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Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Hopkins rips McNabb (again)
Bernard Hopkins once again didn't mince words when voicing his criticism of Donovan McNabb during Comcast SportsNet's Monday Night Live program.

Here's part of what Hopkins said when asked about where the Eagles stand this year:

"Some people are athletes, still good, but don’t have that extra ‘I’m willing to sacrifice my life. I’m willing to sacrifice what I have to sacrifice to win.’ … People never forgot when things happen, they see a guy crumble under pressure. Whether they throw up on the highway, whether they throw up on the court, whether they throw up on the football field, when people see that, that sticks in the back of their mind."

Hopkins was obviously referring to the Eagles' Super Bowl loss to the Patriots. Some of you made the same reference in our live chat Sunday night when John Madden said McNabb looked winded as the Birds' offense failed to get a play off before the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter.

Hopkins continued: "Every athlete should have that killer instinct in him, especially if you the quarterback… If he’s not right here and here [pointing to heart and head], and don’t want it, the team feel the vibes…"

Up to this point in the interview, Hopkins had not mentioned McNabb by name. Host Ron Burke asked Hopkins specifically if he questioned McNabb's ability to take the Eagles to the promised land, and Hopkins responded, "Years ago, years ago."

Hopkins went on to say that he thinks McNabb would be better off playing in Chicago, where he's from.

"The reason things are the way they are is because of the money wrapped in him. They can’t get rid of him," Hopkins said.

McNabb's former teammate and current WIP host Ike Reese was sitting next to Hopkins during the conversation. He shook his head in disagreement during the interview and told Hopkins he was wrong as the segment concluded.

