NAMES IN THE GAMES : Ryan Gets a Rousing Send-Off
The crowd whooped and cheered, champagne flowed and one man read a poem to mark the farewell of Buddy Ryan as coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. Ryan was fired after five seasons when the Eagles failed for the third straight season to advance past the first round of the NFL playoffs.
Monday marked the end of Ryan’s weekly call-in radio program on WOGL-AM.
During a live broadcast from a downtown Philadelphia restaurant, more than 350 people crammed inside chanted “Buddy! Buddy! Buddy! Buddy! Buddy!” as he walked in waving and grinning like a winning political candidate.
Fans passed him balloons, pictures and long-stem red roses. “We’re bleeding Eagles green with your departure,” said a caller from Glenolden, Del.
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