McNabb Gets Paid

BREAKING NEWS:  Donovan McNabb has agreed to a contract extension with the Washington Redskins for 5 years and $78 million, which could be worth as much as $88 million with incentives based upon performance.  This inexplicable deal comes on the heels of the inexplicable benching of McNabb in the final minutes of the Redskins vs. Lions game 2 weeks ago.  After 2 weeks of questions about McNabb’s place on the Redskins team, the future of McNabb with the Redskins, and the relationship between McNabb and the organization, those questions were answered emphatically with a huge contract extension that will put McNabb on the FedEx Field sideline for the several years.

Donovan McNabb (Part 4)

Just when you thought the Donovan McNabb Fall 2010 Series on Bob Long’s Sports Blog was over, more questions and controversy unfolded with regards to McNabb.  This weekend, McNabb was benched in a one possession game in the final minutes of the game against the Lions.  Rex Grossman replaced McNabb and proceeded to fumble the game away, as has been his reputation since he entered the league.

The controversial move raised many questions.  Why was McNabb pulled?  Is Washington dissatisfied with his play?  Is Grossman a long term option for the Redskins, and what is the future for McNabb?  Following these questions, head coach Mike Shanahan offered multiple, convoluted, and inconsistent explanations for the move.  He first said that Donovan did not have sufficient knowledge of the 2 minute offense, which was the reason Grossman was inserted.  The next day, Shanahan turned 180 degrees on his original statement and said that McNabb did not have the “cardiovascular endurance” to run a 2 minute drill without any timeouts remaining.

To add insult to injury (pun intended), the Redskins worked out JaMarcus Russell and JP Losman during the bye week.  This is standard practice during bye weeks, and most likely had nothing to do with McNabb’s benching, but nonetheless it sends mixed signals to the quarterback that has been the unquestioned starter since he was traded to Washington.

Does Shanahan have good reason behind his benching of McNabb?  I don’t see it.  McNabb has passed for almost 2,000 yards in only 8 games this season, has led the Redskins to a 4-4 record (the team went 4-12 last season), and has the team only 1.5 games back in the NFC East.  The one knock on McNabb is that he has 8 interceptions through 8 games, but he has proved to be a catalyst for a Washington offense that was abysmal last season, and he has put the team directly in the NFC East and Wild Card races.  In addition, the Redskins could easily be 5-3, if it weren’t for a missed field goal by Graham Gano in overtime against the Texans that spoiled McNabb’s 426 yard passing day.

Therefore, while McNabb may not be the Pro-Bowler that he was earlier in his career, he still has rejuvenated a team that won only 4 games last season.  He still has passed for just under 2,000 yards in only 8 games, and he still remains the leader in the Washington locker room.  The fact that he is being punished and humiliated, and is not being given a straight answer about his untimely benching is ridiculous.  And the fact that the explanation was that McNabb didn’t have the cardiovascular endurance is a ridiculous as well.  Even if McNabb isn’t in the best shape, is Rex Grossman?  And is Grossman’s fitness level so impressive that it offsets the fact that he is a brutal NFL quarterback?  And how about JaMarcus Russell: if fitness is so important to Shanahan, why did Russell, of all quarterbacks, come within even 10 miles of the Redskins’ training facility?

None of the explanations make sense, and to McNabb’s credit, he has acted in a very classy manner about the whole issue.  In the past, McNabb has backed away from blame, and has blamed others for mistakes throughout his career.  He has done nothing of the sort in this matter, but instead has accepted the decision of Shanahan while asserting that he is ready to play when he is needed.  McNabb has matured as a football player and a man in this situation, and Shanahan needs to do the same.

To Mike Shanahan: 1) Realize what you have in Donovan McNabb, a guy who is the leader in the locker room, has thrown for 1,971 yards this season, has equaled last year’s win total in only 8 games, and a guy who has kept your team, with an atrocious running game right now, directly in the NFC East and playoff races. 2) If McNabb really isn’t your guy for whatever reason, be straight with him.  Don’t give multiple, indirect, and convoluted answers that do more to confuse the problem than explain it.  Don’t pull McNabb with 2 minutes to go after he has played the first 58 minutes and has kept the game within 1 possession.  He is the starting quarterback of the team, and until that changes, treat him with the respect that he has treated the coaching staff, the other players, and the fans.

