Ed Rendell Thinks The Eagles Need A Leader Like Flight 93 Had

Note to every person of even moderate political stature: comparing sports to war is the most perilous of metaphor, and will result in bad things if your eloquence game is not on point.

It suffices to say that former Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell's eloquence game was not on point when he was asked about what the Eagles need on a Sunday postgame show.

Crossing Broad snagged the audio and transcribed Rendell's quote, which referred to "Flight 93" — United Airlines Flight 93, the plane that was hijacked during the terrorist attacks September 11th and then forced down in a Pennsylvania field after the heroic efforts of passengers on board.

Rendell Flight 93 by crossingbroad

Somebody's got to get angry, somebody's got to make a big hit. And then turn to everybody else and say "come on." When you're taking a hill, someone looks back and says "let's go." On Flight 93, that guy said, it will live in immortality, "let's roll." Somebody's got to say that and it looked like there's just no fire out there from the fans' standpoint.

There's no way to read that without thinking that Rendell inartfully compared a 1-3 football team to an American tragedy. His apology should be forthcoming any time now.