If you haven’t heard it by now, Gabe Kapler’s impromptu interview this morning with Angelo Cataldi on the 94 WIP Morning Show was quite good. Angelo, despite his many, MANY detractions, knows what makes good radio and can conduct a hell of an interview.

Our friends over at Crossing Broad have the full audio if you haven’t heard it already.

Kapler and Cataldi go back and forth over a recent Cataldi column in “Philly Voice,” in which Cataldi criticizes the way GM Matt Klentak put together this year’s roster, going as far as to call Klentak “incompetent.”

Is he wrong? Maybe not, but the team was never viewed as contending this year and did outperform a Vegas win prediction several games. They did have a 14-win improvement over the abominable 2017 season and seem to be trending in the right direction.

Kapler of course defends his team and the GM, sparring with Cataldi over a very interesting and professionally conducted 13 minute interview.

But here’s where my skin bristles and the bile rises in the back of my throat.

After Kapler’s initial salvo of criticism for Cataldi’s column, Cataldi defends himself by saying when he sits down to write one of these pieces he’s “representing the fans” of Philadelphia. He’s a mouthpiece for the average Joe of this city, he’s claiming, the bridge for the common man to the Philadelphia sports franchises.

When I write a column, it represents not just how I feel, but the hundreds of phone calls I take very week and have been doing for 29 years in this city…when I write what I write, Gabe, it’s represented by hundreds of people who are thinking the way I am.

Gooble gobble, gooble gobble, we accept you, we accept you one of us.

Maybe, MAYBE you could make a case that this was true in the late 90s, when he was still fresh and new, sports talk radio hadn’t become completely over saturated in Philadelphia, and Wing Bowl was a new and exciting event at the height of its disgusting powers.

Now? Now it all just seems like an act for his incredibly large, older generation fan base that can’t get itself out of the rut it’s dug for the past three decades to listen to ANYTHING other than Cataldi in the morning.

And believe me, gang, there’s plenty better to listen to other than the WIP Morning show. A podcast. Static. The sweet sound of silence, in my opinion, is more entertaining than the WIP Morning show poll question of the day or Cataldi creepily hitting on whichever weather girl is in the station that morning.

We can do better, Philadelphia. I’m not saying Cataldi isn’t good at what he does…he is LEAPS AND BOUNDS the most popular Philadelphia sports media member ever. I don’t think that’s up for debate.

But is he who you want representing us a fanbase? A wishy washy media mogul far beyond his best years? Is that who you want speaking for us?

Cataldi’s viewpoints flitter and flutter like a leaf in the wind, changing direction at a moments notice when the tide of popular opinion shifts one way or another.

Just earlier this year, prior to the start of the Eagles season, Cataldi oozed out of one his Philly Voice columns, proclaiming success had gone to Doug Pederson’s head and the Eagles wouldn’t repeat as Super Bowl champions.

Ok, not a bad opinion to have, plenty of people shared it and the season seems to be trending in that direction.

The only problem for Angelo is he gave ANOTHER prediction for the Eagles season for the September 2018 issue of SJ Mag, where he was much more bullish on the Eagles chances this year.

“The Eagles have a better team this season—by a significant margin—than the team that won the Super Bowl last year. They are deeper, more experienced and have several second-year players (Derek Barnett, Sidney Jones, Corey Clement) who are about to become big stars. My regular-season prediction of 14-2 may actually be a bit conservative. Behind Nick Foles (the first few games) and Carson Wentz (after that), the Birds are going to sweep the NFC East, earn the top seed in the NFC and have an easier run to the Super Bowl this time around. Get ready for another parade in early February 2019.”
– Angelo Cataldi, morning show host, 94WIP

But, but but but but but what happened to Doug Pederson letting success get to his head? A regular season prediction of 14-2 possibly being “too conservative” certainly doesn’t jive with his Philly Voice column that predicted doom and gloom for the Eagles in 2018.

Maybe, just maybe, it’s because he’s full of shit.

Think for yourself, Philadelphia. You can do so much better.

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