Ask and ye shall receive!

Windows Live Search (you guys all use Windows Live Search, right?) did me right in my quest for details on the Eagles connections to the Church of Latter Day Saints. I was going to just leave this gem in my del.icio.us eagles links, but the level of detail in here merited a full post. It’s this killer piece from the BYU alumni magazine from the summer of 2005 detailing all the connections that BYU has forged with the Birds (”BYU East” according to the article). It’s definitely worth a read, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t highlight a couple passages:

The first I just don’t really get, but hey, my knowledge of Mormon theology is a little thin, and I really don’t get why they’d be referencing old-timey Greek Gods (maybe it’s just a general scholarly riff).

The entrance to the Novacare Complex in Philadelphia—headquarters and practice facility for the Eagles franchise—is flanked by tall columns against a brick façade, making the building appear like a modern adaptation of the ancient temple at Delphi. Atop the columns, large eagle logos face each other, a nod to the Greek myth wherein Zeus sent two eagles to circle the world and meet at its center; the center was Delphi.

Right.  Zeus.  Delphi.  Got it. 

The real (unfortunate) juice comes a little deeper in the piece, when the author details the importance of family in the Eagles’ team philosophy:

In addition to getting to know Reid as a coach, Philly fans also recognize Reid as a religious man and a family man. In the off-season, Andy and Tammy try to make time to share their experiences by presenting firesides on “Family, Faith, and Football”—“in that order,” says Tammy, who met Andy when they were students at BYU. Coaching often keeps families on the move, and the Reids are no exception; their five children were each born in a different state. Tammy, who calls herself the “head coach of the head coach” and has the business cards to prove it, tries to make NFL life a little more family friendly.

Firesides, huh. In that order, huh.  Yikes. Wonder if those are still on this season.

Anyhoo, it’s mos def worth a read.

Link:
Philadelphia Cougars [BYU Magazine]