Philly Eagles, SUPER BOWL and Kelce!

This blog is dedicated to UNDERDOGS everywhere.

This past Sunday at Super Bowl LII, the Eagles became the world champions versus the New England Patriots 41-33!!! WHAT AN INCREDIBLE GAME! I have so many emotions still swirling around my head.

I helped bartend at the Lake Wynonah Lodge that day to an awesome group of loyal fans and loyal friends. Just an incredible, incredible day. I was the Master of the give-aways and jokingly put myself on "Crock-Pot" duty taking care of the food. 

When those final seconds counted down and we won, I think we were all in shock! We did it! Back slaps, high-fives, bear hugs, and celebratory shots all around! It became the Philadelphia Eagles, in fact, ALL OF PHILLY's first Super Bowl win! We are WORLD CHAMPIONS!

I still get chills from that moment. I went home and stayed up late, still on an emotional high, and watched Philly going crazy, watching the recaps, and all the emotional speeches from the players.

UNDERDOGS!

Yes, some knuckle-heads did some fucked up things but luckily the city survived. My own former workplace haunt, the Ritz-Carlton Philly, didn't even survived unscathed with idiots taking down the blue awning. Again, idiots. 

That week, we waited in anticipation for the incredible parade through Philly on Thursday. I watched from my phone throughout lunch and let's just say I didn't get much work done that week. I have never experienced such a love and camaraderie amongst fans. 

I loved going through all the pics posted on Facebook and Instagram by my friends, classmates, former co-workers all going to the parade. I have never had such a warm heart and love for my hometown of Philly. 

Yes I grew up, was raised and will always have Wenonah, NJ, as my true hometown but PHILLY is where I grew up and found myself during my 20s. PHILLY will always be in my heart as my home. I am Philly bred. PHILLY is my attitude and when I'm drunk, I do say YO!!! Someone this weekend mentioned my Philly accent and I didn't realize that I still have it. And it made me proud. 

A couple things stand out from these past couple weeks: 

WE BLEED GREEN! 

Philly EMBRACED and loved their Underdog status!
Following all this with my fellow Philly natives including my sis Sher.
Watching my San Diego brother Adam remain tried and true to his Philly Eagles roots.
Going back and forth with my DC gal Wendy with Eagles' memes. 

Everyone wearing dog masks.

Nick Foles' class and his little kiddo wearing huge headphones at the end of the game.

Tom Brady not shaking Nick Foles' hand after the win. ASS.

Crisco poles. LOL
Giving away tubs of Crisco and dog biscuits at the Super Bowl party.
Living vicariously through my fraternity brother Alex who was there!
My high school bud Copey's passion and FB posts.
My green hair almost did not wash out. LOL 

Carson Wentz graciousness and maturity as the team leader but giving Nick Foles' his space and deserved time in the spotlight.
MVP Foles
THE PHILLY SPECIAL.

Chris Long's commitment and passion to his causes and what he believes in. 

Mychal Kendrick's class and maturity. He's a great speaker. 

Coach Doug Pederson's coaching, drive, and true grit. 

ALL THE MERCHANDISE I WANT TO BUY!
Watching/hearing all the emotions of all the Philly announcers on TV, Comcast, and WIP.

The awesome parade seeing everyone celebrate and come together! 

Jason Kelce in his Mummer costume. COUNTLESS memes of Jason Kelce all over the internet! 

Jason Kelce is PHILLY.

And LASTLY, center Jason Kelce's just incredible, incredible passion, team spirit, PHILLY spirit and voice for this team and all of Philadelphia! I watched his speech over and over again and just get chills. As my Ritz-Carlton friend Anastacia said, "He's more Philly than almost all of Philly itself!" The first time I heard the speech, it brought me to tears. Enjoy his speech below again and again. I included the transcript from Philly.com so you can get the full effect of such great words.

This man below, this lion, is Philly's true heart and spirit. Kelce will always be remembered for igniting Philly's passion and saying what we all felt. Nick Foles will always be Super Bowl LII's MVP but Jason Kelce will always be our parade MVP and Philly mascot! Move over Billy Penn!

