A road trip for the Eagles

***xzmattzx*** · October 27th, 2006, 04:49 AM

Here are my pictures from the Eagles game in Tampa this past weekend. I had a great time; my friends and I went out to Ybor City Saturday night to booze with other Eagles fans, and then we kept boozing the next morning.

Eagles fans generally travel as well as or better than any other fan base in the league. This game was no exception: estimates by most people were that between 20,000 and 25,000 Eagles fans were in attendance at the game. This meant that 1 out of every 3 people there was a visiting fan. Eagles fans also made their presencse known by being loud and boisterous, and intimidating Tampa fans. I saw lots of fist fights, but not many arrests. I only saw about 10 Eagles fans and 1 Buccaneers fan get arrested. I also saw a few Buccaneers fans get carted off to the hospital after trying to take on Eagles fans.

It was very hot for the game: Tampa had a high of 88º with lots of humidity. Inside the stadium, though, the temperature got up to 104º, and they kept showing the thermometer on the scoreboard.

You guys will be able to get your first glance of me. I am in some of the pictures, although I won't say which ones.

Since this is the Northeast section, I'll show some photos of the trip down and trip back before game pictures.

The Trip Down

Hotels and other office building as we leave BWI airport.

Baltimore's skyline from the plane.

Patapsco Valley State Park in the distance.

Columbia, Maryland, with Columbia's Town Center in the middle of the picture.

Maryland scenery

The Trip Back

The BWI airport was recently renamed after Thurgood Marshall, who grew up in Maryland. It's now the Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

I had an hour or so between when I got into Baltimore and when I needed to take the train, so I watched the planes from the observation deck. A plane lands in this picture.

Another plane lands as a plane taxis across to it's gate.

A Southwest Airlines plane takes off.

A Northwest Airlines plane takes off.

Looking at Gunpowder Falls State Park, Days Cove, and the Bird River from the Amtrak train.

Looking at the Bush River from the train.

Havre de Grace's waterfront on the Susquehanna River. US Route 40 crosses the river in the foreground, and the B&) Railroad and I-95 cross in the background. Garrett Island is on the right.

The bridges across the Susquehanna.

Perryville's waterfront on the Susquehanna River. Perryville is across the river from Havre de Grace. Garrett Island is on the left.

The neighborhood of Browntown in Wilmington.

Part of Wilmington's skyline. Martin Luther King Blvd is in the near foreground, and Delaware Tech is in the far foreground.

Part of Lower Downtown in Wilmington. The Ship's Tavern Parking Garage is under construction, and the Renaissance Center, a mid-rise, is being built behind it.

Wilmington's train station at Martin Luther King Blvd and French Street.

The Game

We started the day by tailgating in the Buccaneers' Season Ticket Holders Lot. There were almost as many Eagles fans as Buccaneers fans in this exclusive lot.

My friend funnels a beer.

Another of my friends drives around on a motorized cooler.

A few people drove down from the game. We were checking out a converted ambulance that someone had driven down.

The Eagles Ambulance.

The ambulance is packed with speakers to play Philly songs like "Gonna Fly Now" and "Eye of the Tiger" across the entire parking lot. Also in his ambulance is a plaque indicating the best tailgate representing the Eagles in a nationwide contest last year.

Eagles fans from around the country gather for a photo.

More Eagles fans in the lot.

The Tailgate Rescue Squad.

This guy had the only real grill in the lot, and he brought it down from Montgomery County.

More Eagles fans.

Some high school girls were going around doing cheers for funds, and for a small donation, another group got them to do the EAGLES chant.

My friend is getting drunk.

The beer starts to set in across the parking lot.

Walkign to Raymond James Stadium.

Eagles fans along with Bucs fans.

The South Entrance to the stadium.

Looking at the north end zone at the pirate ship.

I was sitting in Secion 306, in the upper left where the stadium bends in.

The Eagles run out onto the field.

Entire sections were filled with Eagles fans.

Before the game started, I walked around a little. To the northeast of the stadium was the Yankees' spring training home, and home to their Florida State League team.

You could see the skyscrapers in Clearwater from the west side of the stadium.

Some skyscrapers of South Tampa.

Out on the field for the opening kickoff.

McNabb passes in the first quarter.

First quarter action.

Looking at the south end zone.

Section 306 was filled with Eagles fans, who didn't sit down the entire game.

More first quarter action.

Second quarter action.

Westbrook has a nice run.

Final pay to end the first half. The Eagles don't make it into the end zone and don't have enough time to spike the ball. This would come back to haunt them later.