Again, this is not exactly breaking news, considering Hopkins has criticized McNabb for years, but just thought I'd pass along the latest installment.
Posted by Sheil Kapadia @ 12:04 AM  Permalink | 43 comments
43
Comments   
Posted 04:37 AM, 11/12/2008
snook65
Who cares what a washed up convict thinks about them? He should just fade away and stick to lecturing criminals. And he might think he has a killer instinct but his hands are full of feathers and his mouth is full of something else.
Posted 07:45 AM, 11/12/2008
JamesJ
Ex-con or not, he's right
Posted 07:45 AM, 11/12/2008
JamesJ
Ex-con or not, he's right
Posted 08:09 AM, 11/12/2008
Warhound
Bernard is a pretty bright guy - felon or not - and he's right.
Posted 09:00 AM, 11/12/2008
ag
love B-hop, but he's flat out wrong. Mcnabb is a not a rah rah guy, but plays his heart out. So what if he was winded, he was trying to make a play on 2nd down. He is not the reason the Eagles are losing games.
Posted 09:00 AM, 11/12/2008
PhillyHouse JayDuce
Playing with a broken leg, a sports hernia, and Darnell Autry, outweighs the throwing up. McNabb ain't the best, but he definitely ain't the worst.
Posted 09:02 AM, 11/12/2008
coachbarnes10
YA'LL GOING WITH B. HOP.... YA'LL I BET YOU GUYS ARE THE ONES CALLING B. HOP AN IGNORANT N WORD ON ANY OTHER SUBJECT THAN MC NABB> FUNNY.
Posted 09:26 AM, 11/12/2008
bobmc
Does even the most optimistic punchdrinker really think that McNabb can win a Super Bowl? Why is he never ready to start out in rhythm? if you like stats this is your guy, if you want to win a Super Bowl I don't think so.
Posted 09:35 AM, 11/12/2008
jhyman
Rather than McNabb, I think it's more of Andy Reid's fought. His play calling is terrible. Let the Offense Coordinator call the plays.
Comment removed.
Posted 10:23 AM, 11/12/2008
aldro17
Playing with a fake sports hernia, probably playing on a weakend leg that he probably played into being broken....the dude is heartless. The broken leg is true but the sports hernia was just an excuse for poor play. He always has excuses; sports hernia, the media, a chest contusion (which is really just a bruise)! I'm sick of the guy! Call Hopkins a felon or whatever you want but he is not half as athletically gifted as McNabb and has excelled to the top of his sport, through heart,something McNabb never did! Hopkins is one of the best fighters that my generation (25-35) has ever seen and he has definitely overachieved. Not only that but he is blossoming in to becoming a great businessman.
Posted 12:20 PM, 11/12/2008
mizzamillions
I agree with jhyman I don't know to many quarterbacks in the league that can throw real consistant as much as Andy Reid throws the ball!!! Down with the coach!!!!!!
Comment removed.
Posted 12:48 PM, 11/12/2008
BobbyD
Donovan's mommy & daddy won't be happy with this!!! Do they drive their little Donovan to the home games?
Posted 12:49 PM, 11/12/2008
Bill1966
Congratulations Bernard! If Hopkins was white people would label him "Limbaugh". Nobody else in the media has the guts to tell it like it is.
Posted 12:54 PM, 11/12/2008
nizzies
McTaint. LMAO!! Good one
Posted 12:54 PM, 11/12/2008
nizzies
McTaint. LMAO!! Good one
Posted 01:08 PM, 11/12/2008
33 YRS & COUNTING
Of course Rush was right (as he is 98.7% of the time). McNabb is the singularly most overrated professional athlete in the history of Philadelphia sports...no ifs, ands, or buts.
Posted 01:41 PM, 11/12/2008
Ryan
Donovan McNabb will never win a super bowl. no matter who you put around him. Most overrated player in the league and has been for years. Not a warrior. Will never win. bottom line. been saying this all along.
Posted 01:42 PM, 11/12/2008
bobby-d
Yes, Donovan smiles at the end of a tough loss when we'd rather see him ticked off and gritting his teeth (the way we are); but the guy isn't soft. He BROKE HIS LEG in the 2nd qtr of a game a few years ago and WENT BACK IN. Not only did he go back in, he finished the game (and won it). The problem with the birds is Andy Reid - for as much as he does right, he does a few obvious things wrong (clock management, pass happy and/or predictable play calling, not the mention his personnel issues: "we don't need a #1 wide receiver", "we don't need a punt returner", "we don't need a fullback"); and he's just unable or unwilling to address them.
Posted 01:56 PM, 11/12/2008
ljabarr
The coach/GM is the problem. He built a team that cannot compete in the NFC east because the Eagles are a finess team. The defense is too small, and on offense there are not a lot of play makers. The offensive tackles are starting to show their age as well, and the play calling is horrible. The organization as a whole has come up short. Football is the ultimate team sport and the blame should not fall on one player. B-Hop and most Philly fans are idiots.
Posted 02:03 PM, 11/12/2008
hairball
bobby-d, There is a difference between physical toughness and mental toughness. DMc is great at handling physical pain, e.g. broken legs, sports hernias, etc. and can play through that. He is NOT great at handling mentally stressful situations like Super Bowls, primetime games, comebacks in big games, etc. These are 2 different scenarios requiring 2 different personality traits to handle. DMc's tough as heck in pain tolerance and a marshmallow when under a microscope.
Posted 02:06 PM, 11/12/2008
mtsmurf
thank you bhop. maybe mcnabb should try training with you down flordia instead of wasting his and the ever dwindling number of recievers who go down there with him to do stupid plyo drills and "bond." hopkins trains his body and mind, mcnabb has the mentality of a child, hahah so funny i just threw a pick, ahahah so funny we just lost. hahahahah we need to do better as a TEAM. no mcnabb it starts with you, and your pathetic.
Comment removed.
Posted 02:19 PM, 11/12/2008
GANick
Its been obvious McNabb lacks the instinct to lead the team to a score in crunch time. He seems lost. Even at the end of the first half, he chewed up alot of time. Why is throwing the ball to the middle of the field? I think its part him and part Fat Man. Their game plan lacks plays for game winning drives. I wish someone would do an artical on how many game winning drives McNabb has led during his tenure. I would guess it may be a short story.
Posted 02:31 PM, 11/12/2008
p-diddy
Yeah, the Eagles offense needs to perform better in 3rd and short situations, but they DID score 31 points against a good Giants defense. That should be enough to win. If Hopkins knew anything about football, he'd be questioning the Eagles' defense.
Posted 02:43 PM, 11/12/2008
davekrieg
Bernard is no right on. I find it amazing that a few "holdouts" are still defending Reid & McNabb. Face it, if MacNabb is an elite player like we all think/thought, these are not the questions a 10yr vet should be facing.
Posted 03:36 PM, 11/12/2008
mikeb
