Lurie: Will push for Philly Super Bowl if New York's OK
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Lurie: Will push for Philly Super Bowl if New York's OK
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
PHOENIX -- Eagles chairman Jeffrey Lurie said Monday he is enthusiastic about the New York-area Super Bowl next year, and will push for Philadelphia to host one, if the New York venture is a success.
"Growing up in Boston, I went to more great games in snow conditions," Lurie said during the lunch recess at the NFL Meetings at the Arizona Biltmore hotel. "Some of the most memorable games I've ever been to were very difficult and wonderful conditions. I would have no fear of it snowing -- as long as there's no public safety issue that day, I think it would be great if it's snowing a bit."
Asked then if he would seek a roman-numeraled game for Philly, Lurie said. "I will. Yes, I will. If it's a success. New York will help us."
Lurie also said he went to West Virginia when new coach Chip Kelly worked out quarterback Geno Smith because "it's an important decision ... we haven't had a really high draft pick in 14 years ... It's a very important decision for us if we stay at No. 4 (overall) there. When you select a quarterback, it's a very big decision, so you want to have every piece of information you can, have as many eyes on it ... it was an important thing."
Asked when he last went to a prospect workout, Lurie said it was 14 years ago, when the Eagles were in the process of drafting Donovan McNabb second overall. One difference there would be that most observers pegged McNabb near the top of the first round. Very few analysts see Smith as worthy of being drafted there, though he has generated a lot of buzz in the past few weeks.
Lurie added that West Virginia was one of three states he'd never been to before attending the workout in Morgantown. North and South Dakota were the other two.
Lurie said the focus of the morning meeting was enhancing the fan experience in the stadium, since the experience watching at home has gotten so much better through technology (and is way cheaper). "At all times and in all ways, engage the fans and maximize the enjoyment of the fans in stadiums," Lurie said. "Also the attachment of fans to the teams year-round, really engaging the fans as members of the Philadelphia Eagles."
Of course, some Eagles fans feel less engaged by the announcement last Friday that the team no longer will hold training camp in the intimate setting of Lehigh. The four or five fan events team president Don Smolenski said are planned for Lincoln Financial Field might be available to more fans than Lehigh, but the setting won't be nearly as cozy.
"I loved the fan engagement (at Lehigh)," Lurie said. "With NovaCare being one of the top facilities, teams are really tending toward (holding camp at home). We're really one of the last holdouts. Teams are trending toward bringing it all to their home facility, and finding ways, as Don has done, to really have some great fan engagement during that process, in the stadium. Bringing it into the city, which we haven't done for a while (1943), so that'll be exciting, too. Real exciting."
When Smolenski spoke of the move last week, he seemed careful to not tie the training camp move to Kelly. But Lurie indicated Kelly and other coaching candidates preferred camp at NovaCare. Many observers felt in recent years, the Eagles only trekked to Lehigh because former coach Andy Reid insisted upon it.
"When we interviewed coaches, we asked every coach what would they prefer, because we tend to defer to the coach on this," Lurie said. "With every coach we interviewed, I think, they wanted training camp to be -- if you have a great facility -- to be seamless, with the facility the players are going to be training in year-round."
"Some of the most memorable games I've ever been to were very difficult and wonderful conditions. I would have no fear of it snowing...." Um Jeffrey you probably never sat with the common folk at any of those games. I'd bet you always sat in a luxury suite being as you were born with a silver spoon lodged in your arse.— MrBigDizzle- In Jeffy's defense, the limo driver did have to pull over to put on the tire chains and that delay caused Jeffy to miss the appetizer course so he knows a little something about roughing it at snowy games.
- You guys have to realize that Jeffie isn't looking at this from the same perspective as you or I would. He's not going to be sitting out there exposed to the elements with the cold wind blowing snow in his face. He'd be holed up in his luxury suite with the heater on and a dry martini in his hand. Personally, I'd prefer to just watch on TV...but that's just me. — SteveS11
- 1.Didnt this clown postpone an Eagles vs Minny game a couple years due to like 4 inches of snow? By the way its been all down hill since that horrile decision to call off that game.The Football gods spoke.
2.Les where do you get your info from? Duh Cuz Missalli. Geno Smith has been atop the mock drafts for months in many cases ranked #1.Sheesh— argonne - I bet he doesn't spend one dime of his own money doing it.— aguckin
- Push hard, Lurie, push hard. Since the Eagles are far away from getting to a Superbowl, the next best thing is to host one.— Boru
- Never gonna happen, the Linc's seating capacity is too small. And with the odd layout it's too windy in there for a cold February game. I envy the Giants so bad for the stadium NJ built for them. Now that's how your supposed to build a football stadium.— Jangocat
- I know. When I heard the Eagles were building a new stadium, I hoped upon hope that it would be a domed stadium with a retractable roof. I, for the life of me, will NEVER EVER understand the rationale that leads to teams in the colder northern areas building open aired stadiums while teams in the warmer climated southern states build domed stadiums and then the colder climate teams want to compete with the likes of New Orleans and Dallas{among others} to host Super Bowls. This is stupid. It's one thing to have open stadiums in WARM states (ie, Tampa, Jacksonville, Carolina), but quite another to have open aired stadiums in colder locations.People, especially celebrity personalities, attend these events to party and to see and be seen. New York may be an exception in this case because of it's exceptionalism. Philly, though quaint, is a whole 'nother' question. — essell
- Luries has really got to stop smoking/snorting that stuff......— STEPHEN1988
- Don't feel bad that Jeff has enough money to buy and sell you. From the quality of these posts, you'd all go for petty cash.— birdsfansince56
- New Years Day in 1960 at Franklin Field, I saw the Eagles beat the Packers 17-13 in 7 degree windy weather after a snowstorm overnight. Concrete Charlie played both ways and it was an absolute blast. Get a recording of Bill Campbell's call of the game on radio. That was fantastic given the homer Campbell was.
My point is that a Super Bowl in Philly is not a bad idea and would be a great fan experience like the outdoor hockey game the Flyers and Rangers played over a year ago.— hankhammer2 - lie much? That game was the day after Christmas in 1960 — Flyerdom
- nor was the game-time temperature (or any temperature that day) anywhere close to 7 degrees. Temps that day were actually relatively balmy nor did it snow the day before on Christmas Day 1960.
It was in Franklin Field however, the opponent was the Pack and the score was 17-13, so you had those facts right.— advantasux - CHRISTMAS DAY
December 25
Philadelphia, PA
YEAR MaxTemp MinTemp Rain Snow Snow Depth
1957 43 30 0.00 0.0 0
1958 27 14 0.00 0.0 0
1959 38 32 T T 0
1960 37 18 0.00 0.0 0
1961 34 21 0.00 0.0 0
1962 33 25 0.17 1.5 0
1963 37 26 T T 4
1964 68 44 T 0.0 0
1965 61 47 0.77 0.0 0
Data courtesy of NWS Philadelphia/Mt. Holly
Copyright ©1996-2013 STORMFAX, INC.
— advantasux - I don't blame him for wanting it. It means more money in his pocket. Believe me, now that the NFL has allowed NYC to do it they've opened the door for other cold weather cities to bid knowing that they may at least have a chance.— Hack Wilson
