When news of Tom Hoge flying coach after making $1.5 million at the Players Championship last Sunday hit Twitter, we all had the exact same reaction. Man of the people! One of us! Peak Hoge!
Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo, a sports radio legend who can now be seen ranting regularly on ESPN's "First Take," had a much different take on the Hoge-flying-coach matter.
Before we post the clip, remember, Russo does embellish these a little bit, as he told us on The Loop podcast this past January. But the Dog is the rare type of talent where even though he admits they are embellished, these rants still don't feel forced, and this one clearly still comes from the heart / a personal experience. Somehow, despite the fact that he hates on a journeyman tour pro for not flying private, you always end up agreeing with whatever he says, too. Check out the clip, and make sure your volume is turned down if you're still at work:
First off, please rewind and listen to Dog's pronunciation of "Pointa Vedra." He's the GOAT of the rant and the GOAT of absolutely mangling words beyond recognition. Never forget when he tried to pronounce the words "chutzpah" and "pariah."
Secondly... he's not wrong? Flying coach has truly become the joke of all jokes. Tunafish sandwiches, black coffee spilling everywhere, people bringing animals on the plane and acting like it's normal behavior. "WHAT A DISGRACE!" is right. Folks have become unhinged on these flights, which is why every other week there's a video of someone getting thrown off one because they've reached their wit's end. Fortunately, Doggie has not been one of those people. As for Hoge, knowing him, he was perfectly content with his $1.5 milly and zero legroom. If he keeps hanging in the top 10 of the PGA Tour money list like he is right now, though, it might be time to level up.
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