McNabb Finally Has What He Wants....But is that Good Enough?
Barry F. Hess
March 23, 2006
Somewhere in Arizona Donavan McNabb has to be smiling.
The All-Pro quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles loves to get his way and for the most part the Eagles have accommodated.
That isn?t anything new, however, McNabb has gotten his way since the Eagles drafted him in 1999 and in return he puts on a happy face and says and does the things management tells him to say and do.
It?s part of the cozy little system that Eagles General Manager Joe Banner and coach Andy Reid will tell you works so well year after year.
Of course there was that little mishap when McNabb lobbied for the Eagles to sign Terrell Owens, which of course they did.
And there was that minor detail of a disappointing 6 win season in 2005 after McNabb lobbied to have Owens suspended because he wasn?t playing nice.
But just like Mark McGuire in front of Congress, who needs to talk about the past?
When tension between himself and wide receiver Freddie Mitchell reached a boiling point McNabb made sure the former UCLA standout was given his walking papers quickly after the 2004 season ended.
And when running back Brian Westbrook held out for a new contract last year McNabb gave his signed seal of approval and encouraged management to get the deal done.
It?s obvious by now that McNabb is the company man and his opinion and views are extremely important to those that run the team.
So my question to you now Donavan is this: What now?
You?ve made sure to rid your self of the best offensive weapon you?ve ever had and probably ever will, you?ve repeatedly refused to scramble out of the pocket because you don?t want to be labeled as a black, running quarterback and you are heading into a season that has more question marks than The Riddler?s outfit.
So, allow me to ask you once again Donavan, what now?
Oh, what?s that? You haven?t thought that far ahead?
Well that?s okay because the people above you, you know the people whop are actually supposed to be running the team, they don?t know either.
Sure they will remind anyone who listens they made it to four straight NFC Championship games and they will tell anyone who listens they were within a hair of winning the Super Bowl two years ago.
But the reality of the situation is those days are long gone and the Eagles biggest concern right now is just trying to keep up with the Cowboys, Giants and Redskins, who are all making large strides to improve their teams as each year passes.
The rest of the NFC, and the NFL for that matter, has caught up to the Eagles yet the refuse to acknowledge the fact.
Why? You might ask.
How can they be so blind? You may ask.
The answer is simple, as long as the man wearing the number five on his jersey shows up to work with that big smile on his face all is well in Eagle-Land.
Never mind the fact the fans aren?t smiling and never mind the fact the fans can turn on a player like McNabb in a heartbeat if he doesn?t produce on the field.
All you Eagles fans out there just take solace in the fact that your franchise quarterback is happy and that?s all you need to know.
Listen to the words of team owner Jeff Lurie as he compares his team to that of the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers, even though both those teams won at least one Supper Bowl in recent years and the Eagles have never even won one.
The problem with Eagles fans today is that they refuse to just put on a smiley face and trust management just like McNabb does.
2006 will be a very telling year in the history of the McNabb era in Philadelphia.
The booing at the draft, the arrant passes and ill-timed interceptions early on and the four straight NFC Championship games is where we currently stand.
For years McNabb has portrayed himself as the leader of the Eagles both on and off the football field when in reality he is trying to convince himself of that just as much as he is the rest of us.
But none of that will mean a thing if some way, some how McNabb can?t step up and make something happen this season aside from another controversy or season ending injury.
In the end you have to look at the situation and ask yourself one simply question: What is scarier?
McNabb actually believing he is the leader of a team that has lost faith him, causing a collapse of monumental proportions or McNabb finally realizing after doing things his way for seven years without the result he was looking for, a Super Bowl title, it?s finally time to step up and make a drastic change for the better.
Both are equally scarier but only one will have the positive effect Eagles fans are looking for.
So smile Donavan, smile and love life out in Arizona because in a few short months its time to put up or shut up, although it?s probably better if you just shut up and play anyway.
The All-Pro quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles loves to get his way and for the most part the Eagles have accommodated.
That isn?t anything new, however, McNabb has gotten his way since the Eagles drafted him in 1999 and in return he puts on a happy face and says and does the things management tells him to say and do.
It?s part of the cozy little system that Eagles General Manager Joe Banner and coach Andy Reid will tell you works so well year after year.
Of course there was that little mishap when McNabb lobbied for the Eagles to sign Terrell Owens, which of course they did.
And there was that minor detail of a disappointing 6 win season in 2005 after McNabb lobbied to have Owens suspended because he wasn?t playing nice.
But just like Mark McGuire in front of Congress, who needs to talk about the past?
When tension between himself and wide receiver Freddie Mitchell reached a boiling point McNabb made sure the former UCLA standout was given his walking papers quickly after the 2004 season ended.
And when running back Brian Westbrook held out for a new contract last year McNabb gave his signed seal of approval and encouraged management to get the deal done.
It?s obvious by now that McNabb is the company man and his opinion and views are extremely important to those that run the team.
So my question to you now Donavan is this: What now?
You?ve made sure to rid your self of the best offensive weapon you?ve ever had and probably ever will, you?ve repeatedly refused to scramble out of the pocket because you don?t want to be labeled as a black, running quarterback and you are heading into a season that has more question marks than The Riddler?s outfit.
So, allow me to ask you once again Donavan, what now?
Oh, what?s that? You haven?t thought that far ahead?
Well that?s okay because the people above you, you know the people whop are actually supposed to be running the team, they don?t know either.
Sure they will remind anyone who listens they made it to four straight NFC Championship games and they will tell anyone who listens they were within a hair of winning the Super Bowl two years ago.
But the reality of the situation is those days are long gone and the Eagles biggest concern right now is just trying to keep up with the Cowboys, Giants and Redskins, who are all making large strides to improve their teams as each year passes.
The rest of the NFC, and the NFL for that matter, has caught up to the Eagles yet the refuse to acknowledge the fact.
Why? You might ask.
How can they be so blind? You may ask.
The answer is simple, as long as the man wearing the number five on his jersey shows up to work with that big smile on his face all is well in Eagle-Land.
Never mind the fact the fans aren?t smiling and never mind the fact the fans can turn on a player like McNabb in a heartbeat if he doesn?t produce on the field.
All you Eagles fans out there just take solace in the fact that your franchise quarterback is happy and that?s all you need to know.
Listen to the words of team owner Jeff Lurie as he compares his team to that of the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers, even though both those teams won at least one Supper Bowl in recent years and the Eagles have never even won one.
The problem with Eagles fans today is that they refuse to just put on a smiley face and trust management just like McNabb does.
2006 will be a very telling year in the history of the McNabb era in Philadelphia.
The booing at the draft, the arrant passes and ill-timed interceptions early on and the four straight NFC Championship games is where we currently stand.
For years McNabb has portrayed himself as the leader of the Eagles both on and off the football field when in reality he is trying to convince himself of that just as much as he is the rest of us.
But none of that will mean a thing if some way, some how McNabb can?t step up and make something happen this season aside from another controversy or season ending injury.
In the end you have to look at the situation and ask yourself one simply question: What is scarier?
McNabb actually believing he is the leader of a team that has lost faith him, causing a collapse of monumental proportions or McNabb finally realizing after doing things his way for seven years without the result he was looking for, a Super Bowl title, it?s finally time to step up and make a drastic change for the better.
Both are equally scarier but only one will have the positive effect Eagles fans are looking for.
So smile Donavan, smile and love life out in Arizona because in a few short months its time to put up or shut up, although it?s probably better if you just shut up and play anyway.
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