We’re three weeks into 2018 and the tension continues to rise every day in America. People are split over whether Trump may or may not have the build of a pro athlete. Speculation continues to mount over an Oprah 2020 run. Sexual misconduct allegations have taken another prisoner in the form of Aziz Ansari.
But all of that falls secondary to what we as a nation are about to witness this weekend. I’m talking about the Eagles – Vikings game on Sunday at 6:40 PM ET.
There’s been a lot of faulty speculation that the Vikings are going to embarrass the Eagles in their own hometown. But I’m not worried. If there’s anything Philly can take, it’s trash talk. Amazon’s even sold out of the now-famous underdog masks. Eagles fans are not going down without a fight.
Just ask Kyle Brandt, a renowned football expert who is also smart enough to be an Eagles fan. “This is now bigger than the Eagles,” he says. “This is not about the team. This is about the city. Find me a winner in Philly and I will find you someone predicting they’ll be a loser.”
He points out that plenty of Philly stars were underestimated from the start. Allen Iverson, Brian Westbrook, Will Smith and Hall & Oates. “It is important to remember this,” Brandt continues. “A long time ago there was another young, scrappy team in Philadelphia that was an underdog on their own home turf. And that team came to be known as the United States Of America. And the colonials heard the same noise. Their defenses are too strong! Their ground assault is too powerful!”
Allen Iverson, @KevinHart4real and the British surrender at Yorktown. @KyleBrandt says believing in the @Eagles is believing in America for his #Underappreciated pic.twitter.com/XbBH9BRrip
— GMFB (@gmfb) January 17, 2018
It’s true. If you count the Eagles out this weekend, you’re counting America out. Philadelphia was America’s first capital. It was the cradle for the greatest country on earth. If you hate Philly, you hate America. Simple as that. The Eagles might be the underdogs this weekend but so was America some 240 years ago.