by Mike Cunningham

As Adam Vinatieri kicked the winning Field Goal for the Patriots first Super Bowl win against the Rams in January 2002, I knew then, the Eagles were NOT supposed to be win the NFC Championship that year. The following year when Tampa Bay THRASHED the Oakland Raiders, I knew that Tampa Bay was the better team. They deserved to be there. Not us. Last year, we we somehow passed Green Bay, with a miracle of all miracles 4th and 26 and I knew that, again, we weren't supposed to be there.

But this year is different. This year, we're supposed to be there. It all began with the signings of Kearse and Owens. This is our year. There is no question about it. Duce left and Buckhalter got hurt, fans got nervous. But reminded themselves, if Westbrook stays healty, this is our year. Donovan seemed to play with a new confidence when T.O. arrived. He wasn't the same player. He was better. Hard for any of us to believe that he was better, but he was. Had Donovan made the leap?

Then there's T.O. himself. His superstardom put Eagles in the thoughts and minds of every Football fan. He made us believe again. We ARE supposed to be there. When he and Donovan had their blow up during the Steelers loss. That was what he was doing, getting in Donovan's head and telling him we are supposed to be here. This is our year. Donovan believed.

Then there's Trotter. Trotter like the prodigal son returning with Hugh Douglas. And like the father in the parable, they were welcomed back with a party fit for kings. Trotter played yeoman duties, making his mark early by nearly killing Giants Punter Jeff Feagles in the opening game of the season. And later taking over the Starting MLB duties to sure up the shaky run defense. When Trotter brought the hammer, the Defense Believed.

When T.O. went down, all the Eagles fans screamed silently inside, "OH NO NOT AGAIN" like a bad Rod Stewart song. Coach Reid, who this year surpassed the most famous names in Eagles Coaching history, Vermeil and Neale, shut things down. He called the dogs off and said, we're winning this thing. Get in before you catch cold, #36. Dawkins gather the kids, the Chunky Soups on. The rest served them well, and the Team Believed.

They took their rest and shook off their rust and beat a Vikings team, that is probably better than their record suggests. They overcame mistakes and sloppy play and still put themselves in a position to win. They didn't take stupid penalties. They'd been here before. They didn't let it get close. They'd seen that before. They won and they made a stadium full of Doubting Thomas, Believe.

The Eagles have produced a new slogan "One Team. One City. One Dream." I have said once, that "Anything Is Possible in a World of Dreams." The only way you can make a Dream become real is to the believe it. Late in 2003, Philadelphia lost a favored son, who made 2 of the largest cities on Earth Believe. We're supposed to be here. It's our turn. Believe It.