A fist fight breaks out in Section 306.

Third quarter action.

The Eagles score!

After third and fourth fist fight broke out, police moved in on the scene. One cop had come up to the section to break things up, and Eagles fans surrounded him. After backing away, he came back a few minutes later with backup to break things up.

The Eagles are driving.

Eagles threaten to score again.

Reggie Brown scores to close the gap a little more.

A fist fight breaks out behind the end zone. State troppers moved in to break things up.

The Eagles score to take the lead in the final minute!

Eagles fans celebrate as the extra point sails through for a one point lead. Half of the Buccaneers fans left at this point.

Eagles fans get rowdy after the touchdown. Police go on higher alert as Eagles fans go into a frenzy.

Kickoff afer the touchdown.

The outcome of the game still isn't decided yet.

The Buccaneers try to move down the field.

Matt Bryant sets up for what would eventually be a game winning 62 yard field goal. The field goal would be the second longest in NFL history.

The Tampa skyline from the top of the stadium after the end of the game.

In the end, the Eagles lost, but I had a great time. I am glad I made the trip despite the loss. I plan on coming back to Tampa when the Eagles play here the next time.

Evergrey · October 27th, 2006, 05:03 AM

I'm envious, seems like you're always doing something fun, Matt!

Nice pics of Maryland scenery... MD will always have a special place in my heart.

I've never understood people that pay all that money to go to an NFL game and then ruin the experience by getting in a fist fight.

Do the Eagles dominate Delaware? What percentage of Delawarians are Ravens or Redskins fans?

***xzmattzx*** · October 27th, 2006, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evergrey

I'm envious, seems like you're always doing something fun, Matt!

Nice pics of Maryland scenery... MD will always have a special place in my heart.

I've never understood people that pay all that money to go to an NFL game and then ruin the experience by getting in a fist fight.

Do the Eagles dominate Delaware? What percentage of Delawarians are Ravens or Redskins fans?

Delaware is almost all Eagles fans. You'll find some Redskins fans way downstate where things are more "Southernly". I don't think you'll find many Ravens fans even in Maryland unless you're in Baltimore.

Evergrey · October 27th, 2006, 05:09 AM

btw, didn't you post a picture of yourself waterskiing near Niagara Falls before?

I'm guessing you're the shirtless guy in this picture:

frankpembleton · October 27th, 2006, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xzmattzx

Delaware is almost all Eagles fans. You'll find some Redskins fans way downstate where things are more "Southernly". I don't think you'll find many Ravens fans even in Maryland unless you're in Baltimore.

The Ravens draws from a very small area - the actual city and about 5 surrounding counties. It's pretty amazing that they have sold out every game in their existence and have developed a waiting list for season tickets. It still boggles my mind that Jacksonville and Charlotte were slotted for expansion before Baltimore. This was Tagliabue's greatest blunder as commissioner.

***xzmattzx*** · October 27th, 2006, 03:06 PM

Nope, not me. I had my green Eagles jersey on all day.

DallasTexan · October 27th, 2006, 03:18 PM

Beautiful! Tampa is a wonderful, modern city. I enjoyed it very much. The Baltimore pictures are nice as well.

I was just at BWI last night delayed for over two hours flying home

***xzmattzx*** · October 27th, 2006, 03:25 PM

When did you fly down to Tampa? I flew down from Baltimore on Saturday, and came back Monday.

DallasTexan · October 27th, 2006, 03:28 PM

I flew down Monday night, leaving Buffalo at 6:45 PM and arriving into Tampa at 12:30 AM.

I'll be flying BACK to Orlando tomorrow afternoon. lol

***xzmattzx*** · October 27th, 2006, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankpembleton

The Ravens draws from a very small area - the actual city and about 5 surrounding counties. It's pretty amazing that they have sold out every game in their existence and have developed a waiting list for season tickets. It still boggles my mind that Jacksonville and Charlotte were slotted for expansion before Baltimore. This was Tagliabue's greatest blunder as commissioner.

They do have a pretty small fan base. I think most people became Redskins fans when the Colts left in the early 80's, and so people not in the Baltimore area now have the Redskins engrained into them. North of Balitmore you have a decent group of Steelers fans as well, but I still think the Ravens and Redskins are more dominant up there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DallasTexan

I flew down Monday night, leaving Buffalo at 6:45 PM and arriving into Tampa at 12:30 AM.

