This one time at

Eagles Camp…

 

Philly’s favorite football team is back

 

By Joe Student

Philly EDGE Editor

 

Clad in vestments of green and looking forward to a season full of Sunday worship, Philadelphia Eagles fans have begun making their pilgrimage to Bethlehem, to bear witness to the team’s preseason training camp.

The camp, which opened for rookies July 20, is being held, as usual, in and around Goodman Stadium on the South Campus of Lehigh University, just a few miles north of Bucks County. It runs through August 15.

What was once a practice-only camp has become a fan attraction with thousands of visitors expected to attend the sessions through mid-August. The team now provides additional interactive fan experiences, concessions and stands.

“It’s a lot of fun. You get closer to the team than you would at a game,” Jim Wills, 46, of Pennsauken, NJ said after lunching at the Copperhead Grille in Bethlehem, only a mile or so away from the complex. “It’s nicer weather too.”

Wills and others had made the trip north for the morning practice on Sunday (July 23), the mandatory day for veterans to report to camp. The a.m. workout was the only session held that day; most days a second afternoon session is held.

Though he was traveling alone, Wills said he knows of friends who have made the trip with both families and fellow Birds fans.

“They get into it. Guys have been thinking about this for months by now, so the first chance they get, they come up here to check the team out.”

With the close proximity of camp, the improved access to players and less awful fan behavior than one might see during a fall game day, Eagles camp is an obvious draw for faithful fans who are ready for another season of Eagles football.

 

Here's a scouting report on the Eagles training camp:

 

Directions

 

Take the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension (Rt. 476) to Exit 32 (Quakertown). Follow Route 663 East to the junction with Route 309. Make a left onto Route 309 North.

    Follow 309 North then bear right onto Route 378. Off 378 make a right onto Saucon Valley Road. Follow through a wooded residential area to Bingen Road. Make a left onto Bingen Road and follow it to its end to the entrance of the complex. Signs will guide you into the Eagles camp area.

 

Schedule

 

The team usually has two practices scheduled each day: a morning (8:45 a.m.) and an afternoon (2 or 2:45 p.m.) session, but not all are open to the public or full-contact. Please consult www.philadelphiaeagles.com or call 610.758.6868 for a full, updated schedule.

The team has five preseason games, two of which will take place at Lincoln Financial Field. The team will open its regular season against the Houston Texans in Texas on Sept. 10 at 1 p.m.

 

Preseason games:

Aug. 6 Eagles vs. Oakland Raiders at Canton, Ohio, 8 p.m.

Aug. 10 Cleveland Browns at Eagles, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 17 Eagles at Baltimore Ravens, 8 p.m.

Aug. 25 Pittsburgh Steelers at Eagles, 8 p.m.

Sept. 1 Eagles at New York Jets, 7 p.m.

 

Who you’ll see

 

Coaches, staff and players (duh!) including former U.S. Olympic skier (and University of Colorado football player) Jeremy Bloom. The Iggles’ fifth-round draft pick will be rehabbing a tear in his hamstring. Bloom was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list last Thursday.

(Sorry, ladies; we realize how difficult that last sentence was to read.)

To cope with the many requests for player autographs that the team receives from fans who are thisclose to the players throughout camp, they have designated autograph times (by position) that begin on July 25 and end August 13.

The schedule is as follows:

 

Running Backs: Tuesday, July 25 and Wednesday, August 2

Wide Receivers: Wednesday, July 26 and Tuesday, August 1

Quarterbacks: Thursday, July 27 and Thursday, August 3

Linebackers: Friday, July 28 and Saturday, August 12

Offensive Line: Saturday, July 29 and Friday, August 4

Defensive Line: Sunday, July 30 and Sunday, August 13

Defensive Backs: Monday, July 31 and Thursday, August 8

 

For even better access to players (and when they won’t be as sweaty) check out the 12th Annual Eagles Carnival and Auction at Lincoln Financial Field on August 27 from 3 p.m.-8 p.m.

Obviously many members of the local and national sports media will be at Eagles camp throughout the next 30 days to file reports. This means some former athletes, anchors and reporters may be more accessible than usual (meaning: don’t get all spooked that the guy next to you ordering nachos sounds like Merrill Reese. It probably is.)

 

Who you won’t see

 

Terrell Owens (thank God), first-round draft pick Broderick Bunkley (who was still unsigned at press time), Eagle legend Chuck Bednarik and the Eagles Cheerleaders.

The cheerleaders, however, had big news last week as they announced that fan voting had decided on the cover model for the 2006-2007 Cheerleaders Calendar, which is on sale now at the team’s site, www.philadelphiaeagles.com.

