In the Field of Office Politics...

This has probably happened where you work or go to school or hang out...someone gets transferred, demoted, the whole gawdam Hickenlooper deal goes bad and someone has to walk the plank, someone takes the rap. That happens...just add water, stir and there you are: instant pariah!




In an office setting, He-Or-She-Who-Is-To-Hang-From-The-Yardarm is suddenly He-Or-She-Who-Is-Not-Spoken-To. People avoid their desk, cubicle or booth like the Olsen Twins avoid mashed potatoes. Waiting for their furniture to be moved, the deposed one finds great interest in counting just how many paper clips come in a box, or working online Sudoku puzzles. It's crappy, it's unfair, but it happens.



How would you like to have it happen to you in front of 70,000 partial witnesses? The Philadelphia Eagles, surprised at their offensive ineptitude against the Ravens yesterday, benched longtime quarterback Donovan McNabb after halftime, in order to let a second-year guy who was REALLY inept wing the old pigskin around, most often to Ravens.



What struck me about it all was how poor McNabb, banished to the sidelines, stood all alone, bundled up in a hoodie, and no one - no coach, player or waterboy - came over and had his back. He just stood there, his job gone, his pride gone with it, all alone, without a friend to call his own.



It just would have been SO cool if he had pulled out a handheld Sudoku game and stood there working on that.