles fan, took some time to become acclimated to rooting for the Dolphins. An outsider in my new peer group. Easy to make bets. Only one betting against the Dolphins.

Guess what? Lost every bet.

The season wore on and the Dolphins kept winning. Fun team to watch. Roll-up-the-sleeves ethic. Won me over. Became a fan. Eagles number-one, Dolphins number-two.

By the way, the Dolphins won Super Bowl VII that year … Dolphins 14, Redskins 7.

UNDEFEATED WATCH

Players from that team started a tradition as the years passed.

Each season, as the list of undefeated teams dwindled down to one, they got together to watch the game. And when that last undefeated team finally went down, they cracked open champagne and celebrated.

And as the years progressed, I joined the celebration. From afar.

One year, 2008, the Undefeated Watch went all the way down to Super Bowl XLII. NFL “experts” billed the undefeated New England Patriots as the greatest team in NFL history. On the other hand, the New York Giants were lucky to be there. Vegas installed the Patriots as 12-point favorites.

Wanting to see the Perfect Season legend perpetuate, I bet against the Patriots. Not really for the Giants, definitely against the Patriots. Seven of us were tied for first place in our suicide pool. Nobody else took the Giants.

With 2:39 left to play, the Patriots led 14-10. Looked like my champagne would remain unopened. Then, somehow, David Tyree made a miraculous one-handed, leaping catch in the end zone.

The Giants upset the Patriots 17-14.

The legend survived. Cracked open the champagne. Swilled it down in one sitting. Cashed $3,400 from the suicide pool. Money nice. Keeping the legend alive nicer.

Champagne tasted sweet.

WRAP UP

I want to see the Vikings lose. No doubt it will happen. If not this week, some week. Good defense. Flawed offense. Average quarterback. Just a matter of time.

But if my Eagles knock them out of the ranks of the undefeated, the champagne will taste even sweeter than usual.

In addition to being the official Eagles Outsider for BlameMyFather.com – Barry Bowe is also the author of: