Philadelphia Finds Cheesy Way to Attract Fans

The Philadelphia Eagles lost to the New York Giants on Sunday to conclude a dreary 3-13 season. Ray Rhodes was fired as coach the next day.

Philadelphia fans didn’t have much to cheer about at the Giant game, but they didn’t go away hungry.

A record-breaking cheese steak was assembled and served free before kickoff near Veterans Stadium.

At 365 feet, 7 inches long, the 1,790-pound cheese steak earned a spot in the “Guinness Book of World Records.”

“[Philadelphia is] known for cheese steaks,” said Mike Paquin, 31, who showed up early to taste his favorite grub. “We’re certainly not known for our sports teams lately.”

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Trivia time: Who holds the Rose Bowl record for pass completions in a game?

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Cabin fever: Travis Williams knew he was in trouble when he started learning the names of soap opera characters.

“I probably know their kids’ names by now,” the Charlotte Hornet guard said as the lockout dragged on. “One day I decided I had to leave the house for a few days. I was like an old, fat man sitting on the couch.”

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At least he’s playing: In the where-are-they-now department, Tyus Edney, former standout UCLA point guard who played with the Sacramento Kings and Boston Celtics the last two seasons, is playing professionally in Lithuania.

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Better than you: Washington Redskin receiver Michael Westbrook obviously isn’t a student of pro football history.

As he waited to do a postgame interview with New York Giant Hall of Famer Sam Huff, Westbrook asked him: “Hey, man, you ever play the game?”

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Odd stat: According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Bill Parcells’ teams are 48-0 when beginning the fourth quarter with at least a 10-point lead.

Twilight zone? Golf Digest reports that the local idiosyncrasy of the Green Zone Golf Course in Tornio, Finland, is that one repeatedly crosses into Sweden, which is one hour behind in time.

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Looking back: On this day in 1986, UCLA routed Brigham Young, 31-10, in the Freedom Bowl. Gaston Green set a major-bowl record with 266 yards rushing.

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Trivia answer: Danny O’Neill of Oregon, 41, against Penn State in 1995. Oregon lost, 38-20.

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And finally: The Denver Broncos’ Terrell Davis became the fourth NFL player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season in Sunday’s 28-21 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

In a burst of hyperbole, Woody Paige of the Denver Post saluted Davis and quarterback John Elway:

“Elway threw his 300th career touchdown pass after surpassing 50,000 passing yards earlier this year. Elway and Davis are to the Broncos what Ruth and Gehrig were to the Yankees, Magic and Kareem to the Lakers, Gretzky and Messier to the Oilers and Ike and Monty to the Allies.”

Don’t leave out Laurel and Hardy to comedy, Woody.