Hating The Eagles
July 4th, 2013
Former Bucs great, and in a few weeks a Pro Football Hall of Famer, Warren Sapp, generally despised anyone who wore a different colored jersey than the red and pewter (or, creamsicle). If you lined up against Sapp, you were a mortal enemy and it did not matter what team you played on.
But for a brief period of time, Sapp did have a most loathed team, a squad that fueled a special kind of hatred. And that was a certain green-clad team from the City of Brotherly Love.
“For three or four years, it was the Eagles,” Sapp told Joe and other media. “I mean, you are losing wild card, wild card. We were supposed to play them [the Sunday after] 9/11 and they moved that game. I wanted to crucify their [arse]. They moved that game to the end of the year and now it didn’t mean [anything] and they still beat us. Then we have to go up there to play them again in the playoffs and they beat us.
“For a while, it was the Eagles. But for the longest time, Tony [Dungy] put us on the path of chasing the Green Bay Packers because we had a three-time MVP [Brett Favre] in our own division. Everything kind of switched when they switched divisions. But you know, it really didn’t matter. Home, road, whatever. Let’s go.”
If anyone watches the Buccaneers episode of “America’s Game,” one can almost feel the rage in Sapp when he talked about constantly losing to the Eagles in the playoffs, until that magical Sunday where Ronde Barber is still running in Joe’s head, down the sideline all alone, sending the Bucs to their only Super Bowl appearance.
July 4th, 2013 at 2:40 pm
I really wanted to go to that game…the NFC Championship game in Philadelphia because I had surgery scheduled for the week of the SB & wouldn’t have been able to attend if we got there.
My greatest memory of that game was Joe Jerevicius running down the sidline after a catch.
I didn’t go because all the travel agents advised against it because of the potential for violence from Eagles fans. The only team I hate worse than the Eagles is the Cowboys….and whe they play eachother, since they both can’t lose, I hope they inflict great pain on one another. When they lose, I have a good sports weekend no matter what happens elsewhere.
July 4th, 2013 at 3:11 pm
I watched the ’79 Bucs vs Rams playoff game on Youtude last night. Couldn’t believe how many old games have been posted recently. What a great defense!
July 4th, 2013 at 3:41 pm
I think Sapp even got poked in the eye in th e regular season loss to the Iggles in 2002. Sat out next play and it was a bomb for a td. Hated the Igles then and Mc Nubb’s moonwalking….now I’m pretty indifferent. Save my hate for the other 3 in the NFC South these days :/
July 4th, 2013 at 4:01 pm
Grew up in philly and jumped outta the nest and onto the Pirate ship when Buccaneers came into existence. I wanted My Own Team, the Eagles were mediocre and I was tired of hearing Glory stories of Tommy McDonald and Chuck Bednerick.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be my Team and I’d know their history from Day 1
Took a lot of heat from my Philly Family and Friends after I cheered on Bucs in 1979 When Ricky Bell and the Gang Rolled the Eagles. $100 Bet was made on who would win a Superbowl First. Oh how my phone rang off the hook each year from my mother and old school buddies when the playoffs seemed to always have an Eagles vs Buccaneers matchup and the Eagles constantly BLASTED the Bucs.
That Ronde Barber Pick 6 That Forever shut Down that Veterans Stadium Cesspool is one of the best memories in my life! Only 2nd to that Superbowl BEAT Down of the Raiders WHEN THAT 25yr Old BET Yeilded a whopping $2,700 Windfall From a whole lot of Philidelphians Eating Crow.
July 4th, 2013 at 6:40 pm
The last game at the vet was like winning the SB. The SB was almost anticlimactic. Then the first game at their new stadium..SWEET ! History made.
July 4th, 2013 at 6:45 pm
I hate the eagles so much. Everytime I watch that pic 6 I cry. Can’t help it
July 4th, 2013 at 8:03 pm
I hate the eagles, flyers, and Phillies! I still am trying to deal with the fact Vinny Lecalvier is with them now. Don’t worry though, my autographed Ronde Barber picture of him running down the sidelines after picking off mcnabb in the NFC Championship Game is hanging front and center!
