Grand Imperial Poobah: We Want The Truth!
By Stan "The Grand Imperial Poobah" Hochman
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- (Editor's Note) Stan Hochman, a Daily News sports columnist for 55 years, has been appearing on 94WIP's morning show for over a year now, settling disputes (and starting new ones) as the "Grand Imperial Poobah." He brings that persona to CBSPhilly.com/poobah on Tuesdays and Thursdays and we welcome input on which issues you want the Poobah to take a good, hard look at. Send requests and ideas for The Poobah to WIPpoobah@gmail.com.
Without further ado, here's The Poobah.
Phil E. Fan: The Eagles beat the Rams, so why are so many people making such a big fuss over Shady McCoy not being in the game on that final drive?
Poobah: Trust! It's a question of trust. Passionate fans would like to feel they are getting the truth from coaches, players, media. If they're going to pay $35 for parking and eat that overpriced ballpark food and drink that overpriced ballpark beer and buy that overpriced Eagles' gear, they would like to believe what they hear from the front office, from coaches, from players.
Darren Sproles replaced Shady McCoy with the Eagles facing third-and-six and desperate to chew more time off the clock. After the game, McCoy told some reporters that he had taken himself out of the game. The next morning Chip Kelly couldn't wait to tell Angelo Cataldi that McCoy took himself out. "Read his quotes" Kelly said. This from a guy who does not have the time nor the inclination to read the papers. Why was he so eager to throw McCoy and some honest, hard-working journalists under the bus? Because it distracted the media from some real issues.
Why would Duce Staley yank McCoy at a critical moment? Why are the Eagles mumbling about a "rotation" when Sproles carried the ball 3 times in the first 57 minutes. What kind of rotation is that? And why didn't Duce put McCoy back in the game after Sproles ripped off a 25-yard gain? Wasn't McCoy the "fresher" running back at that moment? The Eagles won the game, but truth got trampled in the process.
"What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive." Sir Walter Scott wrote that. Don't throw that quote at Kelly because he will sneer and ask you how many games Sir Walter Scott ever won?
You can hear Stan "The Grand Imperial Poobah" Hochman on the 94WIP Morning Show every Thursday at 7:20am E.T. Send the Philadelphia sports issues you want The Poobah to tackle to WIPpoobah@gmail.com
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