Eagles Parade: Philly Celebrates Its Super Bowl Win As Only Philly Can

Fans line Benjamin Franklin Parkway before the Super Bowl victory parade for the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday in Philadelphia.

Alex Brandon/AP

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Alex Brandon/AP

The Philadelphia Eagles won their first Super Bowl just four days ago, and there was plenty of celebrating on Sunday night. But Thursday morning brought the main event: The Eagles Parade.

Fans began thronging the parade route at dawn. The line at the Wawa convenience store near the Philadelphia Museum of Art stretched around the block by 6 a.m., the Inquirerreports. The parade ends at the museum, famous for the steps that Rocky climbed in the greatest training montage of all time.

“It’s the best day of my life,” an 11-year-old named Sonny told the newspaper. “I can’t wait to see all of the players.”

Parkway Packed ALREADY for the #Eagles Parade!!!@6abc#EaglesParade#FlyEaglesFly#eagles#sb52pic.twitter.com/AR4F2Rsqa7

— Jeff Skversky 6abc (@JeffSkversky) February 8, 2018

“We were wondering if we would ever see the Eagles win a Super Bowl in our lifetimes, and we may not ever see another one,” John Thompson, 56, told The Associated Press. “That’s why we’re here today.”

Anthony Hudgins of North Philly #EaglesParadepic.twitter.com/zB1yLzH4BY

— Bobby Allyn (@BobbyAllyn) February 8, 2018

Fans aren’t the only ones decked out in their finery. Eagles offensive lineman Jason Kelce is dressed as a mummer.

Parade mood
@Eaglespic.twitter.com/XTcPZBocUz

— Stefen Wisniewski (@stefenwiz61) February 8, 2018

Some people even brought urns to scatter the ashes of loved ones.

doesn’t get realer than scattering your grandfather’s ashes at the Eagles Super Bowl parade.

said they flew up from Tampa. pic.twitter.com/HPygzJahmD

— maurice (@tallmaurice) February 8, 2018

Mayor Jim Kenney had a simple request for Philadelphians.

“Now remember – act responsibly, don’t ruin this for the fans who have waited decades for what will be a historic day as the Eagles finally parade up Broad Street,” he said, according to the AP. “We are, after all, the city of brotherly love and sisterly affection.”

Fly Eagles, fly.

#Flyeaglesfly this is going to be the best day of all time pic.twitter.com/fw30XzGpOy

— Cindy Webster (@CindyWeb94) February 8, 2018

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Olympians Next Door: Where America's Winter Olympic Athletes Come From

Bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor, snowboarder Alex Deibold, skier Lindsey Vonn, skier Gus Kenworthy and members of Team USA pose for a photo during the 100 Days Out 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Celebration.

Mike Stobe/Getty Images for USOC

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Mike Stobe/Getty Images for USOC

The 242 athletes who will represent the U.S. in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics come from 32 states, from Alaska to Florida. And while powerhouse winter sports states like Colorado and California are sending the most Olympians to South Korea, cities and towns around the U.S. have good reason to watch their daughters and sons compete as well.

Seven American Olympians are from Anchorage, Alaska; five are from Duluth, Minn. Those two cities join Park City, Utah, (eight Olympians) and Steamboat Springs, Colo., (six) to lead the country in producing Olympic athletes for the 2018 squad.

More than 40 percent of the U.S. Winter Olympic athletes come from five states:

  1. Colorado (31 athletes)
  2. California (22 athletes)
  3. Minnesota (19 athletes)
  4. New York (18 athletes)
  5. Utah (16 athletes)

Here’s an interactive guide to help you find your local Olympians:

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U.S. Curling Team Beats Russian Athletes To Kick Off Pyeongchang Olympics

American siblings Matt and Becca Hamilton (far left and far right, respectively) beat the Russian team of Alexander Krushelnitskiy and Anastasia Bryzgalova, as the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics’ first competitions began on Thursday.

Bill Chappell/NPR

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Bill Chappell/NPR

The Pyeongchang Winter Olympics’ opening ceremony is Friday, but the first competitions are already under way. The U.S. curling team of Matt and Becca Hamilton led off a mixed doubles tournament by defeating a team from Russia.

There was a smattering of applause for each team as they were announced. The loudest cheers were reserved for the host South Korean team, which was also on the ice as part of the mixed-doubles tournament at the Gangneung Curling Center.

