Lifelong Eagles Fans Still Celebrating

South Pasadena residents Dennis and Karen Maguire grew up in Philadelphia and are big fans of the Eagles. They continue to celebrate the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory.

PHOTO: Bill Glazier | SouthPasadenan.com | Dennis and Karen Maguire have hung a banner on a gate outside their Milan Avenue home, letting neighbors and motorists know they are big fans of the Eagles – the world champions of professional football!

Philadelphia Eagles championships don’t come around too often, so when they do it’s time to celebrate.

Dennis and Karen Maguire, two of the team’s biggest fans, want to keep the party going. The couple grew up in Philadelphia before heading west, setting in South Pasadena where Sunday’s in the fall are spent watching Eagles football, hoping enough victories will put the team into the playoffs and, with plenty of good fortune, maybe into the Super Bowl.

When that happened earlier this month, ending a long drought, the Maguire’s did plenty of decorating, pulling out memorabilia and banners, hanging one neatly on an iron gate outside their home’s driveway.

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“It’s not coming down anytime soon,” said Dennis, a lifelong Eagle fan, along with his wife. They watched Super Bowl LII from start to finish, extremely proud that Philadelphia can finally call itself champions of the world following the 41-33 win over New England.

Philadelphia won the 1960 NFL championship before losing a pair of Super Bowls, one to the Oakland Raiders in 1981 and a second to the New England Patriots in 2004.

It was a long wait, but when it finally came, Dennis calling it an “awesome feeling” while Karen said it was “spectacular.” Philadelphia won the 1960 NFL championship before losing a pair of Super Bowls, one to the Oakland Raiders in 1981 and a second to the same Patriots in 2004.

They will forever savor the Eagles’ winning touchdown as tight end Zach Ertz took a headlong dive into the end zone with 2:21 left on the fourth quarter clock. It didn’t come without some anxious moments down the stretch. New England quarterback Tom Brady fumbled on the Patriots’ ensuing drive and Philadelphia recovered. But with 20 seconds left in the game Brady had the ball again and was driving his club down field again.

The fact that the Eagles are the world champs hasn’t quite sunk in, said Dennis, who held his breath on the last play of the game as Brady, looking to bring his team back from a 8-point deficit with clock ticking down to zero, flung a Hail Mary pass from midfield into the end zone hoping a teammate would come down with the ball.

“We were very quiet,” said Karen, relieved the ball hit the ground after tipping around. “It was awesome.”

Someone had to say, ‘it’s finally over” before her husband could exhale after holding his breath during the final play. “It feels good to finally be called Super Bowl champions,” he said.

Both Dennis and Karen watched Philadelphia’s celebration parade down Broad Street last Thursday on television while family and friends attended the big event. “We got so many videos and pictures and were inundated with Philly stuff on our Facebook feed and texts,” explained a smiling Dennis. “I have one friend who sent me 37 pictures. This championship feels great.”

Karen said she and her husband had some regret in not going back East for the parade. “If they win the Super Bowl next year, we’re going for sure,” she insisted.

Dennis called this year’s Eagles’ roster, a group of “special guys,” who came together after overcoming so much adversity, including the loss of four key players, the most notable –starting quarterback Carson Wentz, near the end of the regular season.

“The Eagles really embraced being the underdog,” said Karen.

“They overcame so much and won,” added Dennis. We’ve been close so many times before, it’s nice to finally win it. They never gave up. I can’t believe we’re the world champions! It feels so great.”