THE year was 1960. The place was Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Our Philadelphia Eagles defeated the visiting Green Bay Packers 17-13 to win the NFL Championship title in what would become the only playoff loss in the career of head coach Vince Lombardi.
It was the only time Lombardi would ever face us in the playoffs. He would die 0-1 and be (by some accounts) forever scarred by it.
Our rivals like to make sport of the fact that we don’t own a copy of the annual replica that bears Vince Lombardi’s name. They attempt to invalidate all that we have done by saying that we don’t own a Lombardi Trophy.
This is incorrect. We don’t own a Lombardi Trophy, we own THE Lombardi Trophy.
As in the man himself.
Better still, our ownership doesn’t have to be renewed year to year. We own him forever. Or least until he beats us in a playoff game. Like it or not it’s the truth.
At some point we’ll get around to winning one of those copies, and we’ll of course have a parade over it. Because on that day, we’ll own BOTH kinds of Lombardi, the one that passes from hand to hand, and the one that belongs to us and us alone.
EAGLEMANIACAL.com 
MAY THAT HAPPEN WHILE I’M RELATIVELY YOUNG ENOUGH TO ENJOY IT!!!
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You’ll ALWAYS be young enough to enjoy it 🙂
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I wouldn’t mind seeing a Super Bowl victory in my lifetime. Right now being a Philly sports fan is like walking in a desert wasteland.
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Right now it is, but looking back to say 2001, we could almost do no wrong. It’s only fitting that we have a down cycle.
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A very interesting perspective on the trophy. That would make a great article i n Philly papers for those that do not know history. I honestly did not know. But a superbowl victory in my lifetime could be considered in jeopardy in my lifetime. I never thought this possible.
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I have to admit my expectations are near zero. i do not believe a word coming from Lurie. I think you all know my feelings for a longtime. You are good people and fans that deserve better . I think the fans should be inducted into the HOF. This team is wandering aimlessly. The leadership at the top has been putrid. From a monetary standpoint Lurie has been an effective President and CEO. But from an integrity point of view he has stained the Eagle brand. Eventually, that stain will force him to cash in on his investment.
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The Eagles last owner (Norman Braman) couldn’t be bothered with what was happening with the team. The prior owner (Leonard Tose) sold the team to help cover his gambling debts or something. We were okay under Braman. Tose was before my time, but our track record (hirings, drafts, W/L) from that era speak volumes.
On the whole I think Lurie has done a pretty good job as owner. The team is no longer leaking money, talent isn’t jumping ship, people aren’t losing their careers to the playing surface in an antiquated dump (we loved it though), and our last 2 coaches have been seen by many as innovators in the sport. That doesn’t translate to a SB, but as I said on Yardbarker so loud and so often, the SB as the only measuring stick of success is shortsighted and highly inaccurate.
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Just read someplace how the Eagles haven’t won a playoff game since 08. So to put it in perspective only the Redskins have less playoff wins in our division than us over that span. We are no longer that team we used to be and we have been passed by our divisional rivals yet ownership still thinks we are the “Gold Standard.”
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I doubt that. I haven’t seen that term used by Lurie since before Joe Banner left. A parade of defensive coordinators, a fired head coach, a lack of playoff success, and the constant reshuffling in the FO, indicate that the Eagles brass knows it has a ways to go before they can claim that mantle again.
Besides, by the time Banner left, so many teams were using aspects of his salary cap wizardry, that it was no longer something that set us apart.
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The reshuffling of the FO is actually something that’s happened multiple times during Lurie’s tenure here. There always seems to be some one making power moves (Reid/Kelly), getting fired or sent packing (Heckert/Gamble), and GMs getting promotions.(Banner/Roseman) Like you mentioned the Eagles are no longer the only team who plays the cap game so they aren’t special in that way, but they still seem to operate the same way just different faces. With Kelly providing ten wins a season the money will continue to roll in. You see I used to think the “Gold Standard” comment was about how they felt they were the class of the league organizationally, but now I believe it’s all about the cash.
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I think you had it right before when you thought Gold Standard referred to the organization. I think you had it nailed; and today even the FO doesn’t see themselves that way. Which is why they no longer use the term.
It’s for nil anyway though. What used to grind me up up about the FO even when Banner was here, was the perception that the Eagles were good enough as long as management was well regarded. The concept of building a great TEAM has never been the thinking of any owner or FO since I’ve been a fan.
Now instead of building the best team, we have a coach who wants to build his old team as ownership stands by, almost indifferent to what the result of that will be. It’s a strange time to be an Eagles fan.
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I see there is a plan with the Eagles (like with the Sixers), but I’m just not sure if I believe in the plan (like the Sixers). I’m not as sold on Chip Kelly as others are. Like I’ve always mentioned about him I like the fact the Eagles got the guy they wanted, but did they choose the right guy? His recent power play has me concerned. His lackluster draft selections have me concerned. His team last season showed a lack of fundamental football and poor perpetration with all of those penalties and turnovers. He still ended up with ten wins. Ironically both he and Reid are almost mirror images of each other right now. Both had first round playoff losses, both have 20 wins in two seasons, and both missed the playoffs this past year. There’s a lot to look forward two, but you get the feeling this all could go very well or implode very quickly.
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THIS is all why I was so unhappy with his hire. YES, I was pissed with the Reid firing, but the Kelly hiring was salt in a wound.
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Its a shell game. Its much easier to make cheaper front office moves than to acquire real talent. Its a smokescreen a diversion. It pacifies fans into thinking these changes are going to make some kind of significant difference on the field. nothings changing fellas. They are confusing things to keep you from focusing on the real problem. THE TALENT STINKS. Ok its average. EZ is right on one aspect. kelly loves that paycheck and is going to go for that long painful Lurie ride. Sometimes you have to be a good soldier. Somebody passes you the flag and stuffs a wad of cash in your back pocket you carry the mother fucker. Reid was more talented than kelly from what I can tell. Reid was on his A game when he got to Philly. The guy was beyond intelligent but he carried a boatload of personal baggage. we got to see a real self centered guy eventually implode before our eyes. He was an incredibly talented technocrat but he was a yes man. That was his downfall. Donovans too. Thats why Reid and mcnabb will probably wont be remembered nor will either probably make the hall of fame. Talk about a wasted talent . There you have two top notch professionals that fell well short of their potential.
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I understand why Beast liked Reid but he is passed his prime. I just dont think Reid is going to find that job available again. KC is not the place to win a superbowl. Has to be a big dollar location.
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Not until he gets weapons again. As an offensive minded coach without a scary QB, I have to agree that KC isn’t the place for him to hoist a Lombardi.
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