Jason Kelce's speech (censored) from ESPN:

Unforunately, ESPN has taken the gracious liberty of forbidding sites from embedding certain versions. Here's a link the awesome UNCENSORED version:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN5eBYejv1g&t=115s

THANKs 31Mike! (Youtube) 

Jason Kelce's speech (transcript): 

PHILADELPHIA!

If you love Philadelphia Eagles, let me get a "HELL YEAH!"

CROWD:  HELL YEAH! 

I'm going to take a second to talk to you about under dogs. I know Lane and Chris just talked about this, but I don't think it's been beat home enough.

Howie Roseman, a few years ago, was relinquished of all control pretty much in this organization ... He was put in the side HEY! HEY! ... of the building where I didn't see him for over a year.

Two years ago, when they made a decision, he came out of there a different man. He came out of there with a purpose and a drive to make this possible. And I saw a different Howie Roseman. An underdog.

Doug Pederson.

When Doug Pederson was hired, he was rated as the worst coaching hire by a lot of freaking analysts out there in the media. This past off-season, some clown named Mike Lombardi told him that he was the least-qualified head coach in the NFL. 

You saw a driven Doug Pederson, a man who went for it on fourth and down, went for it on fourth and down ... in the Super Bowl ... with a trick play. He wasn't playing just to go mediocre. He's playing for a Super Bowl.

And it don't stop with him. It does not stop with him.

Jason Peters was told he was too old, didn't have it anymore. Before he got hurt, he was the best freaking tackle in the NFL.

Big V was told he didn't have it. 

Stefen Wisniewski ain't good enough.

Jason Kelce is too small.

Lane Johnson can't lay off the juice.

Brandon Brooks has anxiety.

Carson Wentz didn't go to Division I school.

Nick Foles don't got it.

Corey Clement's too slow. 

LeGarrette Blount ain't got it anymore.

Jay Ajayi can't stay healthy.

Torrey Smith can't catch.

Nelson Agholor can't catch.

Zach Ertz can't block.

Brent Celek's too old.

Brandon Graham was drafted too high. 

Vinny Curry ain't got it.

Beau Allen can't fit the scheme.

Mychal Kendricks can't fit the scheme.

Nigel Bradham can't catch.

Jalen Mills can't cover.

Patrick Robinson can't cover.

It's the whole team! It's the whole team! 

This entire organization, with a bunch of driven men who accomplished something. We were a bunch of underdogs. And you know what an underdog is? It's a hungry dog. And Jeff Stoutland has had this in our building for five years -- it's a quote in the O-line room that has stood on the wall for the last five years -- "Hungry dogs run faster." And that's this team!

Bottom line is, we wanted it more. All the players. All the coaches. The front office. Jeffrey Lurie. Everybody wanted it more. And that's why we're up here today. And that's why we're the first team in Eagles history to hold that freakin' trophy. 

Any of you know who the biggest underdog is? It's y'all, Philadelphia. For 52 years, y'all have been waiting for this. You want to talk about an underdog? You want to talk about a hungry dog? For 52 years, you've been starved of this championship. 

Everybody wonders why we're so mean. Everybody wonders why the Philadelphia Eagles aren't the nicest fans. If I don't eat breakfast, I'm fucking pissed off. 

No one wanted us. No one liked this team. No analyst like this team to win the Super Bowl and nobody likes our fans. And you know what? I just heard one of the best chants this past day, and it's one of my favorites and it's new, and I hope you learn it. 

Because I'm about to drop it right now. 

You know what I got to say to all those people who doubted us, all those people that counted us out, and everybody who said we couldn't get it done? 

What my man Jay Ajayi just said: Fuck you!

SINGING: "No one likes us. No one likes us. No one likes us. We don't care. We're from Philly. Fucking Philly. No one likes us. We don't care. No one likes us. No one likes us. No one likes us. We don't care. We're from Philly. Fucking Philly. No one likes us. We don't care!" 

E-A-G-L-E-S!  EAGLES!!!