Philadelphia High School

Are other cities like Philadelphia when it comes to sports soap operas? Or is the city of Brotherly Love unique for its sports neuroses, its fan man-crushes and frenemy relationships with its pro athletes, and truly bizarre behind the scenes developments? If so, is the press part of the problem, or merely a reflection of fans’ fixations?

 

The Daily Snooze’s Dana Pennett O’Neil expends nearly 900 words in a self-ironic piece about Donovan McNabb’s dad’s reaction to the Kevin Kolb pick.

 

Sam’s reaction? “No comment.”

 

Undeterred, O’Neil tries to generate some controversy by characterizing Dad McNabb’s statement that that he is “not concerned” about the Kolb pick and entirely accurate observation that “My son works for the Philadelphia Eagles right now and when he doesn't any longer, there are 31 other NFL teams he can play for" as a “grenade” launched at the Eagles.

 

Bizarrely, at the end O’Neil admits how inane this whole McNabb-Kolb controversy is and, by association, his (her?) very own article on the matter.

 

Sam McNabb explains that he doesn’t worry about things that are out of his control. And the Eagles draft and QB depth chart are, he says, out of his control. So why all the fuss? O’Neil concludes without a wink, “Well, because it's Philly, Sam. That's what we do.”

 

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated mania. Bob Brookover has a story today headlined, “Speculation Fueled by McNabb’s Silence.”

 

To recap. McNabb and Reid haven’t spoken since the draft…controversy! McNabb’s father says the issue is out of his hands but if the Eagles cut McNabb he could play for any of the other teams in the league….controversy! McNabb has not spoken about the Kevin Kolb pick…controversy! And you can bet when McNabb does speak it will be, you guessed it, controversial!

 

It’s the same old story with Philadelphia and its love-hate relationship with its sports stars.

 

First, we had the Eric Lindros ordeal. Lindros breaking down while accepting his MVP award because he wanted to win a championship for Philadelphia. The Red Wings sweep and the “choke.” Accusations the Flyers nearly killed Lindros by insisting that he be flown back to Philly from Nashville while suffering from what turned out to be a punctured lung. (Ponder that for a moment: has a similar suggestion ever been made regarding a pro athlete, much less one of the best in his sport? And why would the Flyers insist Lindros receive medical treatment in Philadelphia when he was in such medical distress in another city? Bizarre)

 

Throw in his and his dad’s feud with the Bobby Clarke, teammates taking sides, unpublished rumors about adultery, Roger Neilson suggesting that he wasn’t reinstated as coach after undergoing cancer treatment because management didn’t want a cancer survivor who liked Eric Lindros behind the bench, etc.

 

So it goes with McNabb now. The TO debacle (a nearly 3 year ordeal), Rush ripping McNabb, assigning blame on McNabb for wanting Garcia gone because his presence on the roster would undermine #5, Mama McNabb’s quote that it would be bittersweet if the Eagles won the Super Bowl and her son wasn’t the starting qb.

 

Now, we’ve got whole articles devoted to what McNabb’s dad thinks about the drafting of Kevin Kolb and why McNabb has not issued a statement on the matter.

 

My gosh, any contact Reid and McNabb have had since the draft, when and in what entrance each entered/exited the NovaCare complex, and if they talked about McNabb’s status with the team and the implications of the Kolb pick are being covered in the Philly papers like Fleet Street covering every movement of the royal family.

 

Certainly, most other cities don’t have this. There are only a select few who care that deeply and passionately about sports: New York, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland (an editorial in the paper about the Thomas/Quinn draft!).  Others?

 

But do even these cities experience such inanity and have media outlets that whip up such high school antics as who thinks who is cute, and who was seen talking to who in the hallways?

 

Actually, come to think of it. Boston might give Philly a run for its money in this department.