LEAVE OUR prov-alone!
Street-wise Birds fans, seething over the team’s hoagie ban, aren’t buying the security-risk excuse. For one thing, they wonder, if food is such a threat in the wake of 9/11, howcum it wasn’t banned at Veterans Stadium?
Good question.
Others, like reader Mark Wilgus, speculate that the Eagles are simply confused. “What they meant to ban,” he commented, “was torpedoes and subs – you know, real weapons of war. ”
Whether it’s confusion or greedy arrogance, the Eagles need to hear your opinion. So we’re urging you to sign a petition to Save Our Hoagies!
Hundreds of readers have already joined the fight; we’ll forward the petition to the front office of the Eagles.
Fill out the printed form and send it to us.
Or, click on our story on www.philly.com, and sign our online petition.
In the meantime, here are other fan ideas of how to Save Our Hoagies!
1. CONCESSIONS BOYCOTT. At the first Eagles home game against Tampa Bay on Sept. 8, don’t buy any food from the Linc’s concession stands.
2. HOAGIE DUMP. Everybody brings hoagies to the first game. After they’re confiscated at the gate, what will the team do with 70,000 pounds of rancid deli meat?
3. CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT. The Eagles collected money from seat license and ticket sales, now they’ve changed the rules. Is that a broken contract? Let a Philadelphia jury decide.
4. JUST WONDERING. If food is banned as a security risk, why not binoculars? Or shoes, for that matter?
5. IS THE LINC REALLY A TARGET? Hundreds of other public venues, from the Mann Music Center to NASCAR races, encourage patrons to bring along food. Are these other facilities ignorant about the potential threat of lunch-meat detonation?
6. BOYCOTT THE LINC. Is it too late to keep the Vet?
7. SPECIAL ENTRANCE. If long lines due to security checks are a problem, establish a separate gate just for those bringing in their own food.
8. REAL HOAGIES. Invite authentic Philadelphia hoagie-makers to set up shop at the Linc. Treat fans to something better than bland, overpriced, mass-produced “grinders” made by a Massachusetts catering company.
9. WHERE ARE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS? They’re the ones who cut the deal to finance the stadium with $200 million in public funds. They should be standing up for the fans.
10. TAKE THE SUBWAY. Since the Eagles stand to pocket $100,000 a game in parking revenues, boycott the parking lots.
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