Mayor Michael Nutter was feeling the heat Monday after the Eagles game Sunday night was moved to Tuesday because of a crippling snowstorm.
Fair or not, Philly’s top man was seen as the scapegoat -- the mastermind behind the postponement.
Nutter even found himself hitting the airwaves on sports radio stations 610- WIP and 97.5-The Fanatic to defend himself.
“I have no role in the decision at all… it’s the NFL,” Nutter told the Fanatic. “From the city’s perspective we were prepared to fight whatever storm was coming at us.”
The Eagles wanted to make sure that Nutter wasn’t forced to land on his sword for Snowgate 2010:
“People are free to have their opinions on whether or not last night’s Eagles game should have been postponed,” Philadelphia Eagles President Joe Banner said. “That decision was ultimately made by the NFL. Any criticism of the Mayor, who was not involved in this decision, is completely unfair.”
Try telling that to the Daily News’ Will Bunch. He lumped Nutter in with Banner and the NFL as the “wimps who stole Christmas:”
This is the height of wimpiness, and the girly-men who made this sad decision should be ashamed of themselves. The NFL has been rightfully called the No Fun League for a number of years, but this takes that to a whole embarrassing new level. In fact, let's name names here: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Eagles' owner Jeff Lurie and president Joe Banner, and Mayor Nutter -- you are the Wimps Who Stole Christmas from football fans in Philadelphia.
That’s harsh -- the move was about fan safety. It’s fair to assume that dozens of lawsuits could have stemmed from people getting hurt going to, at or on their way to the game. And on top of that dozens of others fender benders and falls could have gone unreported.
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Take it from someone who had to trek through the snow late last night -- moving wasn’t easy on foot let alone by car. Just on a short walk up City Avenue I saw two accidents as I battled the heavy winds just to stay upright.
Be upset that the game is being played Tuesday instead of Monday but don’t take it out on Nutter or even the Eagles for not playing Sunday night -- it was the right move.
But that doesn't mean Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell agrees:
"It's part of the wussification of America," he mused Monday.
