It has been said time and time again from anyone who you would consider an elder, that you will never know in my life what you truly have (say it with me now)...until it is gone.
If you've paid attention to how things work around here, you know that Kenny and I were two of the biggest McNabb Stans out. We've written about Mac-5 numerous times coming to his defense (don't believe me, read here and here) and after hearing numerous allegations about the possibilities that Mac-5 would be getting traded, and hearing Eagles fans consistently whine and complain about McNabb's performance...I've come to a simple conclusion.
Donovan...it might be time to make a move.
First of all let me say this, Donovan McNabb has to be one of the classiest players in the NFL. I've never heard him lash out on the fans (to my knowledge), I've never heard him talk bad about his teammates (you know...Todd Stinkston?), and never been in any legal trouble. The man comes in and does his job at a high level.
Yet, what is the truth about McNabb? You have a strong-armed quarterback with streaky accuracy who is very mobile when necessary and has the ability to ad-lib a play at a moments' notice. He's in an offense that throws the ball roughly 70% of the time and save for one year with the ever mercurial Terrell Owens and for this one year where DeSean Jackson & Brent Celek has blossomed and rookie Jeremy Maclin has proven to be a gamebreaker....he's never in his entire career had any help. So now when you, The Eagles, have finally assembled the type of talent around McNabb guess what happened....
McNabb's on the other side of 30! The man is 33 years old! He's played 11, count 'em...ELEVEN SEASONS in Philadelphia and it took until 2010 to have a consistently strong supporting cast around Mac-5? Now you go out and get a quarterback in the 2nd-round in Kevin Kolb who has been tabbed as the future QB of Philly, and have landed in this precarious situation that we are in today.
Philadelphia should be ashamed of themselves.
Now, this is what I'm going to do...I'm going to take my McNabb jersey off, and I'm going to put my Howie Roseman (GM of the Eagles) thousand dollar suit on. Here's what I truly say with the least amount of bias as possible.
The Eagles have an offensive roster setup with the following:
QB - Donovan McNabb (12th season), Kevin Kolb (4th season)
RB - LeSean McCoy (2nd season)
WR - DeSean Jackson (3rd season), Jeremy Maclin (2nd season)
TE - Brent Celek (3rd season)
What do you notice immediately? Donovan has a double-digit lead on almost everyone on the offense. If I'm the GM, do I want to run the young gun in Kolb out there and begin rebuilding this franchise with a core that frankly could be around for the entire decade, or do I want to stay with what I got in McNabb and watch his talent slightly slip and slip and risk losing Kolb, the heir apparent? Kolb is generally liked by his younger teammates, and I have the feeling that the brain trust would love to believe Aaron Rodgers Part 2 is wearing #4 in Philly.Its a tough deal, factor in the fact that Donovan's contract is up in 2010 and he's going to want to get paid. What do you do? Mac-5 will command a nice price tag, and the Eagles are known to not want to pay players on the other side of 30.
Sadly, I think the writing is on the wall. Look at it another way, remember what the Patriots did with Richard Seymour. They traded him to the Raiders when he was 30, and were able to get a 1st-round draft pick for him! Seymour was a beast for the Raiders in 2009, but at the same time...his contract was up, and he's on the other side of 30. Maybe you suffer in 2009, but long term? You've secured a top 10 pick from the Raiders in a draft that is as deep as ever.
If Philly can somehow acquire Nnamdi Asomugha and a top-42 pick in this draft? That would be amazing, and it would bolster a secondary that seems elite, but has been getting exposed in recent years. All it takes is to trade the greatest quarterback in franchise history...
(Let me put my McNabb #5 jersey back on)
I still wouldn't trade him.
(Let me put my Howie suit back on)
I'd regretfully make that move.
Got damn.
-Ed.
www.edthesportsfan.com
Comments
5 Responses to "I Double Dog Dare You To Trade McNabb..."I don't know if there's a bigger McNabb fan and supporter in Philly than me. I don't want him go. I certainly don't him to go to some shithole of a place. The man has been treated unfairly, at least publicly in this city. But I do understand both the Eagles and the fans. It's been 11 years, 11 very good sometimes great years. McNabb is BY FAR the best modern quarterback in team history. But every year, this team comes up short. It's not only McNabb, and several times it has not been his fault, but he doesn't help his cause in those games. Not once has he had a great game in the team's final game, which only makes the critics scream louder.
I don't want McNabb to go. I'd wait it out for one more year, see how it goes. But if change is coming, I'd jump at a deal for Nnamdi and No. 42. That's a great deal. It would hard to fault the Eagles for going in another direction. 11 years is a long time to continually build the team up only to come crashing down.
I know this much, wherever McNabb goes, I will be rooting for that team every single game, except when they play the Eagles. The guy is a class act, like you said. People bash him for this and that, but really, what has he ever done that's been so bad? I don't get it, but I do understand the frustration of always coming up short. I'm frustrated myself. But people will realize some day just what we had in McNabb after he's gone.
I mean, people in this city idolize Randall Cunningham, a quarterback who wasn't even half as good as McNabb and NEVER WON A PLAYOFF GAME as a starter. They slobber over Jaws, who got to one Super Bowl and lost, but never had nearly the sustained success of McNabb. In time, people will appreciate him. At least I hope.
And here's a scenario for you my roommate laid out … what if McNabb gets traded to the Raiders and Oakland signs T.O.? Wouldn't that be something. I'd become a huge Raiders fan immediately. Rumor has it these two have made up. Something to ponder.
By by Nabby, so sad. BWhahahahahahaha!!!!!! breath Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!
McNabb is agreat QB I'm not blind but he's past his prime and makes bad throws at horrible times and then chuckles off the field. It's time to pass the torch in Philly especially if you can get something for him.
You don't want to sign him to a huge contract this summer and then he becomes a piece of crap over the next two years and you can't get anything for him. Can the Eagles really win a Super bowl this year with McNabb and who they have now? No, they couldn't even beat the boys once out of three tries. So let him go and get more components to put around Kolb or dare I say it Vick!!!!! Now that would be a fun offense.
So J. Cribbs got his money, but 2/3 of the prophecy could still happen. McNabb comes to Oakland, B. Marshall decides that he'd love to get in the Broncos ass twice a year, and since there's actually a QB in Oakland, why not go there and get hyphy with the boys in the Black Hole? Now McNabb is in Oakland with Marshall and a slew of young talented receivers who will be in shock all season when passes are hitting them in the numbers. McFadden, Bush and Fargas will be shocked all season because they have running lanes, can't put 9 in the fucking box when McNabb is calling the plays and the defense isn't on the field for 45 minutes a game. That's a win/win/win/win/win/lose situation. Philly is going to suck, but I don't really give a shit. So make that last lose a win and call it a day.
(Note: I recognize the obvious flaws in everything that I just said, but it's flawless in my mind. Bring me McNabb and Marshall!)
By far, I'm not a Philly fan. But trading McNapp/McNabb is the biggest mistake they will make. Finding a franchise QB is not as easy as they think. As Arizona how Leinhart is working out. Philly trading McNabb is the equal to trading Troy Aikman after loosing to the Niners in the NFC Championship game. It's idiotic.. stupid and someone should be fired (not McNabb).
I hope McNabb finds success and respect on another team that will win in the AFC!
The only way I'll get behind this move is if TO ends up in Black and Silver. Otherwise, the Iggles org is some hating @ss haters!
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