Numbers.
Follow a team long enough and you collect them.
Watch enough practices, cover enough games and certain images stick to your brain like chewing gum.
After a while, you associate numbers with players who wore them. This is my own list, compiled without any use of reference material. I simply thought of each number, then jotted down the first Eagle that came to mind. I'll warn you up front, some of my picks are obscure, but that's just the way my mind works.
1. Tony Franklin, barefoot kicker (1979-83) and free spirit who shortened Dick Vermeil's NFL coaching career by at least five years.
2. Mike Michel, punter (1978) who was pressed into service as a placekicker. Missed a 34-yard field-goal attempt in the closing seconds of NFC wild card game at Atlanta won by the Falcons, 14-13.
3. Jack Concannon, quarterback (1964-66). The best scrambler in Eagles' history until Randall Cunningham came along.
4. Max Runager, punter (1979-83).
5. Roman Gabriel, quarterback (1973-77). Had a remarkable season when he joined the Eagles at age 33. Led the league in passing yardage (3,219) and touchdowns (23).
6. An assortment of backup quarterbacks: Jim Maxwell (training camp, 1974), Dan Pastorini (1982-83) and Matt Cavanaugh (1986-present).
7. Ron Jaworski, quarterback (1977-86). The Eagles' all-time leading passer and one of the toughest guys ever to suit up in this town.
8. Paul McFadden, placekicker (1984-87).
9. Sonny Jurgensen, quarterback (1957-63). His 1961 season, succeeding the retired Norm Van Brocklin, was storybook stuff (3,723 yards, 32 touchdowns in 14 games).
10. Adrian Burk, quarterback (1951-56). Still shares the NFL record for most touchdown passes in one game (seven against Washington, 1954).
11. Van Brocklin, naturally. Played only three seasons in Philadelphia (1958-60), but left an indelible mark. His superb passing and fiery leadership drove the Eagles to their last NFL championship in 1960.
12. Cunningham, quarterback (1985-present). The greatest highlight-film player in the team's history.
13. Chuck Hughes, flanker (1967-69). Traded to Detroit, suffered a fatal heart attack during a 1971 game in Tiger Stadium.
14. Pete Liske, quarterback (1971-72).
15. Steve Van Buren, halfback (1944-51). Hall of Famer. Led the Eagles to consecutive NFL titles (1948-49). First number retired by the team.
16. Norman Snead, quarterback (1964-70). Franklin Field crowds made him the scapegoat for some very bad Eagle teams.