I'll be flying BACK to Orlando tomorrow afternoon. lol

OK. You missed out on all of the fun then flying down. My friends flew down from Baltimore n Friday and about 90% of the plane was Eagles fans. They were singing the fight song and doing EAGLES chants when the plane touched down in Tampa. The other passengers were in disbelief. My flight had a good amount of Eagles fans as well, and we did a couple Eagles chants on the plane.

DallasTexan · October 27th, 2006, 03:38 PM

lol, the flight from BWI to TPA left so late -- we only had 41 people aboard. It was great.

I love flerrduh, I want to live there now.

***xzmattzx*** · October 27th, 2006, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DallasTexan

lol, the flight from BWI to TPA left so late -- we only had 41 people aboard. It was great.

I love flerrduh, I want to live there now.

Did you take pictures from the plane out the window? I did, and I got some nice ones. I'm going to be changing my signature soon, so look for a link to that thread once I have it ready.

DallasTexan · October 27th, 2006, 03:57 PM

No, my camera got destroyed when my basement flooded

***xzmattzx*** · October 27th, 2006, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DallasTexan

No, my camera got destroyed when my basement flooded

That sucks.

sjerseyrez · October 28th, 2006, 01:25 AM

Looks like a good time, and too perfect of a day to be interrupted by those Iggles fans...

I know somebody who made the trip to the Tampa game. He was part of the 'Green Legion', a large group of guys that fly all over the country to watch the Eagles, they're a rowdy lot too.

***xzmattzx*** · October 28th, 2006, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjerseyrez

Looks like a good time, and too perfect of a day to be interrupted by those Iggles fans...

I know somebody who made the trip to the Tampa game. He was part of the 'Green Legion', a large group of guys that fly all over the country to watch the Eagles, they're a rowdy lot too.

The Green Legion is pretty famous around here. I met a few guys in the Green Legion down there. I think they were sitting in a section on the other side of the stadium; 315 maybe. Someone said they had a group of close to 100 people.

That's the Eagle Empire for you.

sdeclue · October 28th, 2006, 11:45 PM

Had to chime in. Ravens fans hate Redskins fans and few if any fans became Redskins fans after the Colts moved. There was more migration to the Steelers if anything, but even that is confined to mostly western maryland and then all the people who moved from Pitt to Baltimore because there are no jobs up there.

***xzmattzx*** · October 29th, 2006, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdeclue

Had to chime in. Ravens fans hate Redskins fans and few if any fans became Redskins fans after the Colts moved. There was more migration to the Steelers if anything, but even that is confined to mostly western maryland and then all the people who moved from Pitt to Baltimore because there are no jobs up there.

True. I think that people all across Maryland that didn't get into the NFL until after the Colts had left followed the Redskins by default. As a result, the Redskins' fan base covers most of Maryland.

A couple thigns I didn't mention about the game:

I met Eagles fans from all over the country at the game, from locals from Tampa and Central Florida, to people from the Delaware Valley like Bryn Mawr or Doylestown, to throughout the Northeast like Rochester NY and Worcester MA, to from around the country, like Memphis and New Mexico. It was nice to see Eagles fans come from all over the country for the game.

Naturally with a big crowd that we brought, things got heated (as I discussed about numerous fist fights). At the end of the game though, we all shook hands. Buccaneers fans congratulated us on travelling on the road to Tampa better than any other fan base has, and we in turn congratulated their team on a good win and a great kick.

cmoonflyer · November 3rd, 2006, 01:04 AM

Nice and pleasant journey !

Joe84323 · November 5th, 2006, 11:20 AM

My Question, Matt.

How the hell do you "up and get a ticket" to Florida?

Are you part of the upper echelon of Delawareans?