Rick Reilly, Have a Clue about Boise

Rick Reilly is a columnist for ESPN.com, and he makes periodic appearances on ESPN.  He thrives upon composing humorous and entertainment based sports stories that don’t always hit the main issues themselves.  I have been a strong critic of Reilly’s style for a very long time.  He is a national pundit in every sense of the word; he focuses far too much on general stereotypes and often says things without processing them and the consequences of his statements.

For example, in one ESPN feature, Reilly inadvertently disrespected every US soccer player by speculating about how good the national team would be if players such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Ryan Miller, and other star athletes played soccer instead of their own sports.  He sent the message that our current players weren’t the best the country could produce, and I took major offense to that belief and subsequent statement on national television.

In another feature, Reilly degraded the entire Philadelphia fanbase by arguing that Donovan McNabb was mistreated in Philly.  He stated that the fans should be apologizing to McNabb, and that nothing makes them happy. Of course, as with most pundits, one of his major points was that the fans threw snowballs at Santa Claus.  Hey Rick, that happened in the 1960s, get over it.  The fact that he simply stated that Philadelphia fans are not classy was unfounded and unprofessional.

So what must he have done this time to perturb me enough to write a blog entry?  This entry is a response to Rick Reilly’s article on ESPN.com, “Broncos Can’t Buck this Trend” (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=5725597).  I recommend reading it, but if you would rather not, here is a general summary.  Reilly believes that Boise State should be ranked above Auburn and Oregon, and should claim the top spot in the BCS rankings.  He feels that the Broncos are consistently disrespected, and argues that the resume of the Broncos trumps that of any other college football team.  If he wants to make that argument, that is fine, but my problem is with the lack of logic and intelligence with which he did so.

First, Reilly argues that Boise should be ranked above Auburn, and gives the stat that Auburn has 13 less wins in the last 5 seasons than Boise.  I have 3 problems with this statement.  First, and most obvious, the rankings are not based upon past years, the rankings are solely based upon what has happened this year.  Second, Auburn plays in the SEC, and doesn’t play Louisiana Tech and Idaho on a yearly basis.  Instead, the Tigers play LSU, Alabama, Florida, and Arkansas on a yearly basis.  Just a hunch, but I feel that playing Idaho and Louisiana Tech each year might lend itself to a few more wins per season than a team playing in the SEC.  So explain the thought process behind that stat, Rick.  Finally, the personnel is completely different at Auburn from even 2 years ago.  Head coach Gene Chizik was hired in 2009 after Tommy Tuberville was fired, and Heisman contender Cam Newton is a first year starter at Auburn.  But clearly, Rick Reilly thought all that through when he decided that the basis for his Boise State over Auburn argument was a difference of 13 wins in the last 5 years.

Second, Reilly defends the Broncos by arguing that they beat Oregon 19-8 last season at home, and that the Ducks undeservingly sit ahead of Boise.  Hey Rick, who was the starting quarterback for Oregon last year?  That’s right, it was Jeremiah Masoli, now the quarterback of Ole Miss.  Rick, meet Darren Thomas, the 2010 starter for the Ducks, who is tearing up the Pac 10 and everyone else right now.  When you make an argument about a head to head matchup, and the starting quarterback isn’t the same for the losing team in a previous season, that is stupid and inane, and has no bearing on anything whatsoever.

Third, Rick Reilly argues that Boise State plays and beats whoever is throw at them.  He states that Boise State beat San Jose State 48-0, and Wisconsin, who beat Ohio State and Iowa, only beat San Jose State by 13.  Compelling argument Rick, but I have a question, where are Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Iowa ranked in the BCS?  10, 11, and 18, respectively.  How about Boise? Number 3.  What exactly are you arguing, Rick?  That Boise should be ranked higher than Wisconsin? Done.  Higher than Ohio State? They already are.  Higher than Iowa?  They have been all year.  How your stat makes an argument that Boise State should be ranked above Auburn and Oregon is beyond me.

Fourth, Reilly argues that since Boise crushed Wyoming 51-6, who almost beat Air Force, who almost beat Oklahoma, Boise could absolutely beat Oklahoma.  Again, my question to Rick is, where is Oklahoma ranked?  That’s right, 9th, 6 spots behind Boise.  Is it me, Rick, or are your arguments becoming less and less relevant as your article continues?

