Eagles Fans No Longer NFL’s Worst

The national media has found a new fan base to vilify. Enjoy the views from the moral high ground, Philly.

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Eagles fans rejoice! We are no longer the national media’s go-to example of drunken, knuckle-scraping, mentally deficient football fans. Thank you, thank you, Houston Texan fans. The City of Brotherly Love is no longer a tragically ironic moniker because of your over-the-top idiocy.

The national media was certain that Eagles fans were going to boo Donovan McNabb when he returned to Lincoln Financial Field for the ceremony to retire his number. Instead, Eagles fans gave him a long, standing ovation. The national media was confused, its 50-year-old narrative challenged.

The media desperately needed a new gang of villains. Enter the Houston Texan fans, who cheered when underperforming quarterback Matt Schaub was injured on Sunday. This happened just days after an irate Texans’ fan showed up at Schaub’s home to berate him.

After the game, Texan players blasted their own fans, using words like “barbaric,” “tasteless” and “no class.” One player suggested the fans just stay home.

The LA Times called the fans “knuckleheads.” Houston Chronicle sports writer tweeted that Texan fans are “the lowest of the low.”

Houston fans are lowest of the low. Schaub sacked and hurt and fans cheered. TJ Yates in and they're cheering loudly. — John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) October 13, 2013

The lowest of the low! That used to be us! Is it possible that we finally have been out-low-classed in the eyes of the national media? Now that they have a new villain, will they stop telling the half-century-old story of Santa and snowballs? We can only hope.

In fairness to Texan fans, Matt Schaub, who played his high school football at West Chester East, has been awful, throwing interceptions that were run back for touchdowns in three consecutive games. He has been nicknamed “Pick 6 Schaub,” and the team, who some had favored to go to the Super Bowl, now has a losing record.

In fairness to Schaub, it is because of the Pro Bowl quarterback’s play in past four seasons that Houston entered the season with high expectations. The team was 12-4 last year and lost to New England in the playoffs.

In fairness to simple decency, there is no excuse for the actions of the Houston Texan fans who showed up at Schaub’s home or cheered while he writhed in pain. Man, it feels good to have the moral high ground over another team’s fan base.

Houston Texan fans deserve their new horns and pitchfork as much as we deserve to lose them. Schaub has every passing record in the team’s short history. He has given the fans Super Bowl dreams, only to disappoint. In short, he is their Donovan McNabb.

We never cheered when our McNabb was injured. We never showed up at his home to harass his family. In fact, even when there were expectations of a hailstorm of boos, when he arrived in a Washington Redskins uniform, when he showed up at training camp, when he had his number retired, we opted to cheer.

Eagles fans have shown nothing but class for a decade.

The Houston Texan fans have earned their newfound repugnant reputation. More than any other fan base, we in Philadelphia understand it isn’t all Texans who act this way; in fact it is a small minority. It doesn’t matter. The national media paints with broad strokes.

And here is the worst part, Texan fans, now that you have been given the title of “worst fans in the NFL,” it may take a half a century to lose it.