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CNN Sunday Morning

Tampa Bay to Play Philadelphia for NFC Championships

Aired January 19, 2003 - 09:42   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The third to the last games of the NFL season kick off in a few hours. The Tennessee Titans play the Raiders in Oakland in the AFC championship game.
But first, it's the Tampa Bay Bucs against Philadelphia's Eagles for the NFC championship. CNN's Josie Karp live in the City of Brotherly Love.

Very nice chapeau, Josie.

JOSIE KARP, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Thank you very much, Miles, and I saw you earlier, you look good too.

O'BRIEN: Well, thank you.

KARP: You know, in reality, Miles, the Eagles' home record here at Veterans Stadium, which will host its very last football game today, has only been about average, according to NFL standards.

But the perception has always been that the Eagles enjoy the very best home field advantage in the entire football league. And that probably has a lot to do with this place and the people who have filled it.

Might see them a little strange to be getting sentimental about a building that has been referred to as a concrete doughnut in a place where this week, Bucs tour operators refused to send their clients, because they were worried about their safety.

But there's also been something very unique about this building; Veterans Stadium has always made an impression.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARP (voice-over): Veterans Stadium is a lot like the Philadelphia fans who have filled it for the last 32 years. Gritty, unforgiving, and at times downright dirty.

Affectionately known as "the dump," it has played host to some of the most infamous sports moments in recent memory.

Expecting the worst from a crowd poised to celebrate the city's first World Series title, mounted police took the field in 1980. The only problem, the game wasn't over.

After a 1989 Eagles win over the hated Cowboys, fans pelted Dallas coach Jimmy Johnson and his players with ice balls as they left the field.

A few years later, the weapons of choice were "D" batteries aimed at rookie J.D. Drew, who had dared to turn down an offer to play for the Phillies.

Philadelphians have booed Santa Claus and the Easter bunny, so it was no surprise when Eagles fans cheered as Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin lay motionless on the field with a neck injury during a game in 1999. One fan later said, quote, "My only regret is that the stretcher wasn't a coffin."

And it's not just the fans. The building itself convulsed during the 1998 Army/Navy football game as a railing gave way, dropping several fans 15 feet onto the field. Nine people were injured.

As for the playing field, the patchwork Astroturf has claimed more than a few knees. And in 2001, an NFL game was postponed for the first time in league history, because the field was deemed unplayable.

But there is some good that has come out of the Vet. Two Eagles fans who met in the parking lot of the stadium while tailgating were later married. The groom says, he heard a woman screaming her hatred for the Cowboys and just had to meet her.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Because of the rowdiness of the fans here in Philadelphia, police have promised a very large presence today.

But the other concern that they have isn't just for the safety of the people inside, it's for the stadium itself. This is the last football game at Veterans Stadium, but the Phillies have to play their entire baseball season here this summer and Miles, they don't want people walking off with souvenirs like seats.

Back to you.

O'BRIEN: Oh, you don't think those people in Philadelphia would do something like that, do you?

KARP: I don't, Miles. I don't, it's the police, they're worried about it.

O'BRIEN: All right.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired January 19, 2003 - 09:42   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The third to the last games of the NFL season kick off in a few hours. The Tennessee Titans play the Raiders in Oakland in the AFC championship game.
But first, it's the Tampa Bay Bucs against Philadelphia's Eagles for the NFC championship. CNN's Josie Karp live in the City of Brotherly Love.

Very nice chapeau, Josie.

JOSIE KARP, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Thank you very much, Miles, and I saw you earlier, you look good too.

O'BRIEN: Well, thank you.

KARP: You know, in reality, Miles, the Eagles' home record here at Veterans Stadium, which will host its very last football game today, has only been about average, according to NFL standards.

But the perception has always been that the Eagles enjoy the very best home field advantage in the entire football league. And that probably has a lot to do with this place and the people who have filled it.

Might see them a little strange to be getting sentimental about a building that has been referred to as a concrete doughnut in a place where this week, Bucs tour operators refused to send their clients, because they were worried about their safety.

But there's also been something very unique about this building; Veterans Stadium has always made an impression.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARP (voice-over): Veterans Stadium is a lot like the Philadelphia fans who have filled it for the last 32 years. Gritty, unforgiving, and at times downright dirty.

Affectionately known as "the dump," it has played host to some of the most infamous sports moments in recent memory.

Expecting the worst from a crowd poised to celebrate the city's first World Series title, mounted police took the field in 1980. The only problem, the game wasn't over.

After a 1989 Eagles win over the hated Cowboys, fans pelted Dallas coach Jimmy Johnson and his players with ice balls as they left the field.

A few years later, the weapons of choice were "D" batteries aimed at rookie J.D. Drew, who had dared to turn down an offer to play for the Phillies.

Philadelphians have booed Santa Claus and the Easter bunny, so it was no surprise when Eagles fans cheered as Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin lay motionless on the field with a neck injury during a game in 1999. One fan later said, quote, "My only regret is that the stretcher wasn't a coffin."

And it's not just the fans. The building itself convulsed during the 1998 Army/Navy football game as a railing gave way, dropping several fans 15 feet onto the field. Nine people were injured.

As for the playing field, the patchwork Astroturf has claimed more than a few knees. And in 2001, an NFL game was postponed for the first time in league history, because the field was deemed unplayable.

But there is some good that has come out of the Vet. Two Eagles fans who met in the parking lot of the stadium while tailgating were later married. The groom says, he heard a woman screaming her hatred for the Cowboys and just had to meet her.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Because of the rowdiness of the fans here in Philadelphia, police have promised a very large presence today.

But the other concern that they have isn't just for the safety of the people inside, it's for the stadium itself. This is the last football game at Veterans Stadium, but the Phillies have to play their entire baseball season here this summer and Miles, they don't want people walking off with souvenirs like seats.

Back to you.

O'BRIEN: Oh, you don't think those people in Philadelphia would do something like that, do you?

KARP: I don't, Miles. I don't, it's the police, they're worried about it.

O'BRIEN: All right.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com