The lucky winner was Lora Sheeran, 23, of Collegeville (who appeared in a story about the squad earlier this year in Philly EDGE).

“She’s going to be the face of the Eagles Cheerleaders for the next year,” Barbara Zaun, Eagles Director of Cheerleading posted on the team’s Web site. “Our calendar is sold nationwide in bookstores and the cover girl is always thrust into the national spotlight.”

A full interview with Lora appears on the team’s site.

 

While you’re at camp…

 

Though the Eagles do offer concessions for sale at stands next to the field, fans might be looking to get out and explore a little while they are visiting the Birds summer nest.

 

Eat

Though the Eagles do offer concessions for sale at stands next to the field, fans might be looking to get out and explore a little while they are visiting the Birds’ summer nest.

Since morning practices start at 8:45 a.m., you might want to stop by and get some breakfast. Try the Breakfast Nook (968 Hellertown Rd (Rt. 412), Hellertown) for a sit-down meal with super-sized pancakes and the Bagel Basket (1850 Friedensville Rd Bethlehem) for something lighter. Both are a five minute drive from the complex.

For lunch, nearby Paprika’s (1180 Main St., Hellertown) is a sure thing. It offers up authentic Hungarian food: goulash, soups and various pork and chicken dishes.

If a wiener is more to your liking, check Potts Doggie Shop (114 W. Fairview, Bethlehem) or Yocco’s (Rt 100 and I-78 in Allentown). Both are a trek from the camp, but you have time between morning and afternoon workouts.

There are several tasty stops for dinner nearby including Copperhead Grille (5737 Route 378 North, Bethlehem), which is on your way back to Route 309 heading to Bucks County; big menu and decent-sized portions.

Two nearby businesses offer distinctive, delicious pizza: Crossroads Hotel (1443 Main St., Hellertown) and Casa Mia Pizza (10 West Fourth St., Bethlehem), the latter featuring outdoor seating.

For those who feel “green” year-round, Irish pub-style restaurant BridgeWorks Restaurant (4 East Fourth St., Bethlehem) has you covered.

 

Drink

Whether you’re looking to get drunk enough to believe that the Eagles are already in Super Bowl form, or you’re just trying to quench a summer thirst, there are many nearby places to do so.

One of the closest bars is Beer Mussels Bar & Grille (1214 Main St., Hellertown) which offers many beer specials and also has tasty bar food. This may be the best “hidden” spot to find “celebrity” visitors.

Two bars in downtown Bethlehem provide nightlife destinations: Tally Ho (205 West 4th St., Bethlehem) a BIG Lehigh University bar which was once recognized by Playboy as its College Bar of the Month; and Starter’s Riverport (17 West Second St., Bethlehem) the newly opened mega-complex that has nightly beer and entertainment specials.

On the way out of town, there’s the always-busy Montana West (1030 North West End Blvd (Rt 309), Quakertown). Between mechanical bull riding or bikini car washing (last Sunday), there never seems to be a boring, “usual” night at this bar

 

Be Merry

 

You’ll have almost a month of days to decide to head north to Eagles camp. It’s worth noting that there is more going on in the Lehigh Valley than “the camp.”

(Right, but that’s all you care about.)

 

The Martin Guitar Company (510 Sycamore St., Nazareth; 610.759.2837), one of the best- known makers of acoustic guitars in the world, has factory and museum tours available year-round.

 

Musikfest (all around downtown Bethlehem): From August 4 – 13, scores of national (and local) music artists like Train, Trace Adkins, Alice In Chains, LL Cool J with special guest Ne-Yo, KC & the Sunshine Band, Melissa Etheridge, Styx and Kansas, Kenny G, Carrie Underwood and more will converge to play the “platz” and carry off what is one of the largest music festivals in the country. 610.332.1300

 

Works by Andy Warhol (Allentown Art Museum, 31 N. Fifth St., Allentown; 610.432.4333) Works by the late, great pop artist are on display through Sept. 10 in the Kress Gallery. And, yes, you get to stay for more than 15 minutes.

 

Dorney Park and Wild Water Kingdom (Exit 54 off I-78 near Allentown 610.391.7789)

It’s an amusement park with roller coasters, rides, water rides, cotton candy, yada, yada, yada. www.dorneypark.com

 

Bethlehem Liberty High School (1115 Linden St., Bethlehem)

OK, there’s no real tour to speak of at LHS, but you should know that former Philadelphia Eagles Hall-of-Famer, and two-way player (that’s right kiddies, players used to play both offense and defense just like in the backyard), Chuck Bednarik played his high school ball here.

He was a key member of the Eagles’ NFL Championship teams in 1949 and 1960. And he’s still a bad ass who looks like he can probably give the Birds 15 quality minutes every game.