The Eagles put on a show before the show last night at Lincoln Financial Field.
After a tribute to their teams, stadiums and fans of the past on the giant scoreboards behind both end zones, they put on an amazing laser-and-fireworks show in the darkened stadium.
With AC/DC's "For Those About to Rock, We Salute You" playing loudly over the sound system, a series of green lasers spelled out the word Eagles, then disappeared, only to be replaced by the team logo.
After a flying laser eagle circled the field, a laser image of Donovan McNabb appeared and actually threw a pass into the south end zone.
It's safe to assume that the opening of beautiful Veterans Stadium wasn't quite so spectacular.
"How many accidents on [Interstate] 95 did that cause?" one member of the media wondered.
An even better moment came right before kickoff, when the giant scoreboards showed actor Sylvester Stallone standing at the top of the Head House Plaza, wearing a white No. 22 Duce Staley jersey. The crowd at the Linc went crazy and broke into chants of "Rock-y, Rock-y, Rock-y" as Stallone raised his hands.
When someone pointed out that Rocky lost his first fight with Apollo Creed, it was quickly noted that Rocky did win the rematch in Rocky II.
This, of course, was the Eagles' rematch after last season's loss to Tampa Bay for the NFC championship.
A streak ends. The Eagles did not come onto the field as a team last night for the first time since their game against the Arizona Cardinals last year at Veterans Stadium. They had started that ritual after McNabb suffered a fractured right fibula in the Cardinals game and missed the final six regular-season games. They continued to be introduced as a team when McNabb returned for the playoffs and in the four preseason games this year.
The Eagles' offense was introduced before the game last night, with McNabb the last player to be introduced.
Correll Buckhalter was the Eagles' starting running back, but Duce Staley replaced him on the second offensive play.
The Eagles did continue their pregame ritual of getting together at midfield as a team at the end of their warm-ups. New linebacker Nate Wayne was among the most active players in the middle of the circle.
Challenging challenge. Midway through the first quarter, Eagles coach Andy Reid essentially asked for McNabb to be sacked.
