Eagles, Pats fans brace for Super Bowl showdown

When freshman Whitney Moore's New England Patriots do something wrong, her boyfriend slowly scoots away from her side.\n"I've left bruises on him," she said. "They haven't fumbled yet, thank God, but if something big happens -- an interception or a turnover -- I'll hit him or throw my pillow. I'm violent."\nMoore, who is from New Hampshire and has followed the Patriots all her life, is a self-described "extreme" New England fan -- one who will ride the emotional highs and lows of watching her favorite team vie for a Super Bowl win Sunday. She is not alone -- IU's campus is home to more than a few die-hard fans of both the Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles.\nJunior Brian Ossip, who is from Philadelphia, will be leaving his IU home behind this weekend. Early Saturday morning, Ossip will board a plane destined for Jacksonville, Fla., the site of Super Bowl XXXIX. There, he will watch his Eagles play in the title game for the team's first time in more than 24 years.\n"I haven't slept in like two weeks -- since we beat the Falcons at least," he said. "I'm an unbelievably die-hard Eagles fan. It's the most exciting thing that's happened to Philadelphia in my lifetime, that's for sure."\nFor Ossip, "unbelievably die-hard" might be an understatement. Forget the fact that he's traveling nearly 900 miles for the game or that he already flew to Philadelphia to see the team's first-round win against the Vikings Jan. 16. Ossip has four Eagles jerseys -- he wears each one for every game until the Eagles lose. Then, he switches. That is in addition to the black, fitted Eagles hat and the vintage wristbands that he must wear at every game or risk costing his team the win.\n"I can't wait to go," Ossip said. "Most of my friends were pretty jealous, because they're all Colts fans."\nJunior Candice Blackburn is from Indiana but still roots for the Patriots. For those who wonder how she can swear allegiance to the Patriots over her hometown Colts (who she also roots for), Blackburn's fandom is not without reason.\n"It's because I absolutely love Tom Brady," she said. \nBut from those beginnings, Blackburn has grown into a full-fledged Patriots fan who roots for the whole team, not just its quarterback.\n"I cry every year when they win," she said. "I scream, I yell, I become mad. Overall, it's like I'm there playing the game. Friends joke, 'It's not your team, you're not actually playing,' but it means a lot to me."\nFreshman Kelsey Martin wishes she was home in Ambler, Pa., so she could at least take part in the festivities and shared excitement for the Eagles' title drive. Like Ossip, Martin is doing her part. She bought an Eagles jersey in October that she wears on game days. So far, she has washed it only once, but does Febreze it to keep any stenches from mounting.\n"It's very exciting," she said, "but it's hard being away from home and not around the excitement."\nJunior Sam Orleans hails from Brookline, Mass., a suburb of Boston, and has followed the Patriots all of his life. He said he is convinced this team is a dynasty on par with the Steelers in the 1970s.\nFor Orleans, being away from home is just an added element of fun: He gets to rub his team's success in the face of Colts fans.\nLast year, Orleans and a friend wore Patriots jerseys into Mother Bear's Pizza following the team's victory over Indianapolis. He said the two got dirty looks all night, and the waitress joked she shouldn't even be serving them.\n"It's been fun," he said. "I guess it's not so much fun to make fun of people, but to just kind of be a jerk."\nRegardless of the team they root for, or the reasons why, most students agreed Sunday is an intriguing match-up. Moore is hopeful there won't be too much cause for injuring her boyfriend, \n"It'll be a good game," she said. "I don't like to place bets, but hopefully the Patriots pull it out."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Gavin Lesnick at glesnick@indiana.edu.