If you didn’t think it could get worse, it did.  He then stated, with regards to Boise State beating Oklahoma, “Oh wait, it already did [happen].”  Rick, that was January 1st, 2007.  Jared Zabransky and Ian Johnson are not playing for the Broncos anymore, and Paul Thompson and Adrian Peterson are not playing for the Sooners anymore.  A comparison to a game 4 years ago is completely ridiculous, and is embarrassing to you as a journalist, Rick.

Finally, Reilly argues that Boise would “carve up” the ACC because the Broncos “whipped” Virginia Tech on the road (I have a hard time calling a 33-30 game a “whipping,” and it technically was not a home game for Tech, either).  But Rick, tell me, what team in the ACC is ranked higher than Boise State, thus in your mind disrespecting the Broncos?  None.  Get your facts and logic straight, and then come back to me.

Pardon the point-by-point analysis, but I found nearly everything included in this article to be completely ridiculous and unprofessional in nature.  There was no logic involved, it was simply a biased opinion based upon readily available and popular facts that were thrown together in a way that made no sense whatsoever and negated every one of the points he tried to make.

The fact is that Boise is lucky to be ranked #3.  Missouri is undefeated with more quality wins than Boise State, and Alabama I have ranked ahead of Boise because of 3 quality wins that trump Boise’s top win over Virginia Tech.  So please, Rick Reilly, and all other national pundits who want to make an argument about Boise State, you can make the argument, but before doing so, please, have a clue.

Donovan McNabb (Part 3)

This is the 3rd and final part of the Donovan McNabb fall 2010 series on Bob Long Sports Blog.  In Part 1, I analyzed why Donovan McNabb was not mistreated in Philadelphia (http://bobsportsblog.wordpress.com/2010/09/15/why-donovan-mcnabb-was-not-mistreated-in-philadelphia/).  In Part 2, I analyzed McNabb’s reception by the Philadelphia fans last weekend in his return to Lincoln Financial Field (http://bobsportsblog.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/donovan-mcnabb-part-2/).  In this final part I will analyze the decision to trade Donovan McNabb.  After the Eagles lost in the playoffs last season, Philadelphia fans wanted either Andy Reid, Donovan McNabb, or both out of Philadelphia, and this blog will discuss whether the organization made the right decision to let McNabb go.

Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid had been together in Philadelphia for 11 years, since 1999.  The two had led the Eagles to 8 playoff appearances in those 11 years, and 5 NFC Championship Games in those years.  However, they were both at times criticized by fans, media, players, and others for their performances in Philadelphia during this time.  At the conclusion of the 2009 season, in the 2010 playoffs, this criticism came to a climax.  Donovan McNabb struggled mightily in both the last game of the regular season and the first game of the playoffs (both against the Dallas Cowboys), and Andy Reid was unable to devise or execute a good gameplan, and was unable to make sufficient changes when they were needed.  Both of these specific examples were microcosms of the performances of these 2 individuals over the course of their careers in Philadelphia.  Right or wrong, their combined success was often undermined by these constant criticisms.

After the season, owner Jeff Lurie and the rest of upper management decided to trade Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins and to keep Andy Reid as head coach.  Part of this decision was fueled by the fact that Kevin Kolb was waiting for years for his opportunity to lead the team, and his contract was up after the 2010 season.  However, the Eagles would have been better served to have fired Andy Reid.  In fact, the Eagles would have been better served to have fired Andy Reid earlier in his tenure.

Andy Reid is a competent coach, there is no doubt about that.  He has had success in Philadelphia, and has produced a consistently competitive team.  However, the city and the organization showed very clearly that that was not enough when it traded Donovan McNabb.  The organization wants a Super Bowl, and why shouldn’t it?  The Eagles went to 5 NFC Championship Games, were favored in 4 of them, and only went to 1 Super Bowl, in which they were beaten.  The team was the most talented NFC team at multiple points during the 2000s, but the two “superstars” at the helm, Reid and McNabb, could not get it done.  So who should have been out of Philadelphia?

The answer: Andy Reid.

I always hear people say that Andy Reid is “the best NFL head coach from Monday to Saturday.”  My question: “What in the world does that mean?”  Apparently it means that he is a good game-planning coach, and simply isn’t able to adjust on Sundays.  Apparently it means that Reid is so confident in his gameplan and believes that it is so brilliant that it would be ridiculous to change, and that it eventually will work.  To me, that doesn’t mean he is the best coach from Monday to Saturday, it simply means that he is stubborn.