-Ghetto Delawarean

October 27th, 2006, 04:49 AM	#1
*xzmattzx* Philly sports fan Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Wilmington, Delaware Posts: 12,626 Likes (Received): 58	A road trip for the Eagles Here are my pictures from the Eagles game in Tampa this past weekend. I had a great time; my friends and I went out to Ybor City Saturday night to booze with other Eagles fans, and then we kept boozing the next morning. Eagles fans generally travel as well as or better than any other fan base in the league. This game was no exception: estimates by most people were that between 20,000 and 25,000 Eagles fans were in attendance at the game. This meant that 1 out of every 3 people there was a visiting fan. Eagles fans also made their presencse known by being loud and boisterous, and intimidating Tampa fans. I saw lots of fist fights, but not many arrests. I only saw about 10 Eagles fans and 1 Buccaneers fan get arrested. I also saw a few Buccaneers fans get carted off to the hospital after trying to take on Eagles fans. It was very hot for the game: Tampa had a high of 88º with lots of humidity. Inside the stadium, though, the temperature got up to 104º, and they kept showing the thermometer on the scoreboard. You guys will be able to get your first glance of me. I am in some of the pictures, although I won't say which ones. Since this is the Northeast section, I'll show some photos of the trip down and trip back before game pictures. The Trip Down Hotels and other office building as we leave BWI airport. Baltimore's skyline from the plane. Patapsco Valley State Park in the distance. Columbia, Maryland, with Columbia's Town Center in the middle of the picture. Maryland scenery The Trip Back The BWI airport was recently renamed after Thurgood Marshall, who grew up in Maryland. It's now the Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. I had an hour or so between when I got into Baltimore and when I needed to take the train, so I watched the planes from the observation deck. A plane lands in this picture. Another plane lands as a plane taxis across to it's gate. A Southwest Airlines plane takes off. A Northwest Airlines plane takes off. Looking at Gunpowder Falls State Park, Days Cove, and the Bird River from the Amtrak train. Looking at the Bush River from the train. Havre de Grace's waterfront on the Susquehanna River. US Route 40 crosses the river in the foreground, and the B&) Railroad and I-95 cross in the background. Garrett Island is on the right. The bridges across the Susquehanna. Perryville's waterfront on the Susquehanna River. Perryville is across the river from Havre de Grace. Garrett Island is on the left. The neighborhood of Browntown in Wilmington. Part of Wilmington's skyline. Martin Luther King Blvd is in the near foreground, and Delaware Tech is in the far foreground. Part of Lower Downtown in Wilmington. The Ship's Tavern Parking Garage is under construction, and the Renaissance Center, a mid-rise, is being built behind it. Wilmington's train station at Martin Luther King Blvd and French Street. The Game We started the day by tailgating in the Buccaneers' Season Ticket Holders Lot. There were almost as many Eagles fans as Buccaneers fans in this exclusive lot. My friend funnels a beer. Another of my friends drives around on a motorized cooler. A few people drove down from the game. We were checking out a converted ambulance that someone had driven down. The Eagles Ambulance. The ambulance is packed with speakers to play Philly songs like "Gonna Fly Now" and "Eye of the Tiger" across the entire parking lot. Also in his ambulance is a plaque indicating the best tailgate representing the Eagles in a nationwide contest last year. Eagles fans from around the country gather for a photo. More Eagles fans in the lot. The Tailgate Rescue Squad. This guy had the only real grill in the lot, and he brought it down from Montgomery County. More Eagles fans. Some high school girls were going around doing cheers for funds, and for a small donation, another group got them to do the EAGLES chant. My friend is getting drunk. The beer starts to set in across the parking lot. Walkign to Raymond James Stadium. Eagles fans along with Bucs fans. The South Entrance to the stadium. Looking at the north end zone at the pirate ship. I was sitting in Secion 306, in the upper left where the stadium bends in. The Eagles run out onto the field. Entire sections were filled with Eagles fans. Before the game started, I walked around a little. To the northeast of the stadium was the Yankees' spring training home, and home to their Florida State League team. You could see the skyscrapers in Clearwater from the west side of the stadium. Some skyscrapers of South Tampa. Out on the field for the opening kickoff. McNabb passes in the first quarter. First quarter action. Looking at the south end zone. Section 306 was filled with Eagles fans, who didn't sit down the entire game. More first quarter action. Second quarter action. Westbrook has a nice run. Final pay to end the first half. The Eagles don't make it into the end zone and don't have enough time to spike the ball. This would come back to haunt them later. A fist fight breaks out in Section 306. Third quarter action. The Eagles score! After third and fourth fist fight broke out, police moved in on the scene. One cop had come up to the section to break things up, and Eagles fans surrounded him. After backing away, he came back a few minutes later with backup to break things up. The Eagles are driving. Eagles threaten to score again. Reggie Brown scores to close the gap a little more. A fist fight breaks out behind the end zone. State troppers moved in to break things up. The Eagles score to take the lead in the final minute! Eagles fans celebrate as the extra point sails through for a one point lead. Half of the Buccaneers fans left at this point. Eagles fans get rowdy after the touchdown. Police go on higher alert as Eagles fans go into a frenzy. Kickoff afer the touchdown. The outcome of the game still isn't decided yet. The Buccaneers try to move down the field. Matt Bryant sets up for what would eventually be a game winning 62 yard field goal. The field goal would be the second longest in NFL history. The Tampa skyline from the top of the stadium after the end of the game. In the end, the Eagles lost, but I had a great time. I am glad I made the trip despite the loss. I plan on coming back to Tampa when the Eagles play here the next time. __________________ The great state of Delaware; My daily Delaware photo; My urban photo blog Riverfront Wilmington construction photos; Center City Wilmington construction photos

