PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Tracy Locke, a Philadelphia-area native who has lived all over the country as a professional comedian, is spreading the love of football coast to coast.
“And I just love the sports of it,” Locke told KYW Newsradio. “I love the challenge of it. It’s like a chess match. It’s like you’re actually putting players on a board and figuring out different plays. I was always drawn to it.”
Throughout her life, Locke has defied the odds and encouraged inclusivity in football — something that’s evident in her podcast “Girls Gone Green.” Hosted with fellow comedian and football fan (albeit for the Jets) Donna Vaicels, the show offers a safe space for anyone and everyone to chat about football, regardless of how much you know. The great thing about it is Locke will break things down for you.
Her love of football began as a kid in the 70s and 80s, cheering on Dick Vermeil’s Eagles, which included her favorite Wilbert Montgomery, as well as Harold Carmichael, Ron Jaworski, Bill Bergey, and others. She remembers crying when the Eagles lost Super Bowl XV to the Raiders. It means that much to her.
In the late 70s, Locke loved football so much that she wanted to play, which was uncommon back then for girls. But she ignored the naysayers, faced the negativity head-on, joined a youth league in Warminster, and played with boys for the Warminster Pioneers.
“I stood in the line [to sign up], and I’ll never forget that I got up to the table and the people at the table were like, ‘No, no, no you’re in the wrong line. The cheerleading line is over there.’ And I was like, ‘No, no I’m in the right line. I want to play football.’ And I loved it,” she said.
Once Locke became an adult, she played for professional women’s teams — giving herself and her peers a “League of Their Own” moment.
Originally working in TV news, Locke discovered she had the personality to make people smile and laugh. So she left that business, joined an improv class and became a professional comedian — living and working all over the country, all while repping her favorite team, the Eagles.
No matter where she was in America, Locke would find an Eagles bar because there was no way she’d ever miss a game.
Locke is currently a warmup comedian for the “Tamron Hall Show” in New York City, as she has a history of getting the crowds loose before live daytime TV programs. Locke works sports into her comedy. It’s a way for her to interact with the crowd. Of course, she’ll find some Eagles fans in the audience. Sometimes she won’t. It’s a playful back-and-forth.
Locke met Vaicels during her comedy career and they teamed up to start their podcast, which is now in its eighth season.
“[Tracy] actually knows what she’s talking about,” said Vaicels, who’s referred to as “Donna Vee” on the podcast. “I love football, and that’s why we get along really well, but I definitely don’t know what she [does].”
Locke loves seeing women having fun at Eagles games and strongly disagrees with any stereotype that implies women don’t belong in football.
“[Football] creates bridges where there are none,” Locke said. “… As you know, this country right now is in a situation where it’s so divisive, but if you’re talking about football, there’s no politics involved in football. Everybody loves their team. Everybody loves to talk to you about their team and why they don’t like your team, or why they don’t like your fan base. And it’s an awesome conversation thing and women want to be in the conversation because women love it.”
Vaicels admitted that Locke made her an Eagles fan … just not when the Jets play the Eagles.
Locke hopes there will one day be a women’s league like the WNBA with basketball and the NWSL with soccer.
And while she constantly supports and represents her team near and far, she’ll also point out when something went wrong or wasn’t done correctly. She referred to herself as a realistic fan.
That being said, she’s also one with tons of hope, believing this year’s Eagles will go all the way.