In Arizona's desert, an oasis of green

The landscape around Phoenix has cactus, wild burros, snakes that eat other snakes - and a den of rabid Eagles fans.

Even the desert can't kill their loyalty.

For the last four years during each Birds game, the club of 576 die-hards called the Desert Eagles Nest has taken over the Upper Deck Sports Grill in Scottsdale.

"You can't find a seat if you're not there an hour before the game starts," said Felix Cervantes, a former Delaware cop who wears an eagle mask and flaps ersatz wings to stoke his fellow Bird watchers.

This weekend, their dreams come home to roost, as Andy Reid and company arrive to play the Arizona Cardinals in hopes of making the Super Bowl.

After Sunday's victory over the New York Giants, club members quickly scooped up tickets, organized visits by friends and family, planned a huge Saturday pep rally, and chartered buses for the tailgating party and Sunday game at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Ringleader David Ortiz, 41, is a real estate agent who lived in South Philadelphia until his parents divorced and his mother moved out West.

He is opening his home to guests of two fellow Nesters, Christine and Jason Houser, who bought 20 tickets for friends and family flying in from out of town.

The couple, managers for General Motors, were Eagles season-ticket holders before leaving Bucks County six years ago, said Christine, 37.

"It's unbelievable," she said of the Eagles coming to Arizona. "We just can't believe that all the cards fell the right way."

Expected at Saturday's rally are ex-Eagles players Mark McMillian and Byron Evans, Eagles mascot Swoop, hundreds of regulars, their guests, and perhaps another 100 who booked tickets and travel to Phoenix through Green Legion, a travel agency started by an Eagles fan.

At a November 2004 rally in Dallas, more than 1,000 people showed, according to Craig "Quimby" Chenosky, 38, who owns Green Legion.

"I would almost bet you that we're going to see similar numbers at the Upper Deck on Saturday," said Chenosky, who has joined forces before with Desert Eagles Nest.

At the game, he'll wear his trademark Grim Reaper outfit, representing doom to the opposing team.

Ex-cornerback McMillian and ex-linebacker Evans, who live in Arizona, have taken part in Eagles Nest events before.

"I know it's going to be a lot of people turning out for that," said McMillian, whose "Hard Hittin Radio" sports-talk show with Evans happens to debut at 3 p.m. Friday at www.hardhittinradio.com.

"It's a great atmosphere," he said of Eagles Nest events. ". . . They don't have any cheerleaders, but if they could find some pom-poms, I'm sure they could find somebody willing to shake 'em."

During the games, the disc jockey's repertoire includes the Rocky theme and "Philadelphia Freedom".

Most members have roots in the Philadelphia-area, and wound up in Arizona because of work, family or the retirement-friendly weather, Ortiz said.

When the Birds score, Scott Wible, 30, a financial consultant and Temple grad, goes into his Rocky routine: He runs up the two-story tavern's metal steps, pumps hands into the air, points at patrons who dare to wear an opponent's jersey, makes a throat-cutting gesture, then finishes with a pushup for every point.

There's also lots of flapping by Cervantes, who is such an ardent fan he dressed his daughter, Lily, in a McNabb jersey at the hospital after she was born.

Sure, fans of other teams get taunted, but no one gets in fights or throws beer, Ortiz said.

"I've never seen the police ever come down," he said. "It's all clean fun. I mean, we have children there, too."

Apt to raise eyebrows is the woman, hired by the bar for game day, to mingle while wearing only green body paint above her waist.

"She's definitely part of the scenery. It's hilarious," Ortiz said.

The group also sponsors other activities. Recently, they sent care packages to Pennsylvania National Guard's 103d Engineer Battalion in Afghanistan.

When the Eagles get a midseason week off, the Nesters play a volleyball match against the Arizona National Guard at a Scottsdale park.

The winner gets awarded the Lombirdy Trophy, a wink at the Super Bowl's Lombardi Trophy.

The Upper Deck's chef, Aaron Marks, 44, says "I've never seen any fans as loyal them. Ever."

Even though he's a Pittsburgh-raised Steelers fan, "I hope the Eagles win," he said. "I want to see them in the Super Bowl. These fans that come in here deserve it."

For more on the Desert Eagles Nest, go to www.deserteaglesnest.com.