Andy Reid’s west coast style offense is based around the quarterback throwing the football.  Whether it be through screens, slants, deep patterns, or the ever important tight end post, the emphasis is on the quarterback distributing the ball.  The screen play often replaces the run, and the Eagles have had bad run-pass ratios during the Andy Reid tenure (2:7 run to pass isn’t unheard of in the Reid system).  When Reid is unable or unwilling to run the football, the Eagles have become very one-dimensional, and have as a result become very beatable.  The Eagles have played their best when the run-pass ratio is much more balanced, and the running backs have had opportunities to take some pressure off the quarterback by negating the pass rush.

In addition, there is a certain type of quarterback that thrives in the West Coast system.  An accurate quarterback who can get the ball out quickly is the prime candidate for a West Coast system, and Donovan McNabb is not this type of quarterback.  McNabb is a mobile threat with a very strong arm, but an arm that is not always the most accurate.  McNabb is not the type of quarterback that should throw the ball 50 times in a game.  Donovan is a quarterback that thrives upon play-action, mobile plays, and time in the pocket.  However, in the one-dimensional passing system that is the West Coast offense, McNabb was unable to thrive.  And his coach, Andy Reid, was too stubborn to ever adjust to strengths of his pro-bowl caliber quarterback.  (Sorry, I mean to say that Andy Reid did a fantastic job with his gameplan from Monday to Saturday).  If Reid was so ingrained in his ways, then why was Donovan McNabb drafted by Reid himself just months after he was hired as the new Eagles head coach in 1999.  Why did Reid, in his first ever head coaching stint, draft a quarterback that was in many ways ill-suited for the West Coast system with the 2nd pick in the draft?

Donovan, to his credit, handled the system quite well for the fact that it wasn’t well suited to his talents.  He went to the Pro-Bowl several times, and took the team to the postseason in 8 of his 11 seasons.  However, in the biggest games, McNabb was inaccurate, made poor decisions, and simply was not able to do the right things on offense.  McNabb then had a growing reputation as a quarterback who could not win the big game, because he was forced to do things on offense that directly countered his best talents.  Day by day we are learning that this reputation may not be warranted, as Donovan is now leading late game drives regularly in only 5 games as a Washington Redskin.  And he is well past his prime.  So what happened?  Did McNabb’s mental attitude completely change in one offseason?  Or, more likely, is McNabb now in a system under Mike Shanahan that emphasizes the running game and takes more pressure off McNabb, allowing him to do more things on offense?

To me, there is no doubt that McNabb is thriving under the Shanahan offense.  Just as John Elway thrived under the Shanahan system, which featured 1000 yard rushers like Terrell Davis every single year, Donovan McNabb is thriving under a system that emphasizes running and produces a much more balanced offense that is more conducive to the success of the quarterback and the football team as a whole.

Therefore, one must ask the question: What decision should the Eagles have made last season?  Should the Eagles have kept McNabb and let Reid go instead?  I say, absolutely.  Who knows what McNabb could have done in his prime under a system that was conducive to his many talents?  Could he have won a Super Bowl? Multiple Super Bowls?  We will never know, because Reid stifled McNabb while he was in his prime.  Reid has shown himself to be far too stubborn in both his gameplans and his treatment of the players, fans, and media.  But hey, he is a great coach from Monday to Saturday.  There is a great place for stubborn head coaches in this era of football.

That place is the CFL.

Donovan McNabb (Part 2)

This is part 2 of the 3 part Donovan McNabb fall 2010 series.  In part 1, I explained why Donovan McNabb was not mistreated by the fans or the organization during his time in Philadelphia.  In part 2, I will analyze McNabb’s reception in his return to Philadelphia this Sunday.

Donovan McNabb returned to Lincoln Financial Field yesterday for the first time since he was traded to the Redskins last offseason.  National pundits far and wide debated whether or not McNabb would be booed or cheered upon entrance.  Most pundits gave the answer of a resounding boo.  Jamele Hill specifically wrote about how the fans will boo McNabb because that is exactly what they did to him when he was in Philadelphia, and wrote that McNabb deserves to crush the Eagles on Sunday.  Very few pundits were intelligent enough to realize that McNabb would without question receive a standing ovation, and I am one of the only people I know who went on record saying that McNabb would receive such an ovation.

