Eagles fans do their part through superstitions

Most NFL players don’t like Thursday night football.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger called it “miserable” and “terrible” and said the league needed to get rid of it.

After a recent game, Tennessee Titans linebacker Brian Orakpo said, “We all hate them. But it’s something we have to deal with. It’s not the best for your body, obviously, with recovery.”

Although I have never played a down of football, I agree with the Thursday night football haters. I may not be a player, but as a die-hard Eagles fan I am rigid in my game day rituals. When things are going well, especially currently for the 9-1 home team, I can be very superstitious.

Tom and I go to my parents’ house to watch the game with my dad. Part of the reason is to give my long-suffering sports widow mother a break from having to feign interest in the Eagles for yet another afternoon. The main reason is to be with Dad, who got me hooked on Philadelphia sports at a young age. And it’s more fun to watch with a small, like-minded group (i.e. no Cowboys fans).

Yes, I do have a “seat.” So do Dad and Tom. If you don’t understand the importance of this than I assume you don’t have a “spot” and couldn’t care less about the success of the team.

There is no unnecessary talking during the game. It’s dialed-in focus. If the phone rings, I have openly questioned what that person is thinking. If someone schedules a party during an Eagles game, I think they are clueless and a Cowboys fan.

Why do I care about a team that has broken my heart? Why do I carve out time for a team that disappointed me in the most grandiose ways? Even though they absolutely astonished me this season I still harbor doubt … isn’t that unhealthy?

I’m a faithful fan. Sure, I say (and tweet) not-so-nice things, but it’s only because I care.

I will admit, the superstition is a bit silly, but after a recent wardrobe switch, I discovered I wasn’t the only one with odd rituals to keep the home team’s mojo going. When I posed a question that would have messed up the winning vibes, the Eagles faithful brought their signature passion.

In early November, I had an after-work burst of energy and did the summerto-fall clothes transition. I know … it’s November. I never claimed be on the Martha Stewart Living calendar.

As I made my way toward the bottom of one of the totes, I let out a scream. By the sound of it and utter fear on my face, you would have thought I was re-enacting the prologue of “The Exorcist” when Father Merrin uncovered the statue of Pazuzu. Except it wasn’t a demon. It was Tom’s throwback Reggie White jersey.

It’s not that I’m not a fan of the “Minister of Defense,” but this jersey has a terrible track record. The Eagles have played so badly when Tom wears it that he didn’t even ask me about it when the season started (and he asks me the whereabouts of tee shirts at least once a week).

I didn’t touch the cursed jersey. Not with the Eagles steamrolling through the season. Instead, I laid out the scenario on Facebook and asked, “Do I take out the jersey and integrate it into his fall/winter wardrobe or do I make it disappear?”

The responses were overwhelming in favor of the latter.

DISAPPEAR (in all caps). Forget you even saw it. Burn it (along with private messages offering to help me burn it).

The nicer responses suggested buying Tom a Carson Wentz jersey, which Santa already planned.

I wasn’t surprised by the answers. We might not share our secret Eagles superstitions, but we probably all have one. Even if it isn’t a specific thing, I see many fans follow the same Game Day routine. Some make a pot of sauce or chili. Others watch at their favorite bar. The season ticket holders are in their usual tailgate spot.

Later that night, I did tell Tom about my startling discovery.

His eyes narrowed on me and his usual smile disappeared.

“You didn’t touch it did you? Just leave it where it is!”

“Of course I didn’t touch it!” I answered. “You didn’t come home and see and old priest and a young priest, did you?”

I’m not willing to risk letting any bad spirits break the magic of the 2017 Eagles ride.

If there is going to be an exorcism, it will be done by the team themselves, when it wins the Super Bowl and send this city to sports heaven. Katie Kohler is an award winning columnist and journalist. She is a Norristown native and a current resident of King of Prussia. Visit her at www. katiekohler.com. Email kkohler1129@gmail.com.