Fire Robert Barchi.
Now.
Don’t waste time with internal meetings and conference calls. Or hearings and debate. Barchi has to go. The Rutgers president is clearly ill-equipped to run any operation larger than a convenience store, and his recent performance is compelling evidence of that fact.
Barchi somehow avoided the guillotine in the wake of the Mike Rice debacle, claiming that his busy schedule prevented him from watching a half-hour videotape of the former men’s basketball coach’s abusive behavior. Because of that, he turfed the investigation to lawyers and consultants, who decided firing Rice wasn’t the best move. That was Barchi’s first mistake.
Dana Spain Would Run for Philadelphia Mayor as Independent
Tells Dawn Stensland-Mendte: "I think the Republican party still needs to get its act together."
The possibility of Dana Spain's candidacy for mayor of Philadelphia has moved from "maybe" to "most likely" since Victor Fiorillo first broke the story here at phillymag.com. And when she runs, the registered Democrat will not be affiliated with a political party—she'll be an independent.
The businesswoman and philanthropist appeared on "The Dawn Show" on WMCN-TV44, hosted by my wife, Dawn Stensland-Mendte.
An Expert’s 10 Tips for Getting Through PHL Quickly
Plus: Share your favorite longterm parking spot.
Want to cruise through the Philly airport? Of course you do! Since January, I've been through our local airport more than 30 times (mostly on business travel), so you could say I’ve got a little experience. Here, 10 ways to make a stay at PHL as short as possible.
1. Fly a lot. It’s true: It really is better for the one percent. Particularly when flying. And there’s no better way to travel comfortably than to just fly a lot. Particularly with one airline. When you’re a frequent flier you get to board and depart your plane before most others. You always get a space for your luggage. You often get the use of the airline’s lounge. If you need to change a flight, you’re accommodated, oftentimes without extra charges. And if you’re on standby, you’ll find your name moved to the top of the list.
What’s Worse? Boring Mayor Nutter or Tax-Happy Mayor Nutter?
Why Philadelphia isn’t living up to its world-class city potential.
I swore I was done. I promised I would never waste another column writing about how pathetic Philadelphia is. And how its complacent residents and businessmen get exactly what they deserve. Washing my hands of all things Philly, I pledged to never again comment on Michael Nutter, who is, without a doubt, America’s most clueless and excruciatingly boring mayor.
But I failed.
It is simply impossible not to rip into Tweedledee's latest efforts to drive the final stake into the heart of a once-great city by trying to impose, yes, more taxes! But this isn’t a column about how astronomical taxes actually decrease revenue and further a city’s demise. Michael Nutter has never, nor will ever, understand that, so why bother?
It’s much more fun to look at Mayor’s “legacy” to date and marvel about how bad he really is.
Richie Ashburn’s Widow in Tears Over His Endangered Gladwyne Grave
Developers want to build a parking lot next to it.
In 30 Years, Philly Will Still Be Arguing About Donovan McNabb
It’s fitting that the former Eagles QB retires where fans will forever debate whether to boo or cheer him.
It was the central, existential question of Philadelphia sports fandom for a decade: "Is Donovan McNabb a great player, or is he a fraud?"
From the Eagles' selection of McNabb in the 1999 draft to his departure after the 2009 season, virtually all Philadelphia sports discussion ran through that question, one that functioned something like a miniature culture war. One of the notes I found false in Silver Linings Playbook, in fact, was that the most-argued-about Eagle among the characters was not McNabb but DeSean Jackson.
With the news that McNabb will formally retire as an Eagle this fall, likely in a...
Tesla Opens First PA Car Dealership at KOP Mall
At almost $70k, the electric Model S goes 265 miles on one charge.
Mayor Nutter Has a $2,950 Pen (But He Doesn’t Use It)
Plus: Globetrotters tickets and other gifts local elected officials received.
On May 1st each year, the city’s elected officials are required to tell the world how they make their money, and what kind of gifts they’re getting. These financial disclosure statements, thanks to the City of Philadelphia’s Mesozoic technological prowess and resistance to transparency, are available only in person, in a cramped and cluttered office on the ground floor of City Hall. I went to the cramped office so you didn't have to. Here, some of the most interesting findings from the 2012 disclosures:
SEPTA’s Newest “Rolling Equipment Problem”
Sure, the Silverliner Vs are running just fine—for now.
Those shiny new SEPTA Regional Rail cars sure look great, don’t they?
They took long enough to get here: the Silverliner V car order was plagued by delays and production problems of all kinds. SEPTA formally took delivery of the last of the 120 cars in March, three years behind schedule.
Flower Show Isn’t Only Victim of TV News’ Wrong Weather Forecasts
Drew Becher should sue the local TV news stations for snowstorm hype.