The problem with these national pundits is, quite simply, that they have no idea what they are talking about.  The fact is that most of these national pundits have never been to the city of Philadelphia, or have never been to a game with Philadelphia fans.  Instead, they play upon the general consensus (based on little fact) that Philadelphia fans conduct themselves will significantly less class than other cities.  Specifically, other Northeastern cities.  They have heard the stories about Santa Claus being booed and pelted with snowballs (which occurred 50 years ago mind you), and they have heard stories about Veterans Stadium fans in the 700 level.  There is a stereotype that has been built for some reason for the past few decades about Philadelphia fans, and the national pundits buy in and use it as a punch line consistently.  Just listen to Sportscenter or NFL Live next time they are talking about Philadelphia, you will see exactly what I mean if you do not already.

For example, just this past week, ESPN NFL Live analyst Mark Schlereth made multiple tongue-in-cheek comments in which he belittled the Philadelphia fans for having no class because they 1) boo opposing players and 2) threw snowballs at Santa Claus.  However, in the same segment, he addressed the issue with Green Bay LB Nick Simmons and the Bears fan who directed a racial slur at Simmons.  He made no comment about Bears fans as a whole, and simply stated that it is the player’s responsibility to not respond to fans, and moved on without any more discussion.  Are You Kidding Me?  How can these paid professionals in the broadcasting industry be so shortsighted and be unable to think for themselves in any capacity.  The list goes on, however.  David Lloyd, Chris McKendry, and Kevin Negandhi are only a few examples of Sportscenter anchors who made unnecessary, ridiculous, and completely insensitive comments about Philadelphia fans 1) without any basis and 2) clearly not knowing what they were talking about.

Therefore, no wonder many people, broadcasters and fans alike, believed that McNabb would be booed.  They bought into the stereotype of Philly fans without any knowledge or thought on their part, and as a result simply assumed that Philly fans do not respect their athletes and would boo McNabb.  However, Philadelphia fans do respect their athletes, including and especially Donovan McNabb (see “Why Donovan McNabb was NOT Mistreated in Philadelphia”).  There was no question in my mind that the fans Sunday would cheer McNabb and give him a standing ovation, and the Philadelphia fans responded just as I knew they would have and just as they should have.  Shame on the national pundits who consistently use Philadelphia fans as a punch line and made the ridiculous and poorly thought out assumption that McNabb would be booed in Philadlelphia this Sunday.

Why Donovan McNabb was NOT Mistreated in Philadelphia

Last night, I found myself watching Rick Reilly’s show “Homecoming.”  In this particular episode, Donovan McNabb was featured.  I fully expected Reilly to reference the fact that McNabb was “mistreated” during his time in Philadelphia, as he has multiple times in his columns and on ESPN.  True to form, he brought up the fact that Donovan was booed when he was drafted, and Donovan played right along as he always does, saying, “I still to this day have no idea why they did that.”  To Rick Reilly, Donovan McNabb, and every other national pundit, here is why Donovan McNabb was NOT mistreated in Philadelphia:

Lets start with draft day, 1999.  The Eagles had the 2nd pick in the draft, and after the Browns selected future bust Tim Couch, the Eagles were expected to pick Ricky Williams, the top collegiate running back in the draft.  The Eagles needed to fill a void at running back, and Ricky seemed to be a sure thing.  Therefore, when Donovan McNabb was drafted, the fans started to boo.  And so the legend began.  Donovan and the media began portraying the Philadelphia fans as “mistreating” Donovan McNabb, and this label stuck for the entirety of McNabb’s career in Philadelphia, and remains today.  However, the fans weren’t booing Donovan McNabb, they were booing the Eagles organization.  They weren’t angry at McNabb, they were mad at the Eagles organization.  Some of the fans probably didn’t even know who McNabb was at the time, all they wanted was Ricky.  But everyone overreacted and presented the situation as if the Philadelphia fans didn’t appreciate Donovan McNabb.

Then, over the course of his career, pundits accused Eagles fans of mistreating and not appreciating McNabb by citing his multiple NFC Championship appearances and his one Super Bowl appearance.  The pundits are correct in that the fans have, over the course of McNabb’s career, questioned his consistent passing ability, his leadership, and his inability to win the big game.  When the Eagles were favorites in 4 of 5 NFC Championship games, and only advanced to the Super Bowl once (in a very soft NFC), maybe the fans had a case against McNabb.  And when McNabb consistently performed poorly in big games, throwing interceptions, throwing balls into the ground, and throwing behind receivers on easy plays, then maybe the fans have a case.  When McNabb throws his wide receivers and younger players under the bus in the postgame press conference, when the “youth” wasn’t exactly throwing balls into the ground, or throwing balls to the other team, maybe the fans have a case against McNabb.

