Hating the Limelight

The 2014 Philadelphia Eagles schedule came out last night.  The Eagles have four prime-time games (Colts, Giants, Panthers, Cowboys), a Thanksgiving game and a handful of four o’clock starts.  Out of the sixteen games, seven of them are one o’clock kickoffs.

I’m surprised at the amount of sportstalk callers and web commenters who are upset about having so few one o’clock games. They’ve been waxing nostalgic for their routines of breakfast, newspapers and early afternoons on the couch with the Eagles.  I think this is the result of becoming accustomed to the past fifty years of having a plethora of non-nationally televised games, due to the underwhelming history of the Eagles.

This reminds me of a concept that I learned back at IUP’s Marketing Department called the Mere Exposure concept.  The theory holds that people begin to like, enjoy, appreciate things the more they are exposed to them.  Top 40 radio format is a nice example of this. They play the Top 40 songs exclusively and those songs get stuck in our heads and we often end up liking songs that we didn’t initially.  That’s what’s happening with the longing for more one o’clock games.  We, as a fanbase, have been exposed to so many one o’clock games that a portion of us prefer them and the routines surrounding them.

I totally understand the “routine.”  I went to 9:00 Sunday morning mass at Holy Innocents in Juniata Park. Why the kids had to be at the 9:00 mass was beyond me, but our weekly offering envelope better have been in that mass’ basket collection and it better have contained at least five dollars.  Otherwise, Father Dougherty would let us know about it.  There were times when my firefighter dad had work on Sundays and on those days we’d skip out right after those collection baskets came around. On those football season Sundays that my dad wasn’t working, we’d stay as a family until at least until after communion then head to Duffy’s Bakery.  I’d stand in line with dad and watch him order the gooey-ist butter-cake in the display counter.

We’d come home, eat breakfast and then enjoy the butter-cake.  Then I’d sit on the couch with my dad, where he’d read the Sunday newspaper and I’d look at the comics and advertisements.  At noon, we’d watch NFL Today and hope to hear Brent Musburger say “You are looking live from Veteran’s Stadium in Philadelphia.”

That’s what we did.  That was our routine.  I loved that routine.

I also remember a fanbase that would complain about never being on Monday Night Football, particularly my dad, neighbor, uncle and grandfather.  I also remember the excitement when one or god-forbid two Eagles games were on Monday Night Football. Those were the years surrounding 1980’s Super Bowl run.  My relatives pounded their chest like we had arrived.

We have arrived.  More importantly, Chip Kelly and Nick Foles have arrived.  The nation has taken notice.  The Eagles are a team that the nation wants to watch.  The Eagles are a good, legitimate team.  Enjoy it.  Bask in it.  Brag to your friends in Cleveland.

More importantly, utilize the large blocks of time that are available this year for pre-gaming and tailgating.  Gather early with friends, drink some good local beers (maybe something from Yards or Phila Brewing Company to keep the drinking money in the local economy), sit back and enjoy the Eagles knowing that the nation is watching and that some fans are envious of us Eagles fans.