Talk with fans attending the Eagles' practices and their optimism, as well as support, is obvious. So why haven't more fans expressed their allegiance through a jersey?
"It's probably because they're very pricey," said Phillip LaRue, 43, smiling and wearing a Kolb jersey.
Some may also see it as a gamble, considering that Kolb just became the starter after Donovan McNabb's trade to Washington. But on Saturday, he gave Eagles fans reason to feel optimistic as he enters his fourth NFL season as the team's offensive leader after three years as a backup.
"He looked very sharp," said Al Foster, a former season-ticket holder from Hampton, N.J. "He's throwing a nice, tight spiral. He's been hitting a couple of nice bombs, hitting his guys. So he's looking good."
Foster, 48, described himself as an Eagles fan since birth. In 1948, his father attended the league championship game and saw the Eagles beat the Chicago Cardinals, 7-0.
The Foster family has relinquished its season tickets, but not its support for the team. Foster said he attends a couple of games every year, and training camp, which offers a glimpse into what's usually missed on TV.
"You get to see actually what the players look like," he said. "You get a feel for the size of them, how quick they are, how fast they are. It's nice. In Philly, you're sitting 50 yards, 100 yards away from the game. Here, sometimes they're 10 feet from you."
Bahls attended Saturday's practice with his family, which has owned a pair of season tickets for 37 years. His decision to wear the Kolb jersey was one part loyalty, one part bargain.
"My buddy could get [the jerseys] for cheap," he said, laughing. "But I like Kolb. I want to support him. He's our new guy. . . . I'm impressed with him. I think he's going to be pretty good this year."
One thing is certain: Kolb as a starter marks the beginning of a new era for the Eagles.
"I'm just excited to have him at quarterback," said LaRue, who has owned season tickets for two years. "Donovan didn't do us justice, but it's time for a new start. I think we're going to be good."
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