Yesterday, Banner and Mayor Nutter appeared separately on the morning show of WIP-AM (610). Both addressed the ongoing legal tiff between the city and the team. Guess who sounded more sympathetic.
"My position is very direct, very simple, and very clear," the mayor said. "There's a judgment with regard to the sky box revenues that was determined to be at least $8 million. Pay that. Pay it now."
When Banner went on the air, he swore to the team's secret, undocumented side deal with former Mayor John F. Street - an agreement that supposedly would have allowed the Birds to settle their debt with the city for far less than $8 million. Even for a team owned by a billionaire, $8 million is a fair amount of money. But paying up has to be a better alternative than accruing all this negative publicity by linking the Eagles to Street.
Why would you admit to having an under-the-table deal with a shady administration that was tainted by a sweeping corruption scandal? And hinting that Street is a liar wins the Eagles no points. They still look dirty by association.
But here's where the Eagles continue to really go wrong: If you're dead set on fighting City Hall, you need to do so carefully. To successfully navigate through endless news cycles, you need a representative with credibility and aplomb. Someone who connects with the people. Someone with wit and charm and, above all, tact. Someone, in other words, who's the opposite of Banner.
When reminded yesterday that the city is broke and the Eagles aren't, Banner's response was obtuse.
