The Student News Site of Malvern Preparatory School

Friar's Lantern

The Student News Site of Malvern Preparatory School

Friar's Lantern

The Student News Site of Malvern Preparatory School

Friar's Lantern

Friars are fanatics for Eagles

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After the Eagles handily defeated the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship game, students and teachers share their excitement about Super Bowl 52.

Malvern’s total body of teachers and students consists of many sports fans, and no team has more die-hard fanatics at the school than the Philadelphia Eagles.

It’s definitely time for Malvern fans to get “high key savage level,” as Assistant Head of School Mr. Ron Algeo suggested in a recent email to the student body. Super Bowl 52 takes place on Sunday, February 4 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. It will be the third Super Bowl appearance for the Eagles (0-2), and the tenth Super Bowl for the Patriots (5-4).

One of the many season ticket holders throughout the school, teacher Mr. Mike Koenig, has been a dedicated Eagles follower for many years.

“I’ve been a season ticket holder since 2011, and I was on the waiting list ten years prior to that,” he said.

Since Koenig is a season ticket holder, he was able to sell his reserved ticket seats to other fans for the Falcons and Vikings playoff games. However, he also has a chance to receive tickets for Super Bowl LII in Minnesota. If he does receive this chance—“I’m going, no doubt,” he said.

The last time the Eagles made it to the Super Bowl was during the 2004-2005 season, where they faced off against the same opponent as this years Super Bowl: The New England Patriots.

Koenig describes his memory of the legendary Eagles season, saying, “I remember it as if it was yesterday. I remember the team had McNabb, Westbrook, and Terrell Owens, and they beat the Falcons in the NFC championship, but lost the Super Bowl in the final minutes to the Patriots.”

Looking back at this season, and the playoff games so far, Koenig shared his reason for why he is excited for Super Bowl 52: “Both sides of the ball for the Eagles were dominant.”

Junior Connor Cary emphasized this same aspect of the Eagles’ game for the reason he is pumped to watch his team play in the Super Bowl. “I believe Nick Foles, along with the defense, will be the X factor, making plays they need to make,” he said.

Cary played varsity football for Malvern this past season, and loves that the Eagles are seen as an underdog in their games. “I’m most excited about their hype for the competition, and fueling off the fact they think they’re underdogs,” he said. “I plan on watching the game at home with family and friends.”

Junior Nolan Rogers is enjoying the moment as much as anybody. He and his family have been season ticket holders since Nolan was born, and they’ve been with the Eagles every step of the way.

“This season has raised our hopes. It’s been what, 50+ years of not winning?” Rogers said.  “It’s just given us a glimpse of the bigger picture, and things are looking much better than in years before.”

Rogers thinks the future is bright for the Eagles, and that they will be back in the situation they are right now.

“If we can get to where we are with this team, making it to the Super Bowl and possibly win it, I would love to see what we can do with even better players as we go along,” Rogers said.

Senior Griffin Kennedy has been a die-hard Eagles fan for as long as he can remember.  He started following the Eagles closely in eighth grade, and hasn’t missed a game since then.

“My dad is an Eagles season ticket holder for 38 years. He’s been there his whole life,” Kennedy said. “I was born into it, and just like everybody else, you’re pretty much always born into it.”

The Kennedys host a big tailgate each Sunday when the Birds play at Lincoln Financial Field. They have an RV dedicated to these tailgates, which draw a lot of attention, including from athletes and Eagles legends.

“We always have some people stop by at the tailgate; but Christmas night, we were down there, a couple of games after Carson Wentz got hurt,” Kennedy said. “[I] sat right next to him and watched the game with him, so that was pretty cool.  We’ve had some Eagles legends stop by, and I’ve met all of them.”

Kennedy is beyond excited to see his Eagles play in Super Bowl 52, and he will be in Minneapolis for the game.

“Every night, before I go to bed, I’m always on Twitter and come up on an Eagles video and can’t sleep after that,” Kennedy said. “It’s crazy. I’ll be flying out Saturday for the game. I can’t wait to go.”

