Don't believe the hype. Don't fall into the trap. Don't be one of the ones to get sucked in. What hype? What trap? What suck, you ask? The Eagles' grace period farce that some folks will perpetuate in the upcoming months.
As in, "Hey, whatever happens next year with the Eagles, I'm good since they've won a championship." Hogwash, I say. This is Philadelphia. That's an easy, comfortable stance to take right now in the aftermath of that Mona Lisa of a season the Eagles just completed. And you're not wrong for feeling that way right now. The entire Delaware Valley is riding the high and basking in the afterglow of what the 2017 Birds accomplished. You should allow yourself time to reflect and truly soak this in. Scream from the highest mountain top, beat your chest, put on your favorite Mummers costume, throw on your dog mask and bark for all to hear: "The Philadelphia Eagles are the Super Bowl Champs."
This isn't about February through September. It's about Week 1 of the upcoming season and beyond. We like to think that finally winning that chip will change the mindset. But fast-forward to say, early December next season, and imagine it's Game 13 and the Eagles lose when they should have won. In the process, they turn the ball over three times, Jake Elliott misses a PAT, Pederson doesn't challenge something he should have, whatever, and they lose by one. Eagles fans are going to be fine with it? Instead of your natural, gut reaction, there will be a collective step back to look at the big picture?
Take it a step further, a first-round, home playoff loss to a lesser opponent in January. Season's over. If you think the large majority of Eagles fans are going to be exiting the Linc, holding hands, singing Bob Marley songs and quoting Dr. Phil ...
I'm not saying people are going to be calling for Pederson's head after one loss or booing Carson Wentz after a pick. The city will forever have and cherish that first Super Bowl title. We may even lose some of our Philadelphia sporting paranoia and that is great and needed. And it will certainly take the sting out of some future sports heartaches. I'm just not buying the carryover into a new season in a big moment.
I recall Cole Hamels getting off to a slow start in 2009 and getting booed ... a season after the Phillies won their first World Series in 28 years and Hamels took home both the World Series and NLCS MVP.
It doesn't mean you're not appreciative or loyal. It's just human nature as a fan to live in the moment.