One of TV's top-rated comedies, The Goldbergs, will celebrate its Philadelphia roots with an episode that pays tribute to the Super Bowl LII Champion Philadelphia Eagles and their fans. The episode features cameos from a legendary Eagles player, beloved Philly sports radio fixtures, and team executives on Wednesday at 8 p.m.
The Goldbergs, which is based on a family growing up in the 1980s in the Philadelphia suburbs, often features shoutouts to Philadelphia sports teams and players. Executive producer Adam F. Goldberg bases his show on real moments from his childhood when he resided in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania in the 1980s.
For the new episode, entitled Hail Barry, Adam F. Goldberg drew upon his favorite pop culture sports memories from the 1980s. The slew of references includes a shoutout to the Eagles' 1988 rap video, Buddy's Watchin' You.
In the episode, Adam F. Goldberg's Eagles-obsessed older brother, Barry, achieves his longtime dream of joining the William Penn Academy High School football team. It's soon obvious that Barry doesn't have the chops to play at a varsity level. Barry's assistant coach, played by Eagles Hall of Fame wide receiver and current Eagles Radio analyst Mike Quick, urges him to "Get off the damn field!"
When Barry Goldberg realizes he can still help his team even if he doesn't play, the Quakers make a triumphant comeback against their rivals with longtime Voice of the Eagles Merrill Reese calling the action.
"In all my three weeks of announcing high school football," he says in his iconic voice. "I have never seen anything like this!"
Barry Goldberg's real-life friends, also known as the JTP ("Jenkintown Posse") later play a game of touch football with their TV counterparts in a scene featuring Quick and Reese. Befitting a championship team, the game trophy is presented by executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman and president Don Smolenski. At the end of the episode, the cast gathers to do an "E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!" cheer as the screen shows "Dedicated to Eagles Fans Everywhere." There is even an audio cameo from Queen performing "We Are the Champions" as a salute to the Eagles.
"Watching Eagles games with my dad whether at the Vet or in our house was a big part of my childhood," recalls Adam F. Goldberg. "Like Eagles fans everywhere, we waited a long time to see them win the Super Bowl. This episode is my way of celebrating with my father who is no longer with us, and uniting Eagles fans everywhere."
The Eagles' executives made an appearance on the set when the team spent a week in Los Angeles between away games at Seattle and Los Angeles during the 2017 season.