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”3.0.66″ title=”We asked some Friars: How are you getting hyped for Super Bowl 52?” url_new_window=”off” use_icon=”off” use_circle=”off” use_circle_border=”off” icon_placement=”top” use_icon_font_size=”off” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”center” header_font=”Montserrat|on||on|” border_style=”solid” animation=”top” /][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”3.0.66″ title=”Mr. John Ostick” url_new_window=”off” use_icon=”off” image=”https://lantern.news/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Ostick.jpg” use_circle=”off” use_circle_border=”off” icon_placement=”top” use_icon_font_size=”off” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”top”]

“E-A-G-L-E-S! I’m acting much younger than my age. 1960, there wasn’t even a Super Bowl yet. The first one was in 1965. The Eagles won the NFL Championship and it was like winning the Super Bowl. I was nine years old, and we haven’t won one since…  We have a really good team, not only good in terms of players, in terms of athletic ability, this team has really good guys that are working together. I’m reading the newspaper everyday, I’m getting as much as I can, I’m wearing all green for the next two weeks.”

[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”3.0.66″ title=”Mr. Chic Kelly” url_new_window=”off” use_icon=”off” image=”https://lantern.news/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Kelly.jpg” use_circle=”off” use_circle_border=”off” icon_placement=”top” use_icon_font_size=”off” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”top”]

“I was lucky enough to go to the playoff game and the championship game. Coming out of the NFC Championship game I was enjoying the comradery of all the Eagles fans. They were psyched that our team was going to the Super Bowl, and I think the next two weeks I’ll be sharing stories with my friends and family getting ready for the big game. It’s a really good thing for the city, it’s a really cool thing for a lot of Eagles fans who’ve waited for a very long time.”

[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”3.0.66″ title=”Billy Carlini ’19” url_new_window=”off” use_icon=”off” image=”https://lantern.news/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Carlini.jpg” use_circle=”off” use_circle_border=”off” icon_placement=”top” use_icon_font_size=”off” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”top”]

“I try not to talk a lot of trash, kind of an all business approach. The Eagles hype videos on YouTube are also always fun to watch, a lot of listening to Meek Mill and a lot of reading and radio shows. Especially 94 WIP because it is strictly Eagles, I don’t like listening to the neutral shows because they are all favoring the Patriots, strictly Eagles radio and Meek Mill.”

[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”3.0.66″ title=”Jack Donohue ’20” url_new_window=”off” use_icon=”off” image=”https://lantern.news/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Donohue.jpg” use_circle=”off” use_circle_border=”off” icon_placement=”top” use_icon_font_size=”off” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”top”]

“I’ve been wearing my Nick Foles jersey to bed every night. I wash it everyday, and I wear it every night to bed. Superstition is key. I think this is the year. I think the Patriots need to be brought down and I want the Eagles to do it… I’d skip school, whatever it entails, I’m going to the parade for sure.”

[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”3.0.66″ title=”Kevin Hagan ’19” url_new_window=”off” use_icon=”off” image=”https://lantern.news/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Hagan.jpg” use_circle=”off” use_circle_border=”off” icon_placement=”top” use_icon_font_size=”off” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”top”]

“It was amazing [winning the NFC Championship]. My brother, my mom, and my uncle were at the game, and it was the best experience at an Eagles game I have had. I might go down to the city and watch the Super Bowl with my brother at his place. It was the best season I have ever watched.”

[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”3.0.66″ title=”Christian Franck ’18” url_new_window=”off” use_icon=”off” image=”https://lantern.news/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Franck.jpg” use_circle=”off” use_circle_border=”off” icon_placement=”top” use_icon_font_size=”off” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” animation=”top”]

“I’m just trying to mentally prepare myself for the day. You know, the team has to practice, and I have to practice. The team has a gameplan and I need to have a gameplan. I could go somewhere in West Chester, I could go down to Philly, maybe go to like a Super Bowl party, but I’m just in the game planning phase right now… Eagles are definitely going to win. It’s going to be 24-21. [knocks on wood]”

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