Monday Morning Cheerleader: Jen of the Eagles

By Shawn Donnelly
Esquire.com
January 10, 2011

So what do you get when you combine a banged-up quarterback, a gimpy wide receiver, two missed field goals, and a defense that forgets to exist in the red zone? The end of the Great Reinvention of Michael Vick, the beginning of an Aaron Rodgers run at the Super Bowl, and yet another fantastic finish from the postseason’s opening weekend, that’s what. Also: lots of very sad people from Philadelphia, which can be strange.

But perhaps Eagles Nation can rally for next year behind the determination of a rookie cheerleader named Jen. After all, this is a woman who, when she was 12, broke her wrist during a ballet recital but popped back up to finish the dance. “There was no way I was getting off that stage,” she told us after Sunday night’s game. “I was taught that if you fall down, you get right back up.” This dance instructor isn’t afraid of calling out her coach for a fourth-and-one (missed) field goal attempt, either, or making a bold playoff prediction. Or three.

ESQUIRE: On a scale of one-to-10, with 10 being extremely disappointed, where are you at right now?

JEN: I think I’m at a five. Before the season, people were predicting 8-8 for us, and this was supposed to be a rebuilding year. We went 10-6, made the playoffs. I don’t think we could’ve asked for a whole lot more. I’m trying to be positive.

ESQ: You’re doing an excellent job.

JEN: Plus, we did better than anybody else in our division. Everybody had high hopes for the Cowboys, and look what happened to them. There was a lot of talk about the Giants, and they didn’t make the playoffs. The Redskins had a tough year. So all in all, I feel okay.

ESQ: Still, it had to hurt, watching that final pass from Vick get intercepted in the end zone, with under a minute left, right in front of you.

JEN: Yeah, we were so close. I really thought we were going to pull it out at the end. Unfortunately it didn’t work out.

ESQ: According to your bio, David Akers is your favorite player. He had an especially tough game.

JEN: I’m shocked, actually, at his two missed field goals. He’s one of the best kickers in the league. It’s just surprising because he’s normally so consistent for us.

ESQ: Gotta ask you one thing about him, though. Trailing by 11 in the fourth quarter, your Eagles drove the ball to the 16. It was fourth-and-one. Andy Reid sent out Akers, who missed a 34-yarder. Looking back, wrong move?

JEN: I think the safer bet at that point was the field goal. Akers is normally so solid, and I think the coaches had a lot of confidence in him. I don’t think the loss was on Andy. I think the field goal was the right move. Akers just missed it.

ESQ: Lotta talk from the booth about the conditions and those kicks. But how windy was it at field level, really?

JEN: It was really windy. I’m sure that that had some factor. Not that anybody’s making excuses. It was probably the windiest game of the season. And it was definitely the coldest game of the season.

ESQ: What did you think when you saw DeSean Jackson limp back to the locker room in the first quarter?

JEN: I was worried. It was nice to see him come back out, and he had a couple good plays in the second half. I would’ve loved for him to do a little more. I don’t know if he really had the opportunity though.

ESQ: Vick will be a free agent. Think he’ll be back next year?

JEN: I do. I think he wants to be in Philly. I hope he’ll be back. He’s one of the best quarterbacks the Eagles have ever had.

ESQ: Speaking of great quarterbacks losing, were you surprised to see the Saints fall to the Seahawks this weekend?

JEN: I was shocked, but happy. I always root for the underdog.

ESQ: Let’s run through some playoff predictions for this coming weekend. Seahawks at Bears?

JEN: Bears.

ESQ: Green Bay at Atlanta?

JEN: Of course the Falcons. I hope that they win.

ESQ: Jets at Patriots?

JEN: I’m going with the Jets on this one. I’m a Jersey girl. I’m pulling for the Jets.

ESQ: Ravens at Steelers?

JEN: Steelers. Gotta go with the fellow Pennsylvania team.

ESQ: So what’s your Super Bowl matchup?

JEN: Bears versus Jets. Jets win.

ESQ: What about the national championship game tonight, Auburn versus Oregon?

JEN: I’m not really the biggest college football fan, but I’ll say Oregon in a close game.

ESQ: Well we’re not really the biggest ballet fans, so what else can a guy do to impress you?

JEN: I like when a guy does super romantic things — when he’s a gentleman, when he opens car doors, when he gives you flowers for no reason, when he leaves you little notes. I know it sounds old-fashioned, but those kinds of things impress me.