PHOENIX: It has been nearly two weeks since the Philadelphia Eagles knocked off the San Francisco 49er to win the NFC Championship and advance to the fourth Super Bowl in franchise history.
To a man, the Eagles have made the all rounds of media sessions and answered every conceivable question one could think of including ‘if you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be,” or “What’s your relationship with the football” or “What are five things you’d give up to win a Super Bowl?”
At Thursday’s final media session, it was obvious the players were questioned out.
“You can tell on face now…I’m excited to be here, but I’m about ready to go,” Sanders said at his riser on Thursday. “We’re about ready for Sunday to get here, play this game and hopefully hoist that trophy.”
Sanders says he has been getting lots of text messages and emails from family, friends and former teammates, but said most have left him alone to get his job done.
“I’ve been getting a lot of ‘good lucks’…but they know I’m busy out here.” Sanders said. “It’s a pretty hectic week. You see it on TV. They put us all over TV now, answering these crazy questions and stuff like that.”
Reed Blankenship said he is trying hard to stay focused on the task at hand and try to keep to his usual week-of preparations.
“It is about time,” the rookie from Middle Tennessee State said Thursday. “Once Thursday’s come on a regular week, we start real practices, tomorrow we try to clean all the details up. So yeah, I’m ready to get to Sunday, but I don’t want to rush anything. It’s just another game. We’re excited for it though.”
Eagles’ standout left guard Landon Dickerson seems to think this whole media thing is so unnecessary, but understands it is a big event and with it come obligations.
“Obviously, we’re required to be here,” Dickerson said at his table on Thursday. “The media is a big part of the Super Bowl, it’s kind of an obligation we have, but I’m here for Sunday, not to talk about other players, hobbies, interests or whatever else we’re being asked…we’re here for Sunday.”
During Super Bowl week, it is a tradition for some media types to ask silly questions like if you were stranded on an island, which Kelce would you prefer to be stuck with?
Dickerson appears to be a purist…this is supposed to be all about football…so get off my lawn!
“Stuff like that,” the 24-year-old said, referring to stranded island-type questions. “Kind of irrelevant…but everyone is trying to get famous somehow.”
TIGHT END TRADITION
Dallas Goedert was asked about playing right end for a franchise with a rich tradition of standouts at his position.
The former South Dakota State star is the latest of a list that includes recent players like Zach Ertz and Brent Celek to past legends Pete Retzlaff and Keith Jackson.
“Getting to have a place that’s had the tight end legacy, that the Eagles have had, is pretty special,” Goedert said at his riser on Thursday. “I wouldn’t want to let any of those guys down. It’s really cool that Brent Celek is at our practices every Wednesday. He was able to make the trip out here, been able to coach us up. He’s always giving me little pointers, telling me different things.
“It means a lot to be a tight end in this city.” Goedert continued. “They’ve had [great] tight ends for so long. You obviously don’t want to let yourself down. But you don’t to let down them or the city.” *
Email Al Thompson at al.thompson@footballstories.com