Eagles Playoffs

Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Philadelphia Eagles, January 11, 2002

Veterans Stadium, ?

A playoff game. The parking lot was buzzing as next door at the FU Center, Eric Lindros was making his first trip back to Philadelphia after leaving for New York. A bunch of tailgates had TVs to watch the 1:00 game. Plus, there was still an apprehension in the air so soon after 9/11. Military helicopters were buzzing around for hours before the game.

We had "obstructed view" seats on field level. We were just high enough to see over the players on the sideline's heads. I had my young son. He went to lean on the wall right infront of the Eagles cheerleaders and did not appear too interested in the game any more.

We had a group of drunks in front of us. Later in the game while standing in line for the bathroom I noticed a guy passed out on the floor in the corner of the bathroom. He was one of the guys in front of us. He was alone with no friends around. He was ripe for abuse.
I picked him up and walked him back to his seats so no one would fuck with him. I did everything to keep his weight behind me while walking down the long row of steps to field level.

After half the stadium cuts off beer sales. My buddy decided to load up on 4 beers at $6 a pop.
When we got back to the seats, he placed all 4 on the seat part of the fold down chairs. I warned him several times to put the beers on the ground while everyone on the stadium stood.
Off my left flank came a drunk who stumbled past me and fell right onto the 4 beers on the chair, spilling all of them.

The 1st quarter belonged to the kickers. Tampa Bay's Martin Gramatica nailed a 36 yarder to put the Bucs up first. The Eagles David Ackers hit a 26 yard field goal.

The Eagles Chad Lewis took a Donovan McNabb 16 yard pass into the end zone for the game's first touchdown. Gramatica kicked another FG to make it 10-6.

Duce Staley caught a 23 yard pass from McNabb for another Eagles TD. And the Bucs kept playing small ball with another 27 FG.

Correll Buckhalter rushed from the 25 yard line for another Eagles touchdown. With the score 24-9 Eagles there was a sense the Eagles were dominating the game. Then Damon Moore intecepted a Brad Johnson pass and ran it back 59 yards to add to the Eagles lead.

Eagles win the playoff game 31-7.