Home safe and sound from Philadelphia. Had a great time. If I could sum up the trip in one word. I'd say it was entertaining. Every city obviously has bad apples, but wow Philadelphia fans for the most part were not that bad. I was sitting literally in the worst part of the stadium with my cowboys jersey on. I got heckled yeah, but nothing too bad. I thought I was in for a good time. Until halftime. The feeling I had in my stomach told me to get out of their immediately. That is when the fans turned into the classless bottom feeding rejects we have all heard about. Pouring beer on kids wearing youth cowboys jerseys, throwing footballs at cowboys fans (me) . Then. Literally every single time the refs called a penalty completely going off and losing their minds saying jerry paid them off it was easily one of the quickest turn around I've ever seen at a sporting event. Would I go back? Not to watch the Cowboys play. Met some excellent people mostly cowboys fans ate a great cheesesteak and had a good time with my friends, saw some amazing architecture and beautiful brownstone mansions the hotel staff were awesome just that damn toilet of a stadium was not a good experience at all. Next year I'm going to Dallas. Too watch a real team play and meet fans that care about the sport more about their own hatred.
I attended the game as well. A good friend of mine owns a a beer distributor and often receives tickets from the manufacturers as incentives - sometimes they're box seats, sometimes they're nosebleeds, and sometimes they're in the Eagle's Nest (where ours ended up being). Everyone in the Nest was slightly aggressive in their heckling prior to the game but kept it mostly civil. There was only one other Cowbro there who cheered through the first three scores with me. We then decided to stop being so demonstrative with our glee before everyone got all stabby on us.
I would say the major shift in body language and general atmosphere came midway through the third. Like you said, there was loads of ref-blaming, followed by Romo name-rhyming, followed by heckling. Luckily I'm a larger guy (6'3, 255lbs) so no one really came up to me with their garbage talk. But they made sure to shout it at me every 10 minutes or so when I would walk past them or from across the Nest. The other Cowbro I had met there (smaller guy) was actually being followed and heckled everywhere by an older Philthy fan, and came to stand by me to be left alone.
On the way out of the stadium I had fully covered up and had none of my blue visible - thank god I brought that extra jacket. I saw everything from throwing beer (and beer cans) at Cowbros to sitting behind their cars so they couldn't leave the parking lot. The Subway (that's right... I took SEPTA) ride back was equal parts depressing and hysterical. The depressing part came when the one visible Cowboys couple on my car was verbally bullied off at the first stop - how that guy made it off that car not swinging with what they were saying about his girlfriend/wife is beyond me. The hysterical part came during the downward spiral of game analysis and introspection during the ride.
"THOSE REFS WERE IN JERRY'S POCKET!!!"
"WHATEVER....AT LEAST TONY WON'T EVER WIN ANYTHING..... LOLOLOL!!"
"I wish we had their OL though....."
"FLETCHER IS HORRIBLE.... OUR WHOLE SECONDARY BESIDES JENKINS IS HORRIBLE!!!"
"They've actually quietly drafted role players well and built up a great base...."
"WE WILL NEVER DO ANYTHING WITH CHIP WITHOUT AN ELITE QB!!"
"CHIP SHOULD BE ON THE HOTSEAT RIGHT NOW. I COULD SEE US DROPPING HIM!!!"
"MCCOY NEEDS TO STOP DANCING AND ACTUALLY GET UPFIELD!! WE MIGHT WANNA START SPROLES!!"
The emotional unraveling was comically quick. I just sat there laughing maniacally in my head.
Comments: Lincoln Financial is a pretty stadium with great character. It's hard to not be jealous of the fight song being played after every score while the entire stadium sings along and fireworks go off. While the general climate of the fanbase is dark with a chance of torrential ******-baggery, I did meet several Eagles fans who were pleasant and just wanted to chill and talk football and NFCE with me. I wouldn't go back, and I would advise all Cowboys fans visiting to only wear their jerseys in the stadium or away from their vehicles. Be a gracious guest in their home and take what they with a grain of salt and you should be fine. My favorite recommendations for are at either Steve Prince of Steaks or John's Roast Pork: Pat's, Geno's and Tony Luke's are all severely overrated albeit local icons.. Also, if you get the chance, try a roast pork sandwich (loads of places offer it). It has been an up-and-coming sandwich of the city for over the last decade that many consider better than cheesesteaks. While I don't agree with that specific sentiment, I will agree that they are damn good!
