Philadelphians have a unique relationship with our sports teams – especially our Iggles! We wish for the best, but expect the worst. So as each win occurred this season, we held our collective breath just a little bit more. Could it be – could this be the year that the Philadelphia Eagles finally win the Super Bowl?
On Super Bowl Sunday the Philadelphia airport was filled with people “coming home” to watch the game in their community with their friends and family members – to witness history together. I myself cut short a “girls weekend” in Nashville so that I could be home too. Almost everyone on my flight to Philly was wearing Eagles paraphernalia – and we even had the flight attendants lead us in an “E-A-G-L-E-S!” cheer.
By now we all know how this turned out – and the resounding “yes we can” turned into “yes we did!” The Eagles overcame injuries, adversity and underdog status and came out on top! But this is about more than just a group of very talented athletes and coaches who won a trophy. This is about lifelong dreams finally coming true – about generations of families coming together to celebrate something they never thought they would see in their lifetimes.
As the new leader of the Community Studies initiative at The Melior Group, I look at this experience as an example of the unique culture of the Philadelphia community. Each community across the country has its own culture, its own way of expressing itself and its own sense of what is important. In our community studies projects, we ask the right questions to understand what makes a community tick, what is important to community members, how they make decisions and what the implications of those decisions are.
Philadelphians might leave the nest, but they flock home for the important things – like Eagles Super Bowl games and victory parades! Fly Eagles Fly!
Want to talk about your community’s challenges and opportunities? Please reach out to Sindey Dranoff at 215-545-0054 ext. 108 / [email protected].