McNabb's Waiting
Donovan McNabb isn't hanging around Philadelphia because winter here is so much more appealing than in Arizona, where he usually spends his spare time. DMac is awaiting that meeting with the Eagles' brass.
McNabb's Waiting
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Here's what I would say if I were Donovan McNabb and every time I showed my face in public (i.e., the Syracuse-Villanova basketball game) somebody felt compelled to shove a microphone in front of me:
"Dude, these are pretty much the same questions I answered in Tampa, to every media outlet that approached me, and for three nights in a row on SportsCenter. Shockingly enough, my answers haven't changed. Look up one of the tapes and dub it into your 'report.' The only thing that is new is the talk-radio-manufactured 'throwing the defense under the bus' canard. All I have to say there is that I did no such thing, and my teammates know that."
For further evidence on that last point, here's bleedinggreennation's take.
But your Eagletarian would like to redirect the conversation. I submit that the real news isn't what McNabb said or didn't say in this or that venue, it's the fact that he's hanging around Philadelphia in February. The man has a perfectly good offseason home in Arizona, albeit one that might need a little landscaping repair, thanks to those overzealous Cardinals fans. The Eagles' offseason conditioning program (which Yahoo.com's Jason Cole has hinted McNabb 
might skip if he doesn't get the new contract he seeks) doesn't start for more than a month. I'm guessing DMac isn't overcome with nostalgia over the final season of the Phantoms, or completely riveted by the Sixers' turnaround.
No, he's still here because that much-anticipated sitdown with the Eagles' brass is going to happen, either this week or next week. It almost certainly will take place before the NFL Scouting Combine kicks off Feb. 18 in Indianapolis.
"I would hope so," McNabb's agent, Fletcher Smith, told Eagletarian this week.
Smith pleaded other, pressing business when asked for some sense of what McNabb is seeking. But I'm not sure the exact numbers are all that important; we all know what he's seeking, what Yahoo's Cole termed "a financial apology" for the short-lived benching. An "apology" that raises the cap consequences for cutting or trading McNabb to a level that ensures the Kevin Kolb Era will be pushed back a few more years, if not permanently forestalled (Kolb is only under contract to the Eagles for two more seasons).
Free agency starts Feb. 27. A new McNabb deal -- which sources close to the situation have told your Eagletarian the team is prepared to discuss -- would affect the Eagles' 2009 salary cap situation (it would open up more room, by amortizing guaranteed money over several seasons). The Birds don't need to reach agreement with McNabb by Feb. 27, but they probably want to have some sense of whether he is going to count something like $10.3 million against the cap, which is what's on the books right now, or whether the figure is likely to be much less.
Of course, if the Eagles don't like what McNabb has in mind, they can just tell him he's under contract and that's that. If he wants to assure his role as the starter, all he needs to do is outplay Kolb in training camp and perform consistently well once the season starts.
This approach has worked so well in the past, with Terrell Owens and Lito Sheppard, among others. It has seemed to me that over the past few years, one of the problems with McNabb during these "lulls" he has experienced, such as the one that led to his benching, is a lack of genuine excitement on his part. This might have had something to do with the weapons he has been given. I think it also has had to do with the permanent change in McNabb's relationship with Andy Reid that took place two years ago, when Jeff Garcia led the Eagles to the playoffs, and then Reid used his first draft pick on Kolb.
We'll lay it all out again, one more time. Bottom line, from Eagletarian's perspective, is this: McNabb has been healthy pretty much the last two seasons now. It seems much more likely than it did two years ago that he can be an effective quarterback into his mid-30s. He seems to need reassurance, seems to function best when he feels everyone in the organization is behind him. We can debate all day whether this is optimal, whether he should care so much, but the fact seems to be that he does.
With an improving young defense, it sure seems the Eagles' best chance to win a Super Bowl next season is with a happy, secure McNabb. No, I'm not saying he will lead a bunch of game-winning touchdown drives in the final minutes, or never again throw an off-target pass, or become an expert on the arcane rules of overtime. But if you think you can get to Super Bowl XLIV, is that more likely with (A) McNabb or (B) Kolb?
I think Kolb has gotten a bad rap from being stuck in some unfortunate situations, but I don't see how anybody can say the answer is (B). You can watch tape of practices and preseason games until your retinas implode, and still not have enough information to make that leap, with a team that seems to be an offensive line tweak and an added running threat away from being as good as any.
So, here's hoping Reid, Joe Banner and Jeffrey Lurie channel their inner Ruben Amaro Jr., have the darned meeting and get this resolved, quickly. Then we'll have something new to ask Donovan.
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oh please keep messing around with DMac----I'd like nothing better than to lose Bobby Hoying, oops I mean Kolb---hey lonewolf--blah, blah blah blah its the same old song--live with it DMacs back -but don't cry wolfie WIP will still be spewing trash for the next 3 years while DMac is here and you steal many ideas in that time and forward them over to this board. check out your boy Eli's stats in games played WITHOUT Burress--then you'll see the real Eli-nothing but his bro's wannabe--if he wasn't playing in NY he'd be seen on the same level as David Garrard.- Maybe McNabb will get nervous during his "sitdown" with management and puke on the floor. Thats what he does when the pressure is on... I hope he proves me wrong this year, but I know he wont. His legacy will always be a choker.— FireAndyReid
- Lonefool is an idiot— sfeagle
- I am waiting for the day I do not have to go on philly.com and read lonewolf's post.— oharabri
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- Philly.com removed my post stating the obvious that lonefool knows nothing. Hey lonefool, I just looked at the gallery of the Eagles last 20 QB's. When McNabb is gone what is the chance that the birds get another Hoying, Peete, TY Detmer, McMahon, Brister, Mike McMahon, Koy Detmer or AJ Feely. (to name a few) Out of the past 20 QB's McNabb is clearly the best player. Norm Van Broklin was only in Philly for three years. Cunningham was almost even on TD's and INT's, Jaws made one S.B. and lost. Be careful what you wish for. Kolb? Are you kidding?— sfeagle
- Did you guys ever think D-Mac is still here because he has 1 child that might be in school and 2 others that are only a few months old and he doesn't want to travel with just yet. I mean he could leave and come back for a meeting instead of waiting here for all these months for one sit down. these media people read into everything. that's why D-Mac is in this position because they read into every statement he makes instead of taking every word for what it is worth. they are always trying to start a controversy— whopper
- Lonewolf you are a really weak minded individual. Do us all a favor; plug in your toaster to the wall socket in your bathroom (Near bath-tub or get an extension cord). Then fill your bath-tub with water. Next, turn the toaster on and walk in the water with the toaster in your hands. Next, sit down in the water. Last but not least the most important thing you could do for yourself and all of us in Philly is to proceed and drop the toaster while turned on, in the water. That will stop your dumb posts going forward.— montymiller
- fireandy reid- cant wait for next season to laugh in your face....lonewolf...u can go-go-go...back to NY where you belong, a**clown.— Will.i.Am
- sfeagle how do you know if kolb is any good or not? They threw him into a lions den against baltimore he never started a full game put any other backup qb into that position the same thing would of happened judge him after he has a couple games under his belt moron! Mcnoodles is not the answer trade him away he will never win a superbowl hes shown year in and year out he is a choker. Hes not worth the money they pay him now and he wants more up in the 16million range yeah sure hes not in the league of qbs that command that money. Memo to the front office the money would be better used elsewhere on defense and skill position players, considering the only reason we made it into the playoffs this year was because jim johnson and the defense not mcnoodle!— jongdrapierchartrand
