Please Stop With Your Danelo Cavalcante Eagles Shirt Jokes

Escaped killer Danelo Cavalcante, seen wearing an Eagles sweatshirt at the time of his capture (Image courtesy of 6 ABC)

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Please Stop with Your Danelo Cavalcante Eagles Shirt Jokes

You’ve probably heard by now that authorities have arrested escaped killer Danelo Cavalcante. It’s all over the local news. It’s all over the national news. And, it’s all over social media feeds in the form of memes and jokes because Cavalcante was wearing an Eagles sweatshirt this morning at the time of his capture.

“Go Birds!” has been the sophomoric chant of social media users sharing the various images of Cavalcante donning his Eagles gear. Lots of LOLs and stupid laugh-y emoticons included. Even Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is getting in on the fun. He offered to replace the original owner’s sweatshirt with a new Kelly green one. Oh, the quips just keep on coming.

“I’ve already seen so many ‘Go Birds’ posts attached to it, and it’s making me sick actually,” said my colleague Laura Brzyski, Philly Mag’s health and fitness editor, this morning during the 2023 version of watercooler chat, i.e., our Microsoft Teams morning staff check-in, where Cavalcante’s arrest was obviously the hot topic.

And I completely agree with her. Yes, it has probably been almost entertaining for some people far from the search perimeter to watch Cavalcante’s crazy escape from prison. (I have to admit, I was so caught up in the escape video that I made the juvenile move of adding some music to it when I included it in a story.) And then to watch the nearly two weeks of law enforcement trying and failing over and over again to catch this scrawny guy — oh, and of course we all had a few laughs, or at least eye-rolls, when frigging Dog the Bounty Hunter offered to get involved.

But let’s keep this in mind: Cavalcante is a murderer. He’s wanted in his home country of Brazil for shooting and killing a student standing at a food truck, apparently over some sort of debt. That’s why he wound up in Pennsylvania. He fled Brazil. He’s a fugitive.

And once in Pennsylvania, did Cavalcante change his ways and transform his life into that of a peaceful, law-abiding citizen? Did he become a productive member of society, as they say? Did he see the error of his ways? No. Not at all. Instead, he brutally stabbed and killed his ex-girlfriend in front of her two young children. And he was sentenced to life in prison for that crime, a sentence he will now continue to serve here in Pennsylvania, while the young woman’s family continues to mourn.

So yeah, maybe save the jokes and memes for situations not rooted in great tragedy. Be better.

An Update on the Borgata

Well, the update is … there’s not much of an update. One day after I told you about the chaos that had erupted at the Atlantic City casino and hotel as a result of a cyberattack, the Borgata’s website is still down. Yesterday, when I tried to call the Borgata’s local phone number, the calls just dropped. Today, the calls are going through. Unfortunately, they’re going through to a voice recording that simply says the Borgata is unable to receive phone calls due to technical difficulties.

MGM Resorts International, the huge company that owns the Borgata and many other properties around the world, some of which were also affected by the cyberattack, posted a note on Twitter the other day acknowledging the problems and stating that an investigation is underway. No updates since then.

It’s traditional to say “Good luck” to anybody heading to a casino. But if you’re going to the Borgata this week, no, really: Good luck!

SEPTA Stuff

If you’re a regular rider of SEPTA, I have some very bad news for you: SEPTA’s fares may soon go up.

Concert Alert: Bob Dylan

I don’t usually include information about upcoming concerts in Philly Today. But this is a big one. Well, assuming you’re a Bob Dylan fan. (I personally am not, but to each their own.) Dylan is doing a standing-room-only show at the Fillmore in Fishtown on November 19th. There’s a presale that starts Thursday at 10 a.m. The general public gets access on Friday, if there are any tickets left. Small venue. No word yet on ticket prices. More info here.

Local Talent

Taylor Swift is, of course, the pride of Berks County. And though he’s not from here, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce is basically an honorary Philadelphian at this point. Well, wouldn’t it be magical if the two bloodlines could join forces? All the gossip rags are saying that Swift has been spending quite a bit of time with Kelce’s brother Travis. Imagine what a Swift-Kelce wedding would be like. Meanwhile, my colleague Laura Swartz went to the premiere of the new Philly-made documentary on Jason Kelce. It’s now streaming on Amazon Prime. And if you’re on the fence about watching it, here’s Laura’s advice. Though I’m not sure she’s unbiased. After all, she self-describes as a “totally obsessed” Jason Kelce fan.

By the Numbers

$7.7 million: What CHOP reportedly paid its CEO in 2021. According to a new analysis from the Inquirer, that more than three times what CHOP spent on charity care over three years. I’m guessing you didn’t make out quite so well in 2021.

48: Hours a Billy Penn correspondent spent traveling around Lancaster County without a car for this photo essay. The photos kinda make me want to visit. At least I won’t have to listen to the SEPTA buses barreling down my street.

4: Car fires in Kensington currently under investigation by the ATF and local authorities. Just what Kensington needs: an arsonist.

And from the So-Darn-Close Sports Desk …

Last night the Phils pitted Zack Wheeler against Max Fried for the third bout in their four-game series with the division-leading Braves. Fried started the game 7-1 on the season, and he looked mighty efficient, but Nick Castellanos took him yard in the second to put the Phils up 1-0. Alas, another homer by Matt Olson in the fourth tied it up. Then, in the fifth, Wheels gave up homers to both Ronald Acuna Jr. and Marcell Ozuna: 6-1 Atlanta. The Phils picked up another in the seventh on a double by Johan Rojas and a Trea Turner single, and in the bottom of the eighth, we had a homer-fest of our own off Joe Jimenez, with a Castellanos single and Bryce Harper and Bryson Stott round-trippers making it 6-5.

Stottyyyyyy#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/zvkvZSeLdC

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 13, 2023

It was high drama in the ninth, as Jose Alvarado came in for Yunior Marte and gave up a walk after a ground-out, then got two straight strikeouts, including Ozuna. In the bottom half, Turner led off with a solo homer, causing the crowd to go wild.

Hitting 150 home runs in a HUGE WAY#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/Ef6AT7dPmJ

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 13, 2023

Bohm and Harper both then singled, but Realmuto struck out, and Castellanos ground into a double play. Free baseball again?

The Braves scored one in the 10th on a single by Eddie Rosario off Craig Kimbrel. In our half, with Castellanos on second, ex-Phil Brad Hand got a Stott ground-out, a Marsh strikeout and a Rojas infield pop to end it all.

The Phillies have gotten a game-tying or go-ahead HR in the 8th or 9th inning 5 times in the last 3 weeks.

They are 0-5 in those games.

— John Fisher (@JohnnyPhisher) September 13, 2023

Gol-darn it. The Braves lead the series, 2-1. Next game: Tonight at 6:40.

The U.S. men’s national team won a friendly vs. Oman, 4-0. Among the scorers: Medford’s own Brenden Aaronson.

https://twitter.com/USMNT/status/1701777997462724647

In a weird blast from the past, the Seahawks signed longtime Eagles tackle Jason Peters to their practice squad. Peters is 41. Big guy, relax and put your feet up! Did you not see what happened to Aaron Rodgers Monday night?

All Philly Today sports coverage is provided by Sandy Hingston.