Grit: For all the Underdogs

Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce addresses hundreds of thousands
as General Manager Howie Roseman and Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie look on.  

For everyone who thinks they're not quite enough, an American football player just gave you hope. 

An unlikely football team just won the Superbowl, their first, and their first championship since 1960, before the Superbowl was even a thing.  Unless you're from Philadelphia you can't appreciate how much this championship means to us.  I weep as I write these words, five days after the game.  

Before the season began, the Eagles were given 40-1 odds to win the Superbowl.  We'd been denied twice before, most recently in 2004 against the (cheater) New England Patriots.  They lost no fewer than ten starters to injuries throughout the season, including starting quarterback Carson Wentz.  Poetic justice allowed us to face them again last Sunday.

Yesterday, millions of fans lined the streets of Philly to watch their Eagles parade up Broad Street and over to the Art Museum, and to hear from their team. Jason Kelce, dressed as a Mummer, said it all: 

"Howie Roseman, a few years ago, was relinquished of all control, pretty much, in this organization. He was put in the side ... HEY, HEY ... he was put in the side of the building, where I didn’t see him for over a year. Two years ago, when they made a decision, he came out of there a different man. He came out of there with a purpose and a drive to to make this possible! And I saw a different Howie Roseman! An underdog!
Doug Pederson. When Doug Pederson was hired, he was rated as the worst coaching hire by a lot of freaking analysts in the media. This past offseason, SOME CLOWN NAMED MIKE LOMBARDI TOLD HIM HE WAS THE LEAST QUALIFIED HEAD COACH IN THE NFL! You saw a terrific Doug Pederson! A man who went for it on fourth and down, IN THE SUPER BOWL, WITH A TRICK PLAY! HE WASN’T PLAYING FOR JUST MEDIOCRE, HE WAS PLAYING FOR A SUPER BOWL!
AND IT DON’T STOP WITH HIM! IT DOES NOT STOP WITH HIM!
Jason Peters was told he was too old! That he didn’t have it anymore. Before he got hurt, he was the best freaking tackle in the NFL.
Big V was told he didn’t have it!
Stefen Wisniewski ain’t good enough!
Jason Kelce’s too small!
Lane Johnson can’t lay off the juice!
Brandon Brooks has anxiety!
Carson Wentz didn’t go to a Division I school!
Nick Foles don’t got it!
Corey Clement’s too slow!
LeGarrette Blount aint got it anymore!
Jay Ajayi can’t stay healthy!
Torrey Smith can’t catch!
Nelson Agholor can’t catch!
Zach Ertz can’t block!
Brent Celek’s too old!
Brandon Graham was drafted too high!
Vinny Curry ain’t got it!
Beau Allen can’t fit the scheme!
Mychal Kendricks can’t fit the scheme!
Nigel Bradham can’t catch!
Jalen Mills can’t cover!
Patrick Robinson can’t cover!
IT’S THE WHOLE! TEAM!
IT’S THE WHOLE TEAM!
This entire organization, with a bunch of driven men, to accomplish something.
We were a bunch of underdogs. And you know what underdogs is? It’s a hungry dog.
And Jeff Stoutland has had this in the building for five years. It’s a quote in the o-line room that that’s stood on the wall for the last five years. “Hungry dogs run faster.” THAT’S THIS TEAM!
THE BOTTOM LINE IS: WE WANTED IT MORE!
All the players, all the coaches, the front office, Jeffrey Lurie, nobody wanted it more!
And that’s why we’re up here today. And that’s why we’re the first team in Eagles history to hold that freaking trophy!
And you know who the biggest underdog is? It’s y’all, Philadelphia. For 52 years, y’all have been waiting for this. You want to talk about underdogs? You want to talk about a HUNGRY DOG?
FOR 52 YEARS, YOU HAVE BEEN STARVED OF THIS CHAMPIONSHIP!"

You can watch Jason's speech here.

A few days earlier, right after the game, the Eagles center referred to a quote by Calvin Coolidge about perseverance:

"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."

Back when I was a seminary student, leading worship services at Shenandoah National Park, in Virginia, a woman stopped me on her way out of Big Meadows Lodge.  "Never give up," she said.  Never give up.

Keep after it. my friend.  Your championship lies before.