Finally, McNabb has been paid a combined $100+ million during his time in Philadelphia, and the fan base paid through taxes a large portion of the amount needed to take McNabb off the knee-killing and concussion-forcing Veterans Stadium turf.  The fans paid to put up a state-of-the-art Lincoln Financial Field for the quarterback’s remaining 5 years as an Eagle.

It isn’t that the Eagles fans don’t care, it is that the Eagles fans like players with whom they can connect.  They can’t connect with a player that doesn’t have accountability, and holds grudges.  The fact that McNabb blamed problems on his teammates and others, and the fact that he brought up his treatment by the fans at every opportunity doesn’t exactly endear him to the fan base.  At that point, many fans decided to pile on McNabb.  If McNabb had acted like an adult, and realized that the Eagles fans were booing the organization on draft day, McNabb would have been considerably happier and better treated during his time in Philadelphia.  However, while his performance was for the most part very good while in Philadelphia, his poor performance in nearly every big game, his lack of accountability, and his inability to let small things go led to his treatment in Philadelphia.  However, it is completely unfair to Eagles fans and the city of Philadelphia to say that McNabb was mistreated.

Get Your Popcorn Ready

Terrell Owens and the Cincinnati Bengals have agreed to a 2 year, $2 million dollar deal laden with potential added incentives.  Terrell will now line up as an outside wide receiver with Chad Ochocinco, another receiver who has a flair for the dramatic, to say the least.  The Bengals won the AFC North last season, and the deal for Owens is an effort to balance the passing game with their already strong running game led by the resurgence of Cedric Benson last season.  The Bengals have also signed WR Antonio Bryant this offseason.

What do I think of the deal?  I wouldn’t have done it, that is for sure.  I saw firsthand what he could (or couldn’t) do in Buffalo last year.  Did he have a great quarterback throwing to him?  Absolutely not.  But I don’t remember Trent Edwards or Ryan Fitzpatrick dropping multiple passes per game, either.  T.O. is a wide receiver who has never been a good catching receiver.  His edge has always solely been his athleticism and his ability to break away from defenders on his routes and after the catch.  However, Owens is now past 35 years old.  He has certainly shown signs of slowing down (ie. not breaking away from defenders as well, significantly less YAC [Yards After Catch]).  And he certainly isn’t holding onto the ball with any more frequency than he did earlier in his career.  Therefore, I think T.O. is significantly on the downswing of his career, and with the fact that he has the strong potential to cause problems in the locker room like in the past, I believe that the deal is not what the Bengals should have been seeking at this point.

Think about this.  In which situations has T.O. caused problems in the past?  He caused problems when he wasn’t the main focus.  In Philadelphia, it began with a contract dispute, but ended with T.O. essentially dismantling his quarterback, Donovan McNabb, after McNabb had been getting more media and fan attention than him.  In the first year in Dallas, he was a model citizen.  He was the talk in Dallas, and he loved it.  He was very productive and no one heard a peep from him.  Then, in subsequent years in Dallas, Tony Romo became a household name both in the football and entertainment world (ie. his relationship with Jessica Simpson), and Jason Witten was getting thrown many more passes than was Owens.  It was at this point that Owens imploded the team for the following 2-3 years until he was cut.  Then, in Buffalo, he was given the keys to the city after stepping off the plane, and there was no one else on the team who garnered any media attention.  T.O. was not a significant distraction under these conditions in Buffalo.

Now turn your attention to Cincinnati.  Chad Ochocinco is arguably the biggest media craze in NFL Football (Brett Favre also has a shot at the title).  He never misses a chance to be in the spotlight or make a name for himself, and the highlight of his ridiculous antics was the changing of his name from “Johnson” to “Ochocinco,” which isn’t even Spanish for 85.  How will T.O. handle being second fiddle in terms of media and fan attention?  All you need to do is look at his behavior in the past under these conditions.  Brace yourself, Cincinnati, T.O is coming.

Thoughts on the Donovan McNabb Trade

The recent Donovan McNabb trade has been highly debated throughout Philadelphia and in this very blog.  He was traded yesterday to the Washington Redskins, and in my opinion, dealing McNabb was necessary for the Eagles.

