Delaware auto sign pokes fun at Patriots, draws support from Eagles fans

The News Journal

The Eagles mania has made its way to Delaware – and it's impossible to miss.

Steps from one of the state's busiest intersections sits Paul Campanella's Pike Creek Automotive shop. And this sign: "We fix cars better than the Patriots fix games."

The staff at Paul Campanella's Pike Creek Automotive got creative with their Eagles spirit by creating sign for motorist along Limestone Rd. to enjoy this week before the Eagles face off with the New England Patriots.

"We're all Philadelphia fans here," said Anthony Campanella, the service manager at the Limestone Road location near Kirkwood Highway. "And it's just been a hit since it went up."

With less than a week until the Philadelphia Eagles face the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, signs of football's biggest game of the year have been popping up throughout Delaware.

The Milltown-area auto shop keeps a rotating list of funny or satirical sign ideas on Post-It notes around the office, but sports quickly tend to rise to the top. Both Anthony and his father, Paul, said they aren't afraid to poke fun at their own Philadelphia teams on off years, but this year prompted some smack talking as their beloved Eagles head to the Super Bowl.

Not all responses have been positive though, Anthony Campanella said.

"Some people will write reviews online (about the auto shop)," he said, "which, you can tell, you click on their picture and they have Patriots stuff on their profile and I always like to respond and be happy about it."

Anthony has taken to joking with these online posters that they have to leave a five-star review if the Patriots pull out the win Sunday.

But others aren't so cheery. Some call and complain to the receptionists about the sign. Others give their predictions for the game day score – the current favoring by Patriots fans tends to be New England by at least a touchdown.

"People care that much," he said with a laugh. "I will say though, Patriots fans are better than the Cowboys fans."

The current sign was inspired by employee Will Maggio, who said he's been an Eagles fan his entire life and knew the Eagles were going to make it to the Super Bowl.

The sign, he said, was just "too funny to not put it up."

The banter comes at the same time Philadelphia fans descend upon Minneapolis, where recently defeated Vikings fans are less than thrilled to see men and women clad in green and white.

John Gwinn, a Wilmington native who has spent the last 20-some years in Minneapolis, said he's somewhat transitioned from the Eagles fan he grew up as to a Minnesota fan in Vikings territory.

And after the Vikings' loss to the Eagles in the NFC Championship game, the Eagles don't have too many fans left in Minneapolis either, he said.

"I don't think they've been won over," Gwinn said with a laugh.

As for the reports of Airbnbs turning away guests and Uber drivers refusing rides or taking passengers to false locations, Gwinn said it's all talk.

MORE COVERAGE:SOCIAL MEDIA: Super Bowl LII - Eagles vs. Patriots

"Minnesota nice" – best described as a mix of passive-aggressiveness and the slight attempt to spare someone's feelings – is a part of life, he added.

"It's just all talk," Gwinn said, noting that any Uber drivers even joking about this plan wouldn't actually follow through with it.

As for Sunday, Gwinn said he'll be rooting for the Eagles, as will most of his family back home.

So will Anthony Campanella and his crew at the auto body shop.

Campanella predicted the Eagles will manage a win by "at least a touchdown." He said he has a lot of faith in quarterback Nick Foles, who stepped into the spotlight after Carson Wentz went down with an injury.

Maggio agreed.

"It's going to be a very good game," Maggio said. "I'm a die-hard Eagles fan, but they've got their work cut out for them."

Contact Brittany Horn at (302) 324-2771 or bhorn@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @brittanyhorn.