pressofatlanticcity.com: Dallas rivalry fueled more by fans than players

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http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/pro/nfl/eagles/story/256459.html

By DAVID WEINBERG Staff Writer

Published: Saturday, September 13, 2008

PHILADELPHIA - Eagles coach Andy Reid got his first taste of the fans' dislike for the Dallas Cowboys during a visit to a nearby McDonald's in 1999, his first year in town.

All he wanted was some breakfast. Instead, he got a bellyful from an elderly woman about the Eagles-Cowboys rivalry.

"I had a little breakfast burrito, if you can believe that," Reid said with a smile. "There was this 80-year-old lady in there who saw me come in and she got after me. She said, 'Hey, you better kick their ... you know.' She looked like your normal grandmother and I went, 'OK, this is the real deal.' "

Reid has kicked his share of Cowboys during his tenure. The Eagles enter Monday night's game with a 13-5 record against their NFC East foes since 1999. They have also enjoyed their visits to Texas Stadium, having won six of their past nine trips there, including the last two.

All 18 games featured intriguing subplots, bizarre twists and incredible plays. Reid opened the 2000 season with an onsides kick in Dallas that set the stage for a 41-14 victory. Three years later, he tried the trick again, only to see it backfire when Dallas' Randal Williams returned it for a touchdown in a 23-21 Cowboys' win.

More recently, Eagles fans burned their No. 81 jerseys when wide receiver Terrell Owens returned to Philadelphia as a Cowboy in 2006. Eagles quarterback Jeff Garcia wished the city a "Merry Christmas" after guiding the Eagles to a win at Dallas later that same season. Last year, Owens and quarterback Tony Romo sits to pee led a 38-17 Cowboys romp in Philadelphia, then the Eagles gained revenge when cornerback Lito Sheppard held Owens in check during a 10-6 Eagles' upset.

"I think a lot of Eagles' fans don't like Dallas because it's something they are fed constantly growing up in Philadelphia,'' Eagles safety Brian Dawkins said. "They don't know why they don't like the Cowboys, they just don't.

"I didn't understand it when I first got here (in 1996), but I understand it now. This is a big rival game for the fans.''

For the players? Not so much.

Because players switch teams so often, they seldom develop a hatred for another team, lest they wind up in that city. Fifteen of the 53 players on this season's active roster once wore another NFL uniform. Remember that ex-Eagles middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter joined one of the Eagles' other big rivals - the Washington Redskins - for two seasons before returning to Philly. Ex-linebacker Carlos Emmons, unable to land a contract extension with the Eagles, signed with the New York Giants.

"There's just too much movement among players to get caught up in rivalries," Eagles linebacker Omar Gaither said.

When it comes to genuine hatred for an opponent, the Eagles refer to their college careers.

Defensive tackle Mike Patterson (USC) can't stand UCLA or Notre Dame. Wide receiver Jason Avant and tackle Jon Runyan (Michigan) despise Ohio State. Sheppard (Florida) loves it when the Gators beat Georgia or Florida State. Running back Lorenzo Booker and tackle Tra Thomas (Florida State) refuse to wear anything blue-and-orange, because they are Florida colors.

"Unless you grow up near Miami, when you come from Florida, you're either born a Gator or you're born a Seminole," Booker said. "If you're like me and you're born a Seminole, you can't stand the Gators.

"I went to Florida State because I can't stand Florida. I never have and I never will. I'm incapable of liking anything about the Florida Gators, plain and simple."

Extra points: Eagles wide receiver Reggie Brown (strained hamstring) practiced on a limited basis Friday and is listed as questionable on the injury report. Brown said after practice that his status for Monday is "still up in the air."

Cornerback Lito Sheppard was wearing a t-shirt that had "Owens'' on the back, but he was quick to point out that it was a reference to legendary Olympian Jesse Owens. Nevertheless, Sheppard did pull out a shirt that he said Terrell Owens sent him last week. It read "I Compete" on the front and "T.O. Win" on the back.

According to www.weather.com, the storms that are expected to hit Dallas over the weekend will be gone by Sunday evening. Monday is supposed to bring sunny skies with a high of 76 degrees. Temperatures will be dipping toward the upper 50s by kickoff with virtually no wind.

[DeMarco Murray 29]

What's sad is the same can be said about every rival in the NFL.

It just seems the fans get pumped up and hate the other teams where as the players don't even care who they play as long as they get a paycheck.

But god forbid, their Alma Maters lose. I mean I still see guys like Braylon Edwards wearing a Michigan color mouth piece. Kellen Winslow still throws up the "U". LaRon Landy wears his purple and yellow pads from LSU.

Odd, but yet true.

[MisterPinstripe]

What's sad is the same can be said about every rival in the NFL.

It just seems the fans get pumped up and hate the other teams where as the players don't even care who they play as long as they get a paycheck.

But god forbid, their Alma Maters lose. I mean I still see guys like Braylon Edwards wearing a Michigan color mouth piece. Kellen Winslow still throws up the "U". LaRon Landy wears his purple and yellow pads from LSU.

Odd, but yet true.

Yeah, it does take away from the game used to be. The passion that would arise during those rivalry games were much better then. Though you would think that someone like Brian Dawkins who has been in the NFC East his whole career would have a feel for the rivalry. Just goes to show that they dont care really...

[DeMarco Murray 29]

Yeah, it does take away from the game used to be. The passion that would arise during those rivalry games were much better then. Though you would think that someone like Brian Dawkins who has been in the NFC East his whole career would have a feel for the rivalry. Just goes to show that they dont care really...

Exactly. He probably has more hatred towards South Carolina [being from Clemson] then he does for Dallas.

[brianforster]

This article depresses me, but I guess its the nature of the beast. Thanks to free agency even a casual NFL fan can turn on any game and usually recognize a player or two. However, thanks to free agency players consider themselves employees rather than members of an organization.

Conveniently, you only get a few years in college ball so you will only ever have one college team that you were a part of, so its not surprisingly to see the players latch on there.

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This is the outcome of free agency...and, it doesn't seem to affect each team's fan base as evidenced by the NFL's continued growth.

It's a shame that players revel in their college rivalries and not so much at the pro level.

[BigMike619]

its a shame and I am sure that George Allen is bummed out. He helped fuel one of the greatest rivalries ever in sports period but free agency just totally destroyed it.