Though we may not be Dallas' foremost rival, we are rivals nonetheless. Yes, Texas is a long way from the northeast, but the fact that the Cowboys survived NFL realignment in 2002 shows just how strong the rivalry is with the NFC East teams. Dallas is everyone's biggest rival.

Eagles fans feeling the pain from a loss will often be resuscitated by a Dallas defeat on the same weekend. Some, I'm not one of them, equal or even take more pride from a Dallas loss than an Eagles win.

Dallas is no geographical neighbor, so how well do we know it? The first (and only?) thing that comes to mind when thinking of Dallas, TX is, um, oil and the Cowboys. Wait, there must be something else, something non-sports related that is well-known to outsiders. How about the Alamo? No, that's San Antonio. But they may have an Alamo rental car franchise in Dallas. Okay, then how about Austin's great live music scene? Well, that's in ... Austin. Yeah, but Austin is only a 3-hour drive.

How about the Astrodome, South Padre Island, Big Bend Nat'l Park or New Orleans? Nope, Houston, Gulf coast, the Rio Grande and Louisiana respectively. Damn, there's gotta be something. Oh, wait, large belt buckles and 37.85 liter hats (ten gallon hats). You got it. Also, I had a Texas Instruments graphing calculator some years ago.

I've never been to Dallas, TX (went to Austin a few years ago). And it's tough to knock something before you've tried it, but ... not in this case. It's Dallas. Growing up in Philly you're taught to love the Eagles, love the Philles, loathe the Cowboys, love the Flyers and love the Sixers (sometimes)—in that order.

Dallas fans are ... Dallas fans. There may be more Cowboy fans in Philadelphia than Giants or Ravens fans. That spells f-r-o-n-t-r-unners. Fans who have been hibernating for 14 years (has it been that long since a post season win?). Although, when the Birds are swept by Dallas the blue jerseys get dusted off and the Texas-sized talk begins.

The Cowboys don't even play in Dallas! They haven't since 1971. Their new 'superstadium' is in Arlington and the Almost Dome was in Irving. That's like the Eagles playing in King of Prussia. (At least the Lions added Pontiac to their name for one season. Nah, Pontiac didn't want that.)

Let's do some comparing and look at a few Dallas and Philadelphia facts:

Philadelphia proper has roughly 1.5 million people, while Dallas is home to 1.2 million (14.5 million belt buckles). Philadelphia is 135 square miles, while Dallas is 385 square miles. The Metroplex (yes, that includes Grand Prairie) is home to a whopping 6.3 million and the Delaware Valley has about 6 million residents. It's a draw.

While the oil economy began to run dry long ago the cotton industry ... has a bowl named after it. Though the coal industry still burns brightly in Pennsylvania the steel mills have mostly closed shop, as cheaper sources have sprung up in China. Edge to Philly.

DART or SEPTA. Though SEPTA took a hit with the recent strike, I have to go with SEPTA because of name alone. Isn't Delaware's public transit also DART? C'mon Dallas.

Each city has a large communications company. Dallas has AT&T and Philly has Comcast. The cable company raises rates more often than a SEPTA bus is late.

Comcast Center's video screen or Cowboys Stadium Video screen? Have to go with Philly, despite rate increases, because of the decent programming.

Dallas area lakes or Philadelphia's rivers? Even though some species of fish, not seen in the rivers for decades, are finally returning, I have to go with the lakes. Sorry Schuylkill.

Six Flags or Hersey Park. Not even close. Give me the comet and a Reeses peanut butter cup.

Tallest buildings: Bank of America Plaza at 921 ft. Comcast Center at 975 ft. Let me get my Texas Instruments calculator and graph this one.

The Metroplex is an automobile's paradise. With all the radial highways circling and spurring into Fort Worth and Dallas a quick glance at a map gives the image of two bicycle wheels wrapped in two conveyor belts with a few lines in between. Philly's major east-west spur is a highway that is a mere four lanes wide, with zero possibility of expansion. I bike most everywhere, so I have to go with compact Philly.

Liberty Bell or ... um ... hang on ... um ... wow ... ah ... this is getting uncomfortable. We'll just say the Alamo. Edge to Brotherly Love.

Each city spelled backwards: Sallad or Aihpledalihp. Not a huge salad fan. Goes to Philadelphia.

---RICHARD WAY.