Temple coach and lifelong Eagles fan Adam Fisher recalls missing part of Super Bowl 2025
While the Philadelphia Eagles were clobbering the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, the Temple men's basketball team was stuck on a plane home without wifi after losing to No. 17 Memphis in Tennessee.
Temple was one of several Big 5 teams that played on Super Bowl Sunday, but unlike Villanova and La Salle — both played at home — the Owls had a scheduled road game.
On Sunday night, the Owls were on their way back from Memphis, on a plane without Wi-Fi or the technology to watch Super Bowl LIX or even check the score on their phones.
"I finally asked the pilot if he could get us a score update at one point," said Temple head coach Adam Fisher, a Bucks County native. "He couldn't tell if it was 14-0 or 16-0. It was very confusing. And he was like, 'And there's an interception.' So we were confused. But right when we landed, it was right to basically the very end of the first half."
As the players got signal again, they realized the good news: the Birds were up 24-0.
"And then you just heard our plane erupt. I'm really happy, being a lifelong Eagles fan," Fisher said. "It was a great moment to see that score at halftime."
Fisher got to make the second half a family affair.
"My car was at the airport, so I made it home and got to watch it — just my 4-year-old daughter and my wife, Rebecca, who's also from Philly," Fisher said. "So kind of a cool moment."
La Salle head coach Fran Dunphy had a similar experience during the Eagles' Super Bowl win in 2018.
"I was coaching at Temple. We were at Tulane. We got off the plane. It was a chartered flight," Dunphy said. "A bunch of guys ran into the waiting area to see if they could catch the end of the game. I was just thrilled that they were doing well. It looked like they were going to win the game."
With over 600 career victories, Dunphy knows what it takes to win. He's impressed with Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, who serves as the Eagles' "point guard" at quarterback.
"He seemingly is one of the most selfless people that I have seen in the sports world," Dunphy said.
