Eagles training camp is something purely Philadelphian, in that the fans are able to interact nearly face to face with the players while they're playing. This is the only time in the season when they have that chance.
This was seen best in the training camp preceding the 2004 season, when Terrell Owens made his first appearance at the camp. It was like a love fest with the fans going into the T.O. song. Immediately after coming down with a big time catch, Owens could react to the fans and there was a relationship formed. The fans were able to express themselves directly to Owens and he was able to react. It's really an amazing thing.
During the camp, Eagles fans get the chance to yell something at Donovan or Westbrook and have the players and thousands of fans clearly hear what they're saying. They say something directly to Donovan after he makes a throw. The fans can let Westbrook know how they feel about him after he makes a run. The fans can be assured that the player hears exactly what they're saying. This is pure Philly because Philly fans demand to be heard. They insist on letting the team and everybody else know how they feel about their them. During games at Lincoln Financial Field or other stadiums, the setting isn't intimate enough so that everybody can distinctly hear what the fans are yelling.
I think the other thing that makes it pure Philly is that the fans are out there suffering in the 95 degree weather just like the team. The fact that the players are sweating and grinding their way through training camp is another factor. I think it's a way of bonding each year's team for a lot of fans.
On Saturday the Eagles had some spirited goalline plays. Jeremiah Trotter made a couple of great hits then got up and played to the crowd. In fact after his first hit, before he could get up and do his "Axman Chop", teammate Jevon Kearse did it for him and the crowd roared their approval. There's a feel that the crowd is almost going through the practice with the team.
The Eagles could make it even more inpactful if they let some of the guys get on a microphone after practice and do some rah rah stuff like a pep rally. In a way, it has the feel of the pep rallies I experienced in high school and college.