The Russians wore simple black and white uniforms. Other than their names, their jerseys bore only one tag: Olympic Athlete From Russia – a requirement of anti-doping penalties against their country.

The two teams had a customary handshake at the start of the match. And the Russians also brought a gift. After the teams were introduced, Anastasia Bryzgalova ran over to the Americans and presented a stuffed brown bear to Matt Hamilton.

This is the first time the Olympics has featured mixed doubles, a form of play that’s been part of the world championships since 2008. The Hamiltons used their more accurate delivery to overcome the Russian pair, whose past success includes a gold medal at the 2016 world championship.

In the first end, the teams took turns seeking control of the target area, with Matt Hamilton successfully dislodging two Russian stones from the house, the inner circles where points are scored. After the Russians reestablished themselves, Becca Hamilton cleaned them out again and left the Americans’ stones in place, taking a 3-0 advantage in the first end.

Trying to add to their edge in the second end, the Hamiltons grouped four stones on the red circle to the Russians’ two. But the center then became clogged with six stones – and the Russians used their last stone to secure an advantage and take two points.

The Hamiltons settled in from there. After six ends, the score was 7-3 and the Wisconsin natives were well on their way to their first victory in Pyeongchang.

The match went quickly, a hallmark of the mixed doubles format. And in this match between representatives of rival nations, there were no signs of awkwardness out on the sheet — other than an incident midway through, when Matt Hamilton got tangled up with his counterpart, Alexander Krushelnitskiy.

As they attempted to sweep stones along the outer ring, Hamilton fell to the ice, and Krushelnitskiy quickly gestured an apology. The two shook hands, and Hamilton headed back to the other end with a smile on his face.

The first meaningful competition in the 2018 Olympics brought an appearance by the Olympic mascot Soohorang. And as play began inside the arena, the Olympic torch was making its way through streets nearby, destined to arrive at Olympic Stadium for the opening ceremony that will be held Friday night in Pyeongchang (Friday morning in the U.S.).

The Winter Olympics run through Feb. 25, and curling has one of the longest competition schedules at the Winter Olympics.

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Trump, Citing Death Of Colts Player, Says Democrats Must 'Get Tough' On Immigration

Indianapolis Colts football player Edwin Jackson in a photo from earlier this year. Jackson, 26, was one of two men killed when a suspected drunken driver struck them as they stood outside their car along a highway in Indianapolis.

AP

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President Trump has weighed in on the death of Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson, who was killed over the weekend in a suspected drunken-driving accident involving a Guatemalan citizen living in the U.S. illegally.

“So disgraceful that a person illegally in our country killed @Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson. This is just one of many such preventable tragedies. We must get the Dems to get tough on the Border, and with illegal immigration. FAST!”

So disgraceful that a person illegally in our country killed @Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson. This is just one of many such preventable tragedies. We must get the Dems to get tough on the Border, and with illegal immigration, FAST!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2018

My prayers and best wishes are with the family of Edwin Jackson, a wonderful young man whose life was so senselessly taken. @Colts

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2018

Earlier Tuesday, Trump called on Democrats to “get tough” on immigration, citing Jackson’s death.

Manuel Orrego-Savala, a citizen of Guatemala, who is being held as a suspect in the death of Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson on Sunday, in a photo provided by the Indiana State Police.

AP

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The man who allegedly hit Jackson, Manuel Orrego-Savala, was charged in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana with illegally re-entering the U.S. after he was deported at an earlier date.

“In April, Attorney General (Jeff) Sessions directed all federal prosecutors to prioritize charging aliens that illegally re-enter the country, especially if they are a risk to public safety or there is a criminal history present,” U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler said in a statement.

“Following the rule of law is the foundation of our American democracy, and my office is committed to fulfilling the Attorney General’s directive.”

The Indianapolis Star reports:

“Police say Orrego-Savala, 37, had a blood-alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit when he allegedly hit and killed Edwin Jackson, a 26-year-old Colts linebacker, and 54-year-old Jeffrey Monroe, Jackson’s Uber driver, around 4 a.m. Sunday.

Orrego-Savala should not have been allowed back in the country after his 2007 deportation, Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., said in a tweet Tuesday. ‘We need to fix our broken immigration system to prevent this from happening again.'”

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