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The subway post Eagles fan says his collision isn't all that it seems

It was the hit seen ’round the internet.

Of all the celebrating Philadelphia Eagles fan videos that went viral after the team’s NFC title game win, the biggest was the one of the man getting leveled by a post in the subway.

After laughing once (or twice), most people watching the video knew it was only a matter of time until the unfortunate lad was identified. His name is Jigar Desai and he’s a 42-year-old Eagles fan from suburban Philadelphia. The Associated Press ran an article about him on Monday, he was interviewed by Deadspin on Tuesday and he’s been on the local news in Philadelphia.

Though he’s unwittingly become the face of Philly’s unruly fans, Desai said he’s anything but.

“I’m not throwing bottles or punching horses,” Desai told the AP. “It was just running into a pole.”

Actually, there’s just a bit more than running into the pole as Desai has attempted to correct misconceptions or rumors that have spread since his collision with the unstoppable force.

Among them:

• The incident actually took place before the Eagles’ 38-7 win over the Vikings, not after.

If you somehow haven’t seen it, here it is:

• Desai wasn’t trying to catch the train. He and his brother were actually headed toward the stadium and the train he was chasing was headed into the city. Desai was just trying to fire up the fans who were aboard the train.

“When I was running toward the train I just wanted to give a final “Go Birds!” to the folks that were there,” Desai told Deadspin. “And that’s when the pole made a great tackle.”

• Desai wasn’t hurt enough to go to the hospital. He showed up for work on Monday, but may see a doctor on Tuesday because he was still feeling “sore.”

Desai did not deny that he’d had a few drinks before all of this happened.

After a few friends texted him on Sunday night asking him if he knew of his new fame, Desai watched the clip and found it a bit sobering.

“I feel very fortunate and very lucky that nothing worse had happened,” Desai said. “It’s a little bit of a blur for me. Yeah, I hit the pole, I was on the ground and I got right up.

“But after seeing that second video where I actually hit the subway train it made me rethink a lot of things. I am very lucky.”

Watch this happy Eagles fan get leveled by a subway pole, (Screen shot)
Watch this happy Eagles fan get leveled by a subway pole, (Screen shot)

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