The first and most important reason why he needed to be traded was the contract situation.  The Eagles had 3 quarterbacks (McNabb, Kolb, and Vick), whose deals would expire after this season.  All 3 players would have had to either re-sign with the team this season or would have become free agents.  The Eagles drafted Kolb with the team’s first pick in the 2nd round of the 2007 draft.  The Eagles passed on players that would have fufilled key defensive needs to get Kolb while McNabb was the steady option at quarterback.  The Eagles don’t want to waste this draft pick that was considered by many to be questionable when it was made.  If McNabb played this season and Kolb was not re-signed before the end of the season, one of the players would have signed elsewhere, most likely to be Kolb.  If the Eagles wanted to re-sign McNabb (or even if the Eagles didn’t), Kolb would not re-sign, and there would have been some other team that would want his services.  Maybe a team like Seattle or St. Louis (depending upon who they pick in the draft this season) would have made an attempt to sign Kolb, and the Eagles would be forced to continue to play McNabb into his late 30s.

If the Eagles were somehow able to sign Kolb next season while playing McNabb this season, here is exactly what would have happened:  The Eagles would have lost a 2nd round draft pick and a 3rd or 4th round draft pick.  That is what the Eagles received for McNabb in the trade.  If the Eagles instead decided to play McNabb this year and move on to Kolb next year, then McNabb would simply re-sign with another team, and the Eagles would lose the multiple future draft picks that it acquired from Washington for an extra year with McNabb.  This extra year with McNabb would be acceptable if the team was a legitimate Super Bowl contender.  However, the defense is stagnant and inconsistent, the offense is filled with many young and unproven players, and McNabb himself hasn’t been able to win with significantly better talent in the past.  Therefore, since the Eagles are not a team most would expect to win the Super Bowl (16-1 Vegas odds), keeping McNabb an extra year would most likely result in wasted potential return for McNabb, and another year without a Super Bowl for the Eagles.  With McNabb traded and Kolb having the opportunity to play, the team can rebuild by building upon its already strong core and plan for 3-5 years in the future.

Therefore, the Eagles’ options were as follows:  Trade McNabb now and get 2 draft picks or play McNabb and lose either Kolb or McNabb (or possibly both) next season without receiving anything in return.

The contract situation is THE MAIN REASON why the Eagles dealt McNabb.  The team was forced to do something, because without a trade, at least one of the quarterbacks would have walked without the Eagles receiving anything in return.  With McNabb aging, and Kolb being the quarterback that the Eagles have molded for the future, this move was the only sensible thing for the Eagles to do.

Many have argued that McNabb is the best quarterback in franchise history and still deserves to be the quarterback, and that may be true.  If the Eagles had Donovan on contract for only 1 more year (as he is now) but did not have Kolb waiting for his turn at quarterback, there is no way Donovan would have been dealt.  However, the team took a risk by drafting Kolb in the 2nd round of the draft in 2007 when the team had the opportunity to draft a more pro-ready, much needed player on defense.  Therefore, the team does not want to let this quarterback of the future walk without getting something out of him.  The organization believes that Kolb is right for the future, and since the Eagles have made multiple moves to get younger (ie. Brian Dawkins not re-signing and cutting Brian Westbrook), it would be sending mixed signals and would in fact be stupid for the Eagles to keep McNabb and let the young quarterback walk.  The Eagles are building a young core with which to move forward in the next 3-5 years.

To the Eagles fans reading, you do not have to be happy with this move.  You are free to believe that McNabb is the best quarterback in franchise history, and that he deserved better.  You are free to believe that McNabb is a much better quarterback right now than Kevin Kolb.  However, as an Eagles fan you have to simply understand why the organization made this move, and why it makes sense in terms of contract structure and organizational philosophy to trade McNabb and keep Kevin Kolb.

Donovan McNabb is a Redskin

BREAKING NEWS: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has been traded to the inner-division rival Washington Redskins within the past hour. Philadelphia will turn over its starting quarterback reins, which has belonged to McNabb for 12 years, to either Michael Vick or more likely Kevin Kolb.  Stay tuned tomorrow for my reaction to the decision to trade McNabb.

Donovan McNabb Update

Several sources have confirmed interest by the Oakland Raiders in acquiring the services of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.  The most likely scenario if a deal is made would be for the Eagles to receive Oakland’s 2nd round, 39th overall pick.  Stay tuned to the blog for any further breaking news on the subject.