Agent: No Response Needed
Donovan McNabb's agent, Fletcher Smith, got back to the Daily News this morning about yesterday's ESPN.com report. Smith said he couldn't be bothered to respond to every tidbit that emerges.
Agent: No Response Needed
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Your Eagletarian finally got a text from Fletcher Smith, agent for Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, whom we've 
been trying to reach since word broke late Monday afternoon about Michael Smith's ESPN.com report, saying McNabb and Smith have met with team management, and McNabb will not deign to sign a contract extension with the Eagles until he passes judgement on their offseason acquisitions. If McNabb deems those acquisitions worthy, he won't ask to be traded.
Never mind that Fletcher Smith point-blank denied such a meeting had taken place, two days after it happened, or that McNabb soft-peddled the whole "weapons" angle in extensive interviews at the Super Bowl a little more than three weeks ago.
Anyhow, if you know anything about how the newspaper/radio/TV biz works, you know that Fletcher Smith's BlackBerry was buzzing with calls and e-mails from every news outlet in the Delaware Valley yesterday evening. No response. But this morning we had a text message from the agent, which read: "I can't respond to every report by ESPN or any other news outlet for that matter. Moreover, I am not commenting on any Donovan-related issues at this time."
We messaged back with the thought that if someone (especially someone with a national media platform) was reporting something that directly contradicted what we'd been telling people for days, we'd want to get that cleared up.
No response there, yet.
Reading the comments appended to my column on the matter this morning, fans seem as divided as ever on whether McNabb is a victim or a villain in the Eagles' struggles to win a Super Bowl.
Previously, I've always leaned more toward the victim camp, feeling management could have given him much more to work with, and that his shortcomings have been overblown by critics. I've also acknowledged I'm uncomfortable with how easily Donovan reaches for those excuses, how seldom he seems truly, specifically critical of his own poor play.
I came into the offseason thinking McNabb had some leverage from his play down the stretch and in the playoffs, that he could probably extract some sort of half-hearted apology for the Nov. 23 benching, and enough dollars in a restructuring of his contract to ensure he'll be firmly in place as the No. 1 guy in 2009, at least.
But enough leverage to tell the Eagles he'll let them know when they've proved themselves worthy of his continued allegiance? Enough leverage to go public, tweaking management with details of a meeting that both sides apparently agreed would remain a secret?
In the words of an esteemed Saturday morning philospher of my youth, "Ruh-roh!"
Again, as I said in the column, these come off as the actions of a man who wants a ticket out of town, but doesn't have the sand to stand up and say so, point-blank. And that's really, really disappointing.
Even if you take what Michael Smith wrote at face value -- that McNabb still wants to play here, and is only considering asking to be traded -- if I'm the Eagles, I want no part of a quarterback with one foot out the door. I think McNabb's lack of excitement about the weapons around him played a role in last season's struggles, before the benching and the strong finish. Yes, they can force him to continue to play for them for two more years, but they're going to win a Super Bowl that way? Don't think so.
I can understand McNabb being frustrated about weapons, but again, free agency doesn't offer that much this year. I expect the Eagles will somehow add a wideout, draft a significant running back, draft an offensive tackle high, and somehow come up with a blocking complement to Brent Celek at tight end, at least. Is that enough for McNabb? Do they have to convince Arizona to trade Anquan Boldin, using the draft picks that could have solidified their o-line? And again, are the Eagles just going to wait around to get the thumbs up from Donovan on their offseason before they know how their starting QB situation shakes out?
Maybe stranger things have happened, but not many. I'll be surprised if we don't start hearing the McNabb to Chicago-Minnesota-Kansas City-wherever rumors again pretty soon. This does not look much like a conventional contract negotiation to me.
Comment removed.
