It's not every day you find a gem like this. Sure, occasionally I like to point out a factual error by a newspaper writer or disagree with what I think is an ill formed point one makes... but never have I said someone is so useless and so off the mark that they ought to be fired or at least set straight by their editor. Suffice to say, I've never come across a writer doing this awful of a job. If Phils' pitcher Brett Myers is going to call any local writer "retarted" surely he'd get no argument from anyone if it was directed at Dana Pennett O'Neil.
She works for the Daily News as a Villanova men's basketball team beat reporter, but also is "a backup reporter" for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Today, she decided to waste space with an opinion piece about how Andy Reid is a bad father. Make no mistake about it, that's what she is saying. Family, not Eagles, are important. So: Where's Andy? First she references an unrelated story about Eddie Griffin then re-hashes the latest account of Andy's sons' brush with the law. Lucky for us, she follows that up with some self important, sanctimonious ranting.
At last check, those games don't count.
Donovan McNabb was barely there, spending more time guffawing on the sideline than playing. Surely, the Eagles could have survived had their coach chosen to stay home to be with his son.
It really is amazing that O'Neill was able to do such in depth reporting that she got the inside scoop on what has gone on behind closed doors in the Reid household. Oh wait, she didn't. So she just made it up.
They are, however, his responsibility, and they need his help more than Omar Gaither does. If that help consists of driving them to rehab and making sure they stay, of locking the doors to the house and throwing away the car keys, or of just being in the house all day, every day - if that's what it takes, they need it.
I don't know if Ms. Pennett-O'Neil has children, but I hope she does. Obviously, she knows so much about parenting that she must be the greatest mother in the world. Not only is she a great mother, she obviously knows how to balance being a parent and a career woman! She's so great, that she feels the need to use her job as a newspaper writer to tell someone else not only how to raise and/or discipline their kids but how to do their job as well. I'm sorry, but this woman is a know it all. If she wants to chat on the phone to friends telling everyone else how to live their life, raise their kids, do their job, and set their priorities... fine. She's free to do so. I don't see how she should be allowed to continue to do so with her column about Villanova Men's Basketball.
I've never referenced Reid's sons off the field troubles. Not because I'm some TATEr(check out the official Eagles message board for a definition) that agrees with everything the Eagles do and won't paint them in a bad light. I criticize Andy if I think he makes a boneheaded play call or a draft pick that doesn't make sense. Those are football decisions and frankly it's his job to answer for that kind of stuff. His kids are out of bounds. When their troubles caused him to take a leave of absence, that was fair game. That affected the football team and was a situation worth talking about. How he planned on dealing with his kids is not my business and not a situation worth talking about. Telling him how to deal with the kids is about the furthest thing there is from worth talking about.
I think G Cobb made a good point the day Andy walked out a press conference when some reporters pressed him on his son's legal trouble. The only answer to the only question regarding that situation that Andy's owes us is whether it will affect his status with the team. That's it. Nothing else is our business as fans or anyone's business as a reporter whose job it is to cover the Eagles.
So here's my opinion piece. If you want more news on what's happening inside the Reid household, if you want to find out what Andy is going to do with his kids, if you want an opinion on how he should be acting... Too bad. It's not your business. Read some other source of Eagles news/discussion if that's what you want.
You can email Ms Pennett O'Neil your thoughts. Or for life/parenting advice if you'd like.