July 5th, 2013 at 12:18 am
Used to be the Eagles, now it’s the Falcons.. can’t stand them
July 5th, 2013 at 12:29 am
Okay so this might go a little long again. That pick 6 and Jurevicius’ 10 yrd catch and run all the way to the what 4 yrd line. Will forever be etched in my brain for life. The thing that made that season even more special for me was that in like the 4th game of the season my cousin was signed as the long snapper. Right after the Browns game when the LS screwed up he was cut and they signed my cousin Ryan. I lived in N.C. at the time, but before the season as I saw Gruden picking up offensive player after offensive player I convinced my wife to purchase Sunday NFL Ticket. I flat out KNEW they were going to the Super Bowl that season. (I’ll let you in on a lil secret I KNOW the Bucs are going to the playoffs this year) So what made it so special was of course I was already what 14 yrs in as a Buc fan and when my couisn signed I freaked of course. He called me the day he signed with the team. I told him don’t screw this up, this team has a good chance of going to the Super Bowl and if I see a ball flying over Gramatica’s head that he’d have hell to pay from me. It was neat watching him every week on the sidelines and such. Nearly my entire family went to San Diego but me. They had a ticket for me, BUT my wife had JUST had our newborn like 2 weeks before the SB and money was tight. Could not afford airfare and the hotel. When they played the game at the Panthers though I did get to stay at the team hotel and met many players. Even went down the elevator to the lobby to try to get autographs and on one of the floors it stopped and in walked John Lynch. Talked to him for a bit got the signature which was cool. Hung out in the lobby and got many signatures accept for Shaun King who was an a-hole about it but who cares it’s Shaun King. Never saw Sapp though. I went to Tampa for Christmas that season and got to go to the Pitt loss. It was cool too because I got to get into that place where they have a lot of refreshments and such for the players and family. Got to meet Ronde and hang out with him for a bit. Then later that summer came back to Florida for a visit to try on my cousin’s ring. Got my pic taken with the ring on. It was very special. Awesome does not describe it enough. My cousins number was 66 and when someone from the Times asked Sapp about him. He said something “hey number 66 is like 99 upside down”. Never did get that hard to get Sapp autograph even though he’s always been my favorite Buc.
July 5th, 2013 at 12:42 am
Oh and my Uncle and other cousin were at the Vet in their Bucs Jersey’s. After the game they said they stood by cops that were there and laughed at the Eagles fans. Don’t know if it’s true, but funny nonetheless.
Another kinda funny story too. Later that summer following the SB win. The wife and I were traveling up to Mass. We took a wrong turn somewhere along the way and wound up in Philly stuck in massive rush hour traffic. Soooo I decided to hoist up my Bucs SB Champs window flag. Well I forgot it was in the window and rolled it down when the traffic started moving a bit to light up a smoke. Out popped the flag and there it stayed on a major throughway smack dab in the middle of Philly. I thought to myself this is perfect. Every time traffic stopped I’m sure a few Philadelphians had to of seen that flag on the side of the highway.
July 5th, 2013 at 6:10 am
What great stories Rahb and Buc1987. I was so confident the Bucs were going to the Super Bowl in 2003 (2002 season) that, that November I had my wife buy airline tickets to San Diego. A few days later she broke her ankle. We ended up with 4 Super Bowl tickets and my wife, broken ankle still in a walking boot, son and daughter flew west. After the victory we celebrated watching the post game festivities as the Raider fans departed. When we did finally leave the stadium and headed to the trains a security guard noticed my wife struggling to walk and allowed us to use the elevator to the landing. Putting us right with all of the Raider fans. So we get on the train that is jammed with silver and black clad………..well people from the Black Hole. I decided to give them a compliment for their grace in defeat and said to them, ” “You know, everyone thinks you Raider fans are mean and nasty. I think y’all are pretty nice.” All I got was glares. Got a picture with the Raider fan and his son who wears the shoulder spikes. He’s a woos hiding under that garb. Priceless!
July 5th, 2013 at 11:03 am
@scubog…that’s great stuff. Hope we get another SB berth some day soon. Because this next one I’m not missing.