Wealthy Man To Improve Philadelphia In A Way Other Than Running For Mayor

Recently, the Inquirer’s Marc Narducci’s talked with Philadelphia Soul owner Jon Bon Jovi (right, with Michael Jackson) about the team’s upcoming fourth season. Oh, yea, Bon Jovi is also a multiplatinum recording artist, a millionaire, etc., etc.

Bon Jovi’s one of those rare rich people who, when you hear them talk, you actually kind of start to like them more. (Actually, scratch that. Bon Jovi is one of those rare people who doesn’t seem like a total asshole. There we go.) Part of this, at least for me, deals with how seriously he takes his role as owner and president of the Soul. He doesn’t meddle in the football decisions — so he’s a smart owner — but he does seem to really get pissed when the team doesn’t do well. And he had a television monitor set up on his tour so he could watch the Soul while he was playing.

He’s also building 21 homes in Philadelphia because, well, he has the money and he can, which is nice.

“If I build 15 houses on that block and you have people who take pride in ownership of houses, they will watch the block,” he said. “The bad guy who wants to deal crack to the neighbors, you watch grandma come out with her broomstick and chase him away.”

Bon Jovi: Making the city safe for grandmas to chase people with broomsticks. Until they’re shot.

Bon Jovi still happy to put his heart into the Soul [Inquirer]
[Photo via Michael Jackson Fan Square]

Freddie Mitchell Got Fingered

Okay, today’s a very sports-related (but all kind of tangential), and for that, I apologize. No, wait, no I don’t. This story, though, could be a boon for all Philadelphians: The Philadelphia Soul are looking to sign Freddie Mitchell.

For those who may not know, the Philadelphia Soul is the Arena League Football team in the city; the rules are different from regular football: it’s played indoors, there are only eight players to a side, there are walls, et cetera.

Freddie Mitchell holds a special place in my life and in the lives of most Philadelphians, for several reasons. For one, Mitchell caught the infamous “4th & 26″ pass, that saved the Eagles from a seemingly sure loss to the Packers in the 2004 NFC Divisional Playoffs. (The Eagles would, of course, lose the next game. But it was fun for a week.)

Not only that, but after scoring twice in the 2005 NFC Divisional Playoffs, he gave a ridiculous press conference where he talked about how he’d “like to thank his hands.” Then, after the loss in the Super Bowl, he said they should have thrown the ball to Freddie more.

In my life, though, there’s another special reason: Freddie Mitchell showed up on back-to-back nights (the second night, bringing Brian Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter with him) at a bar on campus when I was in college. Yes, he’s quite the football player.

It seems unlikely that Mitchell would sign up with the Soul — he’d have to take a huge pay cut — but think of the possibilities. Players go both ways in Arena football, which means Freddie would have to put his ego aside and play some defense. Now that’s something we’d all like to see.

Soul eyeing Freddie Mitchell [DN]