UNREAL!

My greatest day....

On Saturday me and my buddy Matt traveled to Philly to see the Eagles against the Dolphins on sunday (thanks to main man Stevie S for the tiks). We check into our hotel and have a few cocktails. We proceed downstairs to go to Chickie and Petes for the evening and wait in the hotel van for our driver to come. Two really nice cars pull up containing 3 smoking hot white girls and one big black guy who gets out of the car and goes into the hotel. I said to Matt, "I think that was LJ Smith", "who", "Smith, the Eagles tight end." Our driver gets into the car and I ask him, he says "yeah some guys from the Eagles Organization stay here the night before the game, and the NFL officials to do." I said "really? what floor?", and he says "I don't know but there is a security guard there." LJ comes out of the hotel, we say hi and he takes off for a night of enjoyment with the ladies.

Matt and I got to C and P, and enjoy a few towers of beers, wings and crab fries, and head back to the hotel around 1. I come up with the brillant idea to go "find the Eagles." We stop at every floor until I meet a secuirty guard on floor 6 who asks me my affiliation with the Eagles. I am standing there in my Flyers jeresey, smelling like beer, a little tipsy and have some wing sauce on my face. "Phillygrapherttm, I am the financial advisor for Brian Dawkins" I slur out clearly. The security guard looks at me and says "Phillygrapher... go to bed." I agree and sleep like a baby.

On game day, I wake up bright and early, shower and shave and throw on my Dawkins jersey. I head downstairs to read the paper and hope to catch a glimpse of maybe some team officials, coaches or NFL refs. I am sipping my OJ in the lobby and reading the paper with maybe 6 other people going about their business, and the elevator door opens. Donovan McNabb is now standing 8 feet from me and walking towards me. I said the only thing that I was thinking "HOLY SHIT" and said it loud enough that Donovan (and anyone else around heard it), Donovan smiled and went into a conference room. I sit there a little stunned because I had no clue any players would be there, nontheless, Donovan!

Over the next 30 minutes, probably 40 Eagles came down the elevator and went to breakfast. Matt brought down my camera and I grabbed come team pocket schedules from the gift shop. I collected 18 autographs and got my picture taken with 10 others. There was only 3 of us in the lobby, so the players were very kind and most of them were very chatty.

When Donovan came out from breakfast, he agreed to pose for a picture with me and I wished him luck. I didnt ask him for an autograph though, and he thanked me for being a fan. I was thrilled but one thing was missing.... BRIAN DAWKINS!!

I don't how I missed him coming in but around 930 or so he walks out of the breakfast room and signs my jersey for me and poses for a picture. Brian is my favorite Eagle ever and a future hall of famer who I have loved watching play over the last decade. Brian goes into the gift shop and picks out a few items. I walk over to him and say "Mr Dawkins, your money is no good here. Whatever you want is on me." He thanks me and we make a small chat as the lady rings up his t shirt, a cafe latte and a pair of underwear. I ask him if he would please sign the receipt, and he agrees to it and signs it. We say good bye and he heads up the elevator.

After he leaves, I look at the receipt and he wrote "Thanks for the draws! Brian Dawkins #20" After that, I tell Matt to lets leave because I have had enough excitement for the day.

And I dont want to brag but I must say Dawk looked pretty comfy out there in his new underwear during the game! GO EAGLES! UNBELIEVABLE!

Above, you will find the pictures of me and Donovan and Dawkins, and the receipt Dawk signed for me.