Life for Philadelphia Eagles fans is now officially nothing more than a walk through the desert filled with mirages and camels.

Sometimes, the desert is surprisingly pleasant. With it's hot but not humid air, it lulls you into a feeling of contentment, and you think that life isn't perfect, but it sure could be worse.

Look at it this way: you are wading into the season and your team starts 0-2. But then things turn around, and your team, though it doesn't seem to have the best talent, is rattling off wins.

So you're just a little worried, but find it rather pleasant that things have worked out so well. The desert isn't exactly comfortable, but at least you're still alive.

What you really want, though, is water and a big cheesesteak. That would really hit the spot. And, if you've been away from your significant other too long, you want a scantily clad woman as your waitress or a big buff dude as your waiter.

You see this in the form of a mirage. You see it off in the distance, and though you are skeptical at first, this thing just shines. The closer you get, the more you can see the sun glare off the Lombardi Trophy, given to the winner of the Super Bowl.

And then, as you are trying to reach that oasis, your leader falters. Falls off his horse and breaks his ribs. So, now you're left with some guy with the strangest facial hair you've ever seen. (The only thing Koy Detmer does less than practice football is groom that beard thing he has going on.)

That goal, that glorious grease, that Super Bowl Trophy, has eluded you once again.

So you keep walking, knowing that the night will bring with it bitter cold.

The thing you need to do most at this point in your journey, though, is stay away from the wild camels. They'll spit on you just to remind you of the plight you're in. Nobody wants to run into a big, mean camel. Nobody.

These camels generally hail from Pittsburgh, but are also found in North Jersey and New York. They'll come along and tell you that you're annoying. But you know you're just displaying the passion they've never had.

They'll tell you to stop whining. They'll pretend that their walk through this desert is anywhere near as difficult as yours is.

It's not. The city of Philadelphia has waited 20 years for a major sports championship. Pittsburgh had the Penguins of the early 1990s, led by the most talented player of his generation. It's not Philly's fault if those Pittsburgh folk are too busy declaring their uniqueness by saying "yinz," "pop," and listening to The Clarks to recognize that fact.

As for New York, they have about 12 different teams to choose from. Mets playing poorly? Root for the Yanks. Don't like the Devils? There's always the Rangers. Or Islanders.

See, Philadelphia's love affair with its teams transcends that of other cities and their teams. Philly fans just want their teams to win, no matter how the job gets done. That's why the fans treat the superstars the way they do. No player is ever bigger than the team in Philadelphia. Winning is the only thing that matters.

All the things Philly thought it had going for it went crumbling down Sunday. All the doubts became real, everything the Philly faithful thought would go wrong did.

These receivers can't catch enough passes to win a championship, can they? That defensive line won't get significant pressure, will it? Those linebackers won't stop the run, will they? Those injuries are just too much, aren't they?

The Eagles overcame these obstacles from game to game until Sunday, when the answer to every doubt-filled question was a resounding "yes," and they lost 14-3, on the way giving perhaps the most nondescript performance in NFC Championship history.

Philly fans saw the mirage. There, as clear as day in the sand, was the ultimate cheesesteak stand. Big, greasy sandwiches dripping with yellow cheeze whiz, overflowing with onions. There was water, and even beer -- Yuengling Lager.

The Lombardi Trophy was there, too.

Then, it was all gone, replaced by nothing but desert ahead.

So the long walk through the desert continues, the next mirage just over the horizon.