The President of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Drew Becher, is ticked at Kathy Orr, Cecily Tynan and Sheena Parveen. The coven of weather women and their gangs of meteorologists cost him an atrium of money: $1.2 million to be exact. That's how much the 2013 Philadelphia Flower Show lost because, Becher told the Philadelphia Inquirer, of a flurry of false forecasts.
Chip Kelly Has Job Security. Michael Vick Does Not.
But the Eagles QB’s critics are "ignorant" and "don’t know football."
If Chip Kelly is already tiring of questions regarding the identity of his starting quarterback, just imagine how he’ll feel come August, when his dragstrip offense gets a test-drive against real enemy defenders, and the inevitable speed bumps arise. There is a little bit of a difference between dealing with the media in Philadelphia than, say, the folks in Eugene, Oregon, or Durham, New Hampshire. Don’t get too testy, Coach, or you’ll make the last guy look like the Chamber of Commerce president.
On Saturday, thousands of people turned out at Camden's Susquehanna Bank Center for the seventh annual MMRBQ, radio station WMMR's celebration of rock-and-roll, beer...and beer. Musical guests included Soundgarden, Alice In Chains and Cheap Trick, among others, and WMMR's top talent, including Pierre Robert and the Preston & Steve entourage, held down the fort. I decided to make the trip to see what all the fuss was about. Below, some observations.
John Bolaris Is Still In Philadelphia
Though he's been threatening to vacate the Philadelphia area, everybody's favorite weatherguy hasn't left yet. Here he is backstage getting an unsolicited kiss from some...
“Nordstrom Fetishists” Have Wrong Ideas About Center City Shopping
Philly has to get realistic about retail dreams.
No sooner did HughE Dillon post this on Philly Chit Chat than I heard hearts racing from the Delaware to the Schuylkill:
Bloomingdale’s in the Gallery! Be still, my heart! It’s safe to go back to Market Street at last!
“I hear that the Bloomingdale folks are interested in the Burlington Coat Factory location, which is on a year to year lease. They’ve been here four times; the last time, they brought their lawyers and design team with them.”
Tea Party Activists Protest Outside Comcast Shareholders Meeting
Conservative Comcast customers don’t want their money going to pay Chris Matthews’ salary.
The Eagles Should Sign Chris Kluwe
The bass-playing, World-of-Warcraft-gaming, gay-marriage-advocating punter is a fit for Philadelphia.
The Eagles staged their first big minicamp of the year this week, and most eyes are on new coach Chip Kelly, the multi-pronged quarterback competition, the integration of the club's many rookies and free agents, and the sad, sad end of Taco Tuesday.
The minicamp, though, would've been much more interesting if a certain free agent punter had been invited. Chris Kluwe was recently released by the Minnesota Vikings, and for a lot of reasons, I think the Eagles should sign him.
Say Neigh to Councilman Squilla’s Horse-Carriage Expansion
Rush hour is not the time for anachronistically quaint rides.
Extraordinary Unpublished Cape May Novel Found in Closet After 50 Years
The story behind Charles Whitecar Miskelly’s The Cape.
The son of Dutch and Irish immigrants, Charles Whitecar Miskelly was a South Jersey shipbuilder who died in 1963 at age 83. He was also a writer, one who shut himself up in his home office and banged out stories on a typewriter he repaired with a fishing line. He wrote historical novels and short stories about the towns around him, as well as beautiful, sometimes heartbreaking poetry.
Gosnell Guilty on 3 Counts of First-Degree Murder
Jury in Philadelphia abortion doctor trial reaches verdicts.
Prince Harry’s Jersey Shore Visit: 13 Must-Stop Spots (Including Wawa)
A suggested itinerary for a royal at the Shore.
On Tuesday, Prince Harry will be visiting Seaside Heights and Mantoloking, two towns that were torn apart by Hurricane Sandy. That's a very nice gesture, and one that should raise spirits—or at least throngs of screaming women—for a town that's been through so much in the last six months.
But let's be real here: This is Prince Harry. Prince "Parties Naked in Las Vegas" Harry. The guy's got some more touring to do.
NBA Insider: Don’t Expect Moneyball Magic From Sixers’ Sam Hinkie
The new GM isn’t a basketball guy, but he can talk to the team owners in their language.
In the coming days and weeks, as new Sixers GM Sam Hinkie and his advanced metrics approach to basketball are celebrated, remember the sage words of an NBA executive I talked to on Friday:
“This is ‘Moneyball,’ and ‘Moneyball hasn’t won a playoff series yet,” he says.
What about that 2009 first-round triumph over Portland?
“That wasn’t Moneyball,” the exec says, dismissively. “That was Yao Ming, who was a transcendent player.”
