I Went to Dallas and All I Saw Were 300 Eagles Fans
Eagles fans descend on Dallas before Sunday's big game
I’ve never thought about what it’s like in Dallas, Texas. The same way I never think about Hartford, Connecticut, or NCIS: Hawaii, or what Steve Buscemi had for breakfast that morning. As the mecca of Cowboy Fandom, all my Philadelphia suburban upbringing taught me about Dallas was that it simply sucked. It is a city that, unfortunately, I can only view through my Kelly Green-colored glasses. Perspective is everything.
I’ve spent the last three days in a hotel in downtown Dallas for work, which honestly seems to be the reason everyone is here. I feel like I was airdropped into enemy territory. Dallas feels like a city of hotels and conference centers built on the ancient ruins of older hotels and conference centers. As I walked through downtown Dallas, I expected more yeehaws and cowboy boots, because apparently, I’m a 10-year-old who thinks that this is a city of Yosemite Sams and cowboy stereotypes (apologies, Texas). But the truth was a little more confusing. Quick aside, I was only in downtown Dallas, and I’m sure the city has more to offer (maybe).
Dallas is a city that combines nostalgic luxury with an affinity for clunky futurism. Think the energy of a ‘90s steakhouse mixed with Bladerunner. Bonefish Grill mixed with the Genius Bar at an Apple Store. You can tell it’s a town that stands on the shoulders of its successes in the ‘80s and ‘90s. It’s a city that directly reflects the football team it supports every Sunday. It almost feels like a city from a comic book, like Metropolis or Gotham, whose defining cultural trait is that it is indeed a city. It’s the kind of city where when someone asks you how Dallas is, you say “Dallas is cool?” finishing the end of the statement in a high-pitched voice and failing to follow up with any discerning qualities that make Dallas “cool.”
As a diehard Eagles fan and DeSean Jackson Disciple, I was a little excited by the idea of being found out by the Cowboy faithful. I wondered if they’d smell the Philadelphia on me and if they would boo me through the streets of Dallas on the way back to my hotel. I felt like a spy in enemy territory. Little did I know, I wasn’t alone.
On Thursday, as I entered the lobby of my hotel, I ran into two men in full Eagles gear. There were no subtleties about their fandom. Each was covered head to toe in Philadelphia Eagles-issued jump suits. One man pushed a cart full of bags towards the elevators, looking like he was moving to Dallas for the long winter. The other man gave him a “Go Birds,” while another man dressed in full-blown Temple University swag walked past them, dapping up both men. I threw him a “Go Birds.” He obliged and responded accordingly.
Some higher power recognized I was stranded in enemy territory and sent reinforcements to lift me out. I felt like Owen Wilson in Behind Enemy Lines (at least I think so, I’ve only seen like half of that movie). I stopped one of the Eagles jumpsuits and talked to him for a while. He was an incredibly nice guy named Mike who made the long trip to Cowboys country from North Philly. He told me that he and his friend weren’t the only Eagles fans staying at the hotel. Mike explained that 300 Birds fans (a flock?) were on their way to the Omni Hotel in Downtown Dallas for the weekend to help the Eagles bring home the W on Sunday. As I looked up from our conversation, I noticed groups of fans dressed in green and black carrying their bags into the hotel. An enemy invasion. A relentless siege. The reinforcements have arrived.
Mike explained more and filled in the gaps for me. He is taking part in Fly Eagles Fly Weekend, where a group of diehard Eagles fans choose one away game per year to travel. Apparently, the weekend is organized by the Mayor of Atlantic City, Marty Small, which, upon learning, felt really confusing. You mean to tell me the Mayor of Atlantic City is organizing a trip for Eagles fans? I had to look into him, and after researching Small for this article, I found out that he is known for being a Philadelphia Eagles Superfan. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Small has been an Eagles season ticket holder for over 20 years and hosts elaborate tailgates at the Linc that are lush with food like filet mignon and champagne oysters. His Instagram page is full of Eagles memes and flyers for Eagles events he’s hosting in Atlantic City (did I mention he is the Mayor?). Unfortunately, in my research, I also found out that Small is known for his strange journey through politics, that he was recently re-elected, and that he is at this moment in time embroiled in controversy.
Mike explained that every offseason, Marty decides which away game the group will attend. Once there, they spend four days enjoying the sights and sounds of the city, agitating the local fans, and attending the game. They make a series of payments that cover their round-trip flight, hotel stay, tickets to the game, and other planned activities. Mike mentioned all 300 fans communicate in one big WhatsApp chat where they talk all things Eagles until meeting up for their big weekend away (I’d love to know how they feel about A.J. Brown and Jalen Hurts). Mike gave me one of the crisper daps I’ve had the joy of experiencing and invited me to the sports bar later, where a lot of the fans would convene.
For the rest of the afternoon and into the evening, all I encountered were Eagles fans with the occasional Cowboys fan, whom the Eagles fans would circle and separate from their pack. Like any strong platoon in enemy territory, they took over and planted their flag. I haven’t said and received that many consecutive “Go Birds” since the Super Bowl parade on Broad Street. Following a company dinner, I briefly left my coworkers to initiate an E-A-G-L-E-S chant with a group of fans outside a nearby Hyatt Regency. As we arrived at the hotel after dinner, I saw that the volume of Eagles fans had increased. They overtook the hotel lobby and, better yet, they were all wearing Philadelphia Eagles-themed cowboy outfits.
I had a Memento moment where I flashed back to an anecdote Mike told me earlier. He mentioned that every one of these trips has a theme, and that the theme for this weekend was “boots on the ground.” Everyone was challenged to dress up as a cowboy. I saw everything from Eagles-printed ten-gallon hats and cowboy boots. One of those Eagles fans I ran into was holding court with a slew of fans while donning a full Eagles-printed suit and a custom Eagles-themed cowboy hat. It just so happened that the Eagles-obsessed cowboy was none other than the embattled Mayor Marty Small himself.
I always knew that Eagles fans traveled well, perhaps the best of any NFL fanbase. On the broadcast for every away game, you can hear their presence. The E-A-G-L-E-S chant cuts through ambient crowd noise like a knife through hot butter. It’s only right that our most passionate fans show up against our most hated rival before Sunday’s matchup.
Life can be complicated and messy, but fandom can feel refreshingly simple. It’s rooted in a deep connection with the team and the people around it. Eagles fans, especially, are more sensitive to the successes and failures of our team. It can consume us, whether that’s with joy or frustration. But when the joy hits, it really hits. And being a fan at the end of the day is about being a part of a community. A group of people who love what you love. A group of people who you can ride the ups and the downs with. It’s shouting “Go Birds” to someone wearing a DeSean Jackson jersey in Whole Foods, and that “Go Birds” being reciprocated. It’s saying “Fuck Dallas” in front of a Hyatt Regency, which also happens to be in Dallas. It’s connecting with a stranger in a hotel lobby because of the jumpsuit they’re wearing.
This authentic connection with people who care deeply about the same thing you do. Marty Smalls aside, it’s beautiful to see a community of people connect over what they love and enjoy it together. The Philadelphia Eagles mean so much to so many people. So much so that they are willing to travel to show their loyalty and spend hours searching for a custom Philadelphia Eagles cowboy hat.
Two Point Conversion:
My friend Dwight visited the Philadelphia-themed bar in Tokyo and it looks incredible.
A 300 person WhatsApp chat sounds like hell