tell it like it is? you mean like when he said he was the best athlete in philadelphia? right. why does his opinion count for anything? the guy's got an ego like TO and you idiots are backing him? wow. a boxer criticizing a qb and you say "he's right." based on an observation on a tv you say mcnabb was too winded. funny, because i didnt see it. you people couldnt find a real reason to criticize mcnabb for the loss so you point out a non issue and relate it to something that happened 4 years ago. real intelligent. just coudlnt resist blaming the loss on mcnabb.
Posted 03:40 PM, 11/12/2008
mikeb
"even at the end of the half he chewed up time." uh, yeah, so the giants didnt have enough time to run the ball 80 yards. that's what you do. be the last one to score at the end of the half... "faked a sports hernia." hahaha, you people are so blinded by hate. please, start your "youre a kool aid drinker" comments now, i bring up valid points and you idiots have nothing to say but "he's not a winner... he chokes."
Posted 04:46 PM, 11/12/2008
Eagles Phan in LI
Bill1966, Limbaugh's comments were ignorat and not based of an analysis of football. At the time they were made, #5 was single handadely carryign the Eagle's offense. He is clearly on the downward slide now. but at the time, Limbaugh's comments evinced nothign but a lack of football knowledge. Do you also think that Brett Favre woudl be as lionized as he is if he were a different color? Sometimes its a 2 way street.
Posted 05:50 PM, 11/12/2008
Bill1966
Eagles Phan in LI: In his notorious ESPN comments Rush Limbaugh said he never thought the Philadelphia Eagles' Donovan McNabb was "that good of a quarterback." You are right. If Limbaugh were a more astute analyst, he would have been even harsher and said, "Donovan McNabb is barely a mediocre quarterback." But other than that, Limbaugh pretty much spoke the truth. Limbaugh lost his job for saying in public what many football fans and analysts have been saying privately for the past couple of seasons.
Posted 07:50 PM, 11/12/2008
goofyfooterwill
How do you play professional football for 10 years and not have the right footwork to pass accurately? I told you we'd be better off with Warner at the beginning of the season. Accurate passer behind a good blocking offensive line. Don't anyone talk smack about our receivers anymore, because hyena can't hit anyone anyway. Even if he had heart, what would he do with it?
Posted 10:55 PM, 11/12/2008
The Blueprint
Lol give him a weapon and see what he can do....im sick of the mcnabb hate....i hope he goes somewhere else and wins a title....because its obvious here reid will not give him the playmakers on offense he needs....
Posted 07:03 AM, 11/13/2008
bigcityballer
As a fan Hop is entitled to his opinion regardless of how incorrect it may be. I'd rather have McNabb than 95% of the other QBs in the league. Without him we're the Lions.
Posted 09:58 AM, 11/13/2008
jwatson
hopkins was 1000 percent correct in his views!!!!!!! REESE just sat and smiled, didnot hear him disagree on camera so i assumed he felt the same. regardless its time for mcsmiley to clean his pants out so he dosenot waddle and limp up to the huddle, lose some weight and get in shape so he dosenot huff and puff after a 10 yard run--or move on to chicago
Posted 10:25 AM, 11/13/2008
phillyboy88
mikeb, his opinion is not any different than yours! why shouldn't he be allowed to comment the way he sees it, isn't that what you do? what makes your opinion count and his not? the fact is mcslabb has been in the SAME system with the SAME coach for 10 years. 10 years! he is the senior qb in our division but where would you rank him vs. the other three? mc slabb will get a delay of game penalty in the red zone or fumble during a crucial drive. that's his m.o.! he claimed he didn't agree with the play calling on their last drive. but instead of audibiling out of it (because he is a "company man") he just went with it. do you think joe montana or brett favre or john elway or any of the "great" ones would do the same thing? wake up dogg...as long as mc slabb and reid are in the house, it ain't gonna happen.
Posted 12:20 PM, 11/13/2008
Sgasda4
Bernard is wrong..period He has been hit in the head a lil too much..idiot
Posted 01:50 PM, 11/13/2008
haans
Hopkins is 100% right. Mcnabb is throwing up on the field like Willie Beamen.
Posted 03:08 PM, 11/13/2008
almar169
IS HE LEARNING HOW TO COMPLETE A PASS THIS WEEK??
Posted 03:32 PM, 11/13/2008
Delaware Mike
Maybe the essence of what Bernard is saying has merit but it would be more easily digested without the seemingly personal dislike he has for Donovan. From what I've seen Donovan does the best he can and though it's probably not good enough to get us where we would like to be, he's a good human being and does good in the community. I'm as ready for a change at QB, coach or both as anyone but let's not totally forget the success McNabb has had here... sometimes players just simply aren't talented enough in some aspect of their performance. Call me an optimist but I think people generally are trying to do the best they can with what they've been given...Hopkins included.
Posted 04:00 PM, 11/13/2008
mikeb
phillyboy, do you realize your nicknames for mcnabb just make someone want to disregard your opinion? secondly, hopkins is trying to relate his emotions in a boxing ring with being a quarterback. in no way is this similar. mcnabb is not a boxer. he's trying to manage an offense, not punch someone in the face. the guy brought up, like everyone else who's bashing mcnabb over a loss that cant be attributed to him, something that happened 4 years ago like it happened on sunday... and i'm guessing you know nothing about football either, or are blinded by your hate for mcnabb, or else you would know that was an ok play call on 4th and 1. i hope you have the tape of the game so you can go watch the play again. the total eagles blockers could account for the giants defenders on the right (no audible). it was a zone right and no one was on the line outside of the last man on the O line (still no need for an audible). what happened was that max jean-gilles got stood up at the line which opened a hole for the LB who now had a clear shot at westbrook. All qb's, outside of manning, run what was called. you audible-happy people think the qb's call 50% of the plays and stuff. they dont.
Posted 05:54 PM, 11/13/2008
Mel A
I can't help but to get the impression that McNabb is a literally a Clown by the way he acts during a game. The Eagles need a twofor by getting rid of both Donovan (3 & out) McNabb and Andy Reid. but when you look at how things have been the past few years. For the Eagles As long as butts are in seats winning will take second place!
Posted 09:49 PM, 11/13/2008
bigphillydad
untill mcnabb can solely put this team on his back and win, b-hop is right. there is always something...throw up, injury's, interceptions to end the season, always something.
About Moving the Chains
Sheil Kapadia is a sports producer for philly.com. His earliest memories as a sports fan include several trips to Veterans Stadium with his dad, most of which turned out disappointing results. He's here to discuss the NFL 365 days a year. E-mail him at skapadia@philly.com or by clicking here

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