Here's what I don't understand. Why should Andy Reid ever have to "apologize" for benching McNabb? He's the COACH... who has to do everything in his power to win, or he's out of a job (see the many examples of this every year). If you take a risky strategy like benching your QB and it doesn't work... start looking for work. If he's playing awful, you bench him, and he comes out playing great (for whatever reason)... chalk one up for a great coaching move worthy of praise, not an apology. If a starting pitcher gets lit up and the manager benches him, and he comes out the next time around and throws a shut-out... does he deserve an apology for the previous day? Please end this "apology" BS now. Btw, yes McNabb isn't a great leader, isn't very accurate, and will probably be remembered negatively by most fans... but WHO ELSE DO WE HAVE? If he goes, we'd better bring Jeff Garcia back to control the bleeding for at least a year.— jjvas1- Maybe if the upper Managment would get Mcnabb some recivers and A running back to help out #36 we would be in the Super Bowl. We made it when To was there , why should it be any diffrent with a diffrent Premo reciever....YOU NEED TO SUPPORT YOUR QB AND IF YOU DONT, FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO CRY ABOUT...FLY EAGLES FLY....JERKS!— dennya
I want to see a report get up the guts to ask Donovan - "Are you commanding a large extension based on the Benching in Baltimore for your horrendous performance?"— dpcoz- Man, McNabb looks like a TOOL with that cueball head and funky eyebrows. Hey Donovan, Ming the Merciless called, he wants his look back!!— Bill8339
- What Mcnabbs doing is the thing we've needed SOMEONE in the organization to do for 3 yrs+ now. Get people we NEED. WR's, RB, OL. He wants a ring, came dam close to one with TO and a healthy RB. Think what we'll do if we acquire the personnel that would complete our team. McNabbs doing something SMART here people. And im sure WE ALL want a ring/trophy for our city also, so stop saying goodbye McNabb, start saying Finally DM ! A smart move !— Will.i.Am
- i love that people say "good riddance"... as if we have a savior in line to take up the qb position. kevin kolb is not a pro quarterback. we need tackles and defensive ends, then worry about wrs— bobervin
- McNabb may be a head case, he may not be the second comming of Joe Montana but who doubts that bean counter Joe is controlling the future of the EAGLES with his self procalimed expertise in capology...We are 40 million under the cap and you mean to tell me that we can't find anyone to help us...(Gonzalez, Bouldin, a tackle, a running back) Give me a break....??? Until Jeffery holds Joe accountable and holds his GM accountable we will never get there......or hold AR who considers himself the all time genius of football with the ultimate offense we will never get there......Slighly above average is all Jeffery cares about...WE will never win until he is "consumed with the idea of winning it all", gets Joe under control and puts a football man in charge......The ball is in Jeffery's court and the reality is he is happy with where we are......SAD— nuggett
- " CAN'T WE ALL GET ALONG ?"— xmar
- Careful what you all wish for, if McNabb leaves...Enjoy watching Kolb get completely demolished out on the field, W Don- 10-6 or better this coming season. With Kolb, at BEST 6-10...you do the math, and those 6 would ONLY be because of our defense.— Will.i.Am
- Well Les you should not take it personal becasue you are one of the many columnist who thougt he had the upper hand on inside news. Along with thinking that it might be best for McNabb to leave. So now you want to question MaNabb's truthfulness? If I remember correctly the whole team struggled together but you or none of your peers thought it fair to write about fact that the whole team did not play up to their potential. So you think the benching was because everyone else but Donovan was playing lights out football? This B.S. is why you will never keep a gifted player in this city. You and many others just do not get it! McNabb's benching actually put fear in the rest of his teammates because they never expected him of all people to wrongly get benched. Show me a man that does not struggle and make mistakes and I will show you a man that is unsuccessful. If you are perfect in every way you have the right to talk about other people inadequacies and imperfections. I have read enough of your articles to say you are not mister perfect. Which brings me to this conclusion, you are about to see the Eagles get exposed nationally on how they treat their players who protect their image until they see no need for them. I applaud whoever it was that broke the news because now we all get a chance to ponder what if! After berating and disrespecting this young man for so many years. For all of the morons that think it's cute to name call, take a look in the mirror and see if you measure up to the man this guy is. If you can't play at his level how can you realistically criticize him? That name you have chosen to call him may in fact fit you best.— thetruth1960
- Send him someplace he'll be appreciated. These fans just want to lose.— SUGIANT
Dunno if we are the worst fanbase, but certainly the dumbest for backing Reid this long. I had a bad vibe right away when I heard we were bringing a passing attack to the NFC East. Was actually ready to admit I was wrong a few times. Almost, haha, but alas, my inclination will probably outlast Andy. It's fun being a fan of no one in particular except who plays the Eagles that week. Every year I win my own Superbowl and crack the champagne like the 72 Dolphins.- Comment removed.
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