Angelo Cataldi: Boo Donovan McNabb one last time
Reports of a September retirement ceremony for Donovan McNabb have yet to be confirmed, and already 94 WIP's Angelo Cataldi is calling for fans to boo him.
Update. Angelo Cataldi now says he was kidding this morning when he called for fans to boo Donovan McNabb at a possible September retirement ceremony.
"You know I was kidding about booing McNabb," the sports talker emailed early this afternoon, a couple of hours after his 94 WIP morning show. "... Just having some fun."
Funny, he sounded at least half-serious, as he repeatedly returned to the topic and talked about an online poll.
"We should make sure we'll boo McNabb one last time!" he said on the air. "We'll never have a chance again!"
Cataldi infamously bused a gaggle of fans dubbed "The Dirty 30" to the NFL Draft in New York in 1999, where they lustily booed the announcement of the Eagles' top pick.
They were livid it wasn't running back Ricky Williams.
McNabb smiled amid the boos.
"I'm proud of that," Cataldi said today. "That was a great moment. And all these years later, McNabb still whines about it."
Cataldi said it would be "really cool" to bring things "full circle" and boo again if McNabb officially retires an Eagles when his coach, Andy Reid, returns Sept. 19 with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Even though McNabb broke almost every Eagles career passing record.
The online poll asked, "Should the 'Dirty 30' come back and boo him one last time?"
No, voted 78 percent.
One recorded response, apparently taking the matter quite seriously, said of Cataldi, "Even asking this question shows what a classless moron you are."
"What the hell's wrong with you?" Cataldi whined, er, said, urging more "intelligent" people to vote.
Comic Joe Conklin simulated McNabb's retirement introduction at Lincoln Financial Field, with quips like, "We worship the ground he threw the ball into. Give it up for the man who threw it up!"
See "It's a myth: McNabb did not puke during Super Bowl"
This morning's rants did seem odd since Cataldi has repeatedly insisted they were NOT booing McNabb in 1999, they were booing Eagles management.
So if they didn't boo him then, how is booing him now "full circle"?
Cataldi also repeatedly apologized for the incident (and acknowledged the team made the right choice).
No question Cataldi was kidding when he joked that because of McNabb's low throws, the booing idea should loved by "worm pressure groups."
But when asked if he abandoned the gag and praised McNabb at any point in the show, Cataldi replied:
"I said nothing glowing about McNabb, nor will I any time in the future. And no, I didn't clarify my position. I prefer to remain mysterious."