Ah, if only the season could end right now. It would be the greatest season in Eagle’s history. That’s not because they’re above the .500 mark for the first time since who knows when. It’s also not because they won only their second road game since I’ve been in college. It’s because Philly beat Dallas. It’s because Philly killed Dallas in Dallas. Troy Aikman’s statistics on the day; 0-for-5 with a concussion. Actually, Aikman did complete a pass. And it resulted in an Eagles touchdown.

There’s something about those Cowboys. You either love them or despise them. In Philadelphia, you despise them, more than any other sports franchise. Yeah, there’s the Mets and maybe the Braves in baseball, the Rangers or the Devils in hockey, and the Knicks, Lakers and Celtics in basketball. But, none compare to those Cowboys. How `bout them Cowboys: 0-1. Watching a team you so passionately root for beat up on the team you so passionately can’t stand. Now’s that’s glorious.

So, I was wondering, what is your most hated team? And why?

Is it the Yankees? Is it the Red Sox?

Is it the San Jose Sharks? Just kidding.

I have a friend from Baltimore who loathes those New York pinstripes during the baseball season and the Cleveland Browns during the football season. Or is it Jacksonville, a team the Ravens have never defeated in their short history? Or is it the Irsay family and the Indianapolis Colts?

I haven’t quite figured him out yet. And that’s the thing, many sports fans have that one team they dislike in each sport, like the Golden State Warriors. Again, I’m just kidding.

My friend asked me yesterday if I could pick one team to tattoo onto my body, which one would and wouldn’t it be. For me, I’d get a Flyers tattoo simply because there’s something very powerful and constant about the orange and black Flyers logo. How about for you?

It didn’t take me long during the discussion to prove to my friend that it was the Cowboys logo I’d never wear. I told him that I would never put that blue Dallas star onto my body. And I’m Jewish.

Then there’s the oxymoron. Randall Cunningham playing for the Cowboys yesterday. It’s very strange, like Thurman Thomas playing for Miami.

I love when fans hate a team that’s from their own city. Like the Capitals fan who hates the Redskins and favors the Ravens. I know a few die-hard Knicks fans who hate the Rangers. And I’ve been trying to figure this one out. Do the New York Giant football fans root for the Mets or the Yankees? Do they root for both and are they allowed to do that? And how about Jets fans? You’ve got to love those loyal Hartford Whaler fans who love the Patriots and the Celtics and the Red Sox, but hate the Bruins with a passion.

I can just see two people wearing Dodger blue screaming for Los Angeles to beat up on the San Francisco Giants. And then I can see the same fans sitting next to each other at the Staples Center, one wearing the Laker’s yellow and purple and the other wearing a Clippers jersey. I forget, what are the Clippers colors?

I’ve seen one guy wear a Chicago White Sox jersey and the other wear a Cubs jersey. And they were brothers. One kid loves Mike Piazza and his sister loves Derek Jeter. You had better believe there are some of those around.

Labor Day has passed. If you’re a baseball fan rooting for the Minnesota Twins or the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, there’s good news – your football teams are 1-0. If you’re a St. Louis fan, enjoy the state of your sports teams right now. And if you’re from New York, and I’ve heard there’s a few of them around this campus, life isn’t too bad at this moment.

The baseball season finishes in one month. For some teams like Houston or Montreal (trust me, there’s a few more in the National League) it ended in May, but for others, like the Athletics and the Diamondbacks, there’s some pretty important baseball ahead. So, I thought I would predict, and hopefully not jinx the baseball wild card and division winners. I think the Braves will win the East. They play six games head-to-head with the Mets and New York has yet to prove they can beat Atlanta when it counts. But, I will give the Mets the wild card nod. The Cardinals won the NL Central two months ago. And Dusty Baker’s Giants will win the West. Other than Barry Bonds, Jeff Kent and, of course, catcher Bobby Estalella, I’d like to know how many Giants you can name. The team is always competitive and they know how to win. I’m sure there’s lots of golf courses in Arizona for Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson.

The Yankees will win the American League East. It’s just too easy.

The White Sox will win the Central. What a year they’ve had.

And I’ll take the Mariners in the West although Oakland could pull it out if they can take three out of four at Seattle in a few weeks. The A’s do play their last seven at Network Associates Coliseum (What happened to good ol’ Oakland Alameda County Coliseum?), but Seattle has been impressive without Griffey this year so I’ve just got to pick `em. And I think Cleveland will hold onto the wild card spot, although it will be a race to the end. Pedro can’t pitch everyday for Boston and there’s something about the Indians, maybe their experience, that tells me they’ll find a way into the post-season.

As for the World Series, I feel like I’ve written this before. And I have, twice. But, the Yanks will do it again and, like last year and in `96, the Braves will be their victims once more.

I could be wrong, I definitely could be wrong, but it’s hard not to pick them when they keep on winning.

More importantly, it’s football season. And if you’re torn between football and baseball, you can all enjoy the XFL debut in February. Watch out for Dick Butkis’s Chicago team. Though Birmingham could go the distance this year.

But, there’s one team that won’t ride the destined road this football season. And I watched the beginning of their demise with a 60 minute smile that started from the opening on-side kick. If the season ended today it would be the greatest ever.

The final score from Texas Stadium – Philadelphia 41, Dallas 14.