Fans flock to Linc for Eagles' Flight Night

On a day that started with a storm that even Noah may not have been able to navigate, 31,786 Eagles fans filled half of Lincoln Financial Field for a practice.

By the time Flight Night commenced last night with more hoopla than a normal game would justify, overcast skies had given way to a clear, seasonal summer night. Still, it had to be surprising that so many would pay up to $45 to watch what the team offers for free at Lehigh University.

Right?

"No, it's Philly," kicker David Akers said.

Indeed, it is no shock that this city loves its football team, or that there is optimism about a season still six weeks away. Yet the inaugural Flight Night was deemed a success not only because of the response it drew, but for its fund-raising.

For the last 14 years, the Eagles held a carnival and auction to get donations for their Youth Partnership. This year, they moved one training-camp practice from Bethlehem, Pa., to South Philadelphia in the hopes that more than 10,000 - the maximum the carnival allowed - would show.

They exceeded their expectations.

So, too, did Josh Gaines, who capped the evening with the practice's only touchdown. The defensive end intercepted an A.J. Feeley pass during the live hitting portion of practice and returned it 15 yards for a score. For an undrafted rookie who may never get the opportunity to do that in an NFL game, that was a nice moment.

"I'm at a place right now that a million guys across the country would love to be at," said Gaines, a product of Penn State. "I've got no complaints. I'm just going to go out there every day and do my job, go full tilt, and whatever the end result is, that's just the way it is."

Aside from Gaines' touchdown, which came with the third-team defense going against the third-team offense, the practice was uneventful - compared with the two previous days. With the additional noise and music, it must have been difficult for Andy Reid and his coaching staff to get any real teaching done.

The starting offense had its moments, with quarterback Donovan McNabb tossing strikes to tight end Brent Celek and wide receivers Kevin Curtis and DeSean Jackson. Stewart Bradley was wearing a microphone as he gave instructions to the first-team defense. But that prop didn't last long. The middle linebacker limped off the field with a minor knee injury not long after his words were heard on the stadium speakers.

Much more successful was Akers playing a game of catch with the fans. The veteran Eagle walked up and down the sideline chucking a football mostly to the younger set. According to Akers, no one walked off with a souvenir.

"At the carnival last year, we could play PlayStation, Ping-Pong, and then it became an autograph session," Akers said. "This was more widespread, and you could interact [with the fans] a little more. I thought that was a lot of fun."

There were giveaways throughout the practice - ex-Eagles tossing mini footballs into the stands, and Swoop - the team's mascot - blasting shirts through his mechanical launcher. Fireworks, highlight clips, and cheerleaders added to the glitz.

The best moment was the most subdued. The Eagles honored former defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, who died Tuesday after a fight with melanoma, with a moment of silence and a video tribute. One of Johnson's former linebackers, Ike Reese, wore a shirt with the coach's likeness on the front. It read "Passing of a Legend."

"I bought it outside on the way in," Reese said.

Reese was just one of a dozen or so former Eagles - including fan favorites such as Tommy McDonald, Mike Quick, and Fred Barnett - to be introduced before practice. Even the once-disappointing Mike Mamula was not booed.

The starters were introduced as they would be at the start of a big game. Even injured running back Brian Westbrook (ankle) and cornerback Asante Samuel (hamstring) emerged from an inflatable Eagle. Westbrook is recovering from off-season surgery and isn't expected to return to practice until the middle of this month.

"I feel great," Westbrook told a sideline reporter. "I can't wait to get back to my football teammates."

The crowd erupted for the player whose health may most dictate the fortunes of the 2009 Eagles. The spectacle continued for another hour or so until the players left the field and the lights went out. No, the Eagles weren't signaling that the show was over. The encore was a rather tame fireworks show accompanied by highlights.

» READ MORE: http://go.philly.com/birdseye