October 27th, 2006, 05:03 AM	#2
Evergrey Buffalo's Worst Nightmare Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 1,949 Likes (Received): 0	I'm envious, seems like you're always doing something fun, Matt! Nice pics of Maryland scenery... MD will always have a special place in my heart. I've never understood people that pay all that money to go to an NFL game and then ruin the experience by getting in a fist fight. Do the Eagles dominate Delaware? What percentage of Delawarians are Ravens or Redskins fans? __________________ Every time you eat a hot wing, thank Buffalo NY.

October 27th, 2006, 05:09 AM	#4
Evergrey Buffalo's Worst Nightmare Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 1,949 Likes (Received): 0	btw, didn't you post a picture of yourself waterskiing near Niagara Falls before? I'm guessing you're the shirtless guy in this picture: __________________ Every time you eat a hot wing, thank Buffalo NY.

October 27th, 2006, 03:06 PM	#6
*xzmattzx* Philly sports fan Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Wilmington, Delaware Posts: 12,626 Likes (Received): 58	Nope, not me. I had my green Eagles jersey on all day. __________________ The great state of Delaware; My daily Delaware photo; My urban photo blog Riverfront Wilmington construction photos; Center City Wilmington construction photos

October 27th, 2006, 03:25 PM	#8
*xzmattzx* Philly sports fan Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Wilmington, Delaware Posts: 12,626 Likes (Received): 58	When did you fly down to Tampa? I flew down from Baltimore on Saturday, and came back Monday. __________________ The great state of Delaware; My daily Delaware photo; My urban photo blog Riverfront Wilmington construction photos; Center City Wilmington construction photos

October 27th, 2006, 03:18 PM	#7
DallasTexan Texas'd! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 3,324 Likes (Received): 0	Beautiful! Tampa is a wonderful, modern city. I enjoyed it very much. The Baltimore pictures are nice as well. I was just at BWI last night delayed for over two hours flying home

October 27th, 2006, 03:28 PM	#9
DallasTexan Texas'd! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 3,324 Likes (Received): 0	I flew down Monday night, leaving Buffalo at 6:45 PM and arriving into Tampa at 12:30 AM. I'll be flying BACK to Orlando tomorrow afternoon. lol

October 27th, 2006, 03:38 PM	#11
DallasTexan Texas'd! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 3,324 Likes (Received): 0	lol, the flight from BWI to TPA left so late -- we only had 41 people aboard. It was great. I love flerrduh, I want to live there now.

October 27th, 2006, 03:57 PM	#13
DallasTexan Texas'd! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 3,324 Likes (Received): 0	No, my camera got destroyed when my basement flooded

October 28th, 2006, 01:25 AM	#15
sjerseyrez Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 186 Likes (Received): 0	Looks like a good time, and too perfect of a day to be interrupted by those Iggles fans... I know somebody who made the trip to the Tampa game. He was part of the 'Green Legion', a large group of guys that fly all over the country to watch the Eagles, they're a rowdy lot too.

October 28th, 2006, 11:45 PM	#17
sdeclue Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 803 Likes (Received): 3	Had to chime in. Ravens fans hate Redskins fans and few if any fans became Redskins fans after the Colts moved. There was more migration to the Steelers if anything, but even that is confined to mostly western maryland and then all the people who moved from Pitt to Baltimore because there are no jobs up there.

November 3rd, 2006, 01:04 AM	#19
cmoonflyer Mainland Sea & Sky Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Changchun Posts: 6,254 Likes (Received): 8	Nice and pleasant journey ! __________________ We looked at mountains until dawn, and then when dawn came, it was too pretty for me - there was pink and blue and gold, in the sky, and on icy places, brilliant pink and gold flashes, and the snow was colored too, and I said," Oh," and sighed; and each moment was more beautiful than the one before; and I said, " I love you, Momma." Then I fell asleep in her arms. That was happiness then. - Harold Brodkey

November 5th, 2006, 11:20 AM	#20
Joe84323 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Wilmington/Philadelphia Posts: 332 Likes (Received): 0	My Question, Matt. How the hell do you "up and get a ticket" to Florida? Are you part of the upper echelon of Delawareans? -Ghetto Delawarean

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