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Money Under Stadium Seats?

AMOUNT OF money the city will save by shutting 11 libraries: $8 million. Amount of money the Eagles have owed the city for years: $8 million.

Lincoln Financial Field, foreground, which became the new home of the Eagles in 2003, is shown with other sports complex buildings, including Veterans Stadium (before it was knocked down) and Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies' new ballpark. (AP Photo/George Widman)
Lincoln Financial Field, foreground, which became the new home of the Eagles in 2003, is shown with other sports complex buildings, including Veterans Stadium (before it was knocked down) and Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies' new ballpark. (AP Photo/George Widman)Read more

AMOUNT OF money the city will save by shutting 11 libraries: $8 million.

Amount of money the Eagles have owed the city for years: $8 million.

It's a tie!

Actually, it's more than a tie. It's an outrage. Back in 1985, when the Eagles were struggling financially - yes, back in the olden days, it was possible for an NFL team to be struggling - the city helped out by building sky boxes for the team at the old Vet stadium, and agreed to let the team keep all the revenue for 15 years. After that, the team would pay the city a share of the money.

That money, $8 million, should have come in 2001. It's seven years later, and the city has yet to see a dime. The city sued the team in 2004 for more than $10 million, including back payments and interest.

The Birds (current value, according to Forbes: $1 billion) maintain that the city caused a canceled exhibition game that led to losses for the team. They apparently feel that the city owes them money, and have countersued. So now that it's in the courts, there's no great hurry to settle up. Let the court costs mount up and sooner or later, they probably figure, the city will cry uncle and walk away.

Even budget reports from the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority - the city's fiscal watchdog - have sounded increasingly exasperated with the situation.

Now, we're not blaming the city's financial crisis on the Eagles, but the kind of morally offensive, lawsuit-infused irresponsible behavior they're exhibiting sure doesn't help keep the city sound. And now that the city is in real crisis, there's lots at stake. So maybe new pressure on the team can have some impact.

Especially if the pressure comes from kids, parents and other people who care about libraries. We bet many of those are also Eagles ticket-buyers. They all should send a letter to team owner Jeff Lurie urging him to quit playing games and pay the city now, so maybe libraries, or something else, can be saved. In better times, this kind of gamesmanship may be acceptable, but not when the city has to make draconian cuts and kids lose some safe havens.

It's time to call the Eagles out on this. Really, guys: Stop hiding behind court delays. Do the right thing. Step up to the plate. Write to Jeff Lurie, CEO, Philadelphia Eagles; NovaCare Complex; One NovaCare Way, Philadelphia, PA 19145. Tell him what losing your library means and why the Eagles should be better citizens. *