Green around the gills

Eagles fever is a contagious virus that strikes every January. Local bakeries sell Eagles cakes, bank tellers trade their vests and ties for their favorite Eagles jersey and midnight green suddenly becomes the color of choice.

This year, the fever seemed to reach an all-time high as the NFC East champs made their third straight trip to the NFC Championship game.

Now the fever has once again passed without a trip to the Super Bowl, but a new sick feeling has settled in.

Fans were stunned Sunday as they watched the Eagles fall 14-3 to the Carolina Panthers, becoming the first team in NFL history to lose back-to-back home conference championship games. They are also the first squad since the 1980-82 Dallas Cowboys to lose three straight NFC championship games.

Now, instead of South Philadelphia residents shouting their best E-A-G-L-E-S chants, they’re spelling out what went wrong.

The heartbreaking defeat was the hot topic of conversation at Dina’s Deli, 11th and Porter streets, around lunchtime Monday. Jim DiPatrizio, of 11th and Ritner streets, stopped in for a quick snack and ended up getting caught in the Eagles debate.

"I think this was their year," said DiPatrizio, 43. "They were destined this year. I was disappointed."

John DiSanto, 57, ordered a sandwich and talked about Eagles fans’ steady diet of frustration.

Like many South Philadelphians, he had been glued to the television screen only to watch the Eagles wide receivers drop passes in key situations and the offense commit four very costly turnovers.

"People are tired of [losing]," said DiSanto, of 11th and Porter. "They want to see a winner. People are getting tired of [the Eagles] losing the big games.

"I felt like somebody died."

His 17-year-old son, Anthony, who wore his number-five Donovan McNabb jersey and Eagles pants during the game, expected his team to be headed to Houston. That was before Eagles head coach Andy Reid replaced an injured McNabb with backup quarterback Koy Detmer in the fourth quarter. Although the Eagles drove the ball deep into Carolina territory, the Panthers stopped the threat with their fourth interception of the game.

"I think they should’ve kept McNabb in there," the younger DiSanto said. "Even though he was hurt, I thought he would play better than Detmer.

"There is always next year."

Diehard Eagles fan Denise DiCristino, of Seventh and Bigler streets, did everything she could to show her support for the Eagles during Sunday night’s game. She wore her number-22 Duce Staley jersey and painted her nails green, silver, black and white.

By Monday night, she was drowning her sorrows in Jack Daniels and chicken wings at Chickie’s and Pete’s, 15th and Packer. DiCristino was wearing a more somber uniform — black nails and a black T-shirt with the word "Heartbreak" in giant red letters.

"I was so upset and so depressed that I went into my room for the last quarter," said DiCristino, who passed up a green stirring straw for a blue one. "Reality really hit three hours after they lost."

How does she plan to get over the mourning period? By rooting for the Philadelphia Soul, the city’s expansion Arena Football League team, which begins play next month. The mom admitted the fact that hunky rocker Jon Bon Jovi owning the team will get her out to games.

DiCristino and other Chickie’s and Pete’s patrons were on hand for Angelo Cataldi’s weekly live show on Comcast SportsNet. Most people at the sports bar wear their jerseys during the Eagles season, but few were showing their team spirit Monday.

One exception was Joe Micofsky, originally of Second and Moore, who was sporting an Eagles cap. He insisted he could find solace in the Birds making it to their third straight conference championship game.

"I would rather have my team make it to the NFC championship game every year than not make the playoffs," Micofsky said.

His friend Dan Darr, of Front and Roseberry streets, believes it’s a good thing he is more of a hockey fan.

"Guess what, it’ll be 20 years before the Eagles make it back to the Super Bowl!" Darr shouted to his friend.

Eagles fans were so confident that their team was heading to the Super Bowl that packages to Houston were hot sellers at Langhorne-based Tom & Geri World Travel. President Tom Melon, who was enjoying dinner and drinks at Chickie’s and Pete’s on Monday night, said his company sold at least 40 Super Bowl packages; as of 6:30 p.m. Monday, 30 percent of the customers had canceled the trip.

"Before the loss, 30-40 percent of the calls were about Houston packages over the last two weeks," Melon said.