An eagle eye on wine - part II

I learned early on in my journalism career to never interview people that I admire. Why? Sometimes, they turn out to be complete jerks. Then, any admiration I had quickly vanishes.

Luckily, people in the restaurant industry are, for the most part, pretty cool. And, with a few exceptions, most chefs and winemakers have turned out to be enjoyable people.

That said, I was a little apprehensive about interviewing Dick Vermeil for an upcoming story.

Vermeil, my favorite Philadelphia Eagles coach, is a now partner in a California wine business and has a line of cabernet sauvignon named after his grandfather. He's hosting a 6:30 p.m. wine dinner Oct. 5 at the Christiana Hilton in Newark. Tickets are $95 per person. Call Kreston's at 652-3792.

Before our interview, I crossed my fingers and hoped Vermeil wouldn't be a jerk. I didn't want the bubble to burst.

And I'm happy to say Vermeil couldn't have nicer. He's funny, fun-loving and answered his own phone. We mainly talked about wines and his years growing up in Calistoga, Calif., but I couldn't end our chat without asking his opinion about this year's Eagles.

(My Eagles loving family, most especially my dear Uncle Franny, would have kicked me to the curb if I didn't ask the question.) Vermeil didn't brush me off.

“I think they better demonstrated what they were all about yesterday then they did their first two games," he said the day after the 1-2 Eagles pounded the previously undefeated Detroit Lions during a 56-21 victory at Lincoln Financial Field.
"I think they’re good.”