The NEPA Bird Gang’s flock started in a parking lot.
“We would go down to the Linc (Lincoln Financial Field) and start hosting our own tailgates since about 2010,” said Joe Rodano, Bird Gang president. “We would always ask our friends and anybody from NEPA… we're always going to be in lot L, this is our spot, you know where to find us.”
That fledgling group of whoever could make it to the tailgate is now what members call “Phamily:” a group of hundreds who gather at bars and restaurants all over Luzerne County to watch the Philadelphia Eagles together.
As the members prepared to host a Super Bowl watch party, Rodano said they were expecting “at least” 400 people to pack into his family's businesses, Rodano’s and Franklin’s, on Public Square for the game.
“We bring a little piece of Philly to downtown, and it's clearly been working,” he said.
That “piece of Philly” will be on full display on Sunday as the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
Building a “Phamily”
This year’s Super Bowl party is the first one Amber Goodeliunas has helped to plan. She’s one of the Bird Gang’s event planning coordinators.
“We've been working really hard,” she said. “We want to make it the biggest party, the biggest Super Bowl bash in the valley.”
The flock doesn’t always meet at Rodano’s or Franklin’s. Rodano said that’s what they started out doing around 2015, but soon they started rotating their watch parties to other bars and restaurants throughout Luzerne County.
“We started to take the watch parties on the road and hosting watch parties at different establishments all throughout the valley,” he said.
Keith Ewonishon has been a part of the Bird Gang since the tailgate days. He’s been going through “the archives” of photos recently, marveling at how much their group has grown.
“I saw a picture from 2003…the NFC championship game. Baby-faced, all of us, just young bucks. We thought we were the Bird Gang back then,” he said. “We didn’t realize how big it would become until we just started increasing.”
Many of the Bird Gang members are lifelong Eagles fans, and some bring generations of fans to the watch parties.
Amber Goodeliunas’ daughter, Kaede, has been a fan alongside her mom since she was born.
“It's a lot different seeing her scream and shake the house for the Eagles on the couch, compared to with hundreds of other people that have that exact same energy,” she said.
Amanda Ammermann is decked out in Eagles green every week during football season. She brings her daughter, Mackenzie Ammermann, to the Bird Gang parties. Mackenzie calls herself the “Bird Gang Princess.”
“When I was a baby… I had a little Eagles cheerleader outfit,” Mackenzie said. “So, yeah, I'm a huge Eagles fan.”
Ammermann said she and Mackenzie are one of many intergenerational groups in the Bird Gang.
“Almost everybody that comes is like a parent and kid group at the very least,” she said. “If not to a third generation.”
James Farrell, who joined the Bird Gang this year, immediately felt the family atmosphere.
“I’ve gotten to meet some great people,” he said.
Most Sundays, Farrell dons an eagle mask along with a customized jersey to portray his original character, Eagle Phighter. He’s become a mascot for the Bird Gang.
“We have the best fan base in all of sports, we’re deeply passionate,” he said. “We’re there for each other and we’re there to support our team every Sunday.”
Super Bowl predictions
The Bird Gang members all predict a Philadelphia win, but they said it could happen in any number of ways.
“I'm pretty sure Saquon (Barkley) is just going to run all over everybody,” Amber Goodeliunas said. “And we're going to blow the roof off this place.”
Farrell got a little bit more specific.
“Saquon Barkley will rush for 156 yards, probably two touchdowns and win Super Bowl MVP,” he said. “Final score: Eagles 31, Chiefs 23.”
Rodano stopped short of making a prediction, but is looking forward to Sunday no matter what happens.
“Win or lose, it doesn’t matter. We’re going to have a good time,” he said. “We started this thing together and we’re going to end it together. But if we win? Yeah, look out.”
The NEPA Bird Gang Super Bowl watch party starts at 4 p.m. at Rodano's and Franklin's in Wilkes-Barre.
