Ditka: Reid should have told McNabb
ESPN's Monday Night Countdown crew had quite a lengthy discussion about Donovan McNabb, Andy Reid and the Eagles during yesterday's show. Among the topics discussed: Should Reid have been the one to tell McNabb he was being benched? Analyst and former coach Mike Ditka said if he were in Reid's shoes, he would have told his quarterback: "I don't let the ballboy tell him. I don't let the quarterback coach, the defensive coordinator tell him. I tell him. Not only do I tell him that he's benched, I tell him why he's benched." Cris Carter agreed with Ditka: "I believe it's disrespectful for Andy Reid not to go to him and tell him that." Keyshawn Johnson and Steve Young, meanwhile, disagreed. Johnson said it's not unusual for position coaches to break that kind of news to the players. And Young said Reid didn't want to make a huge deal about the benching. "I think that Andy was frustrated with Donovan. He knew he wasn't playing well...he didn't like the way he was playing. You're not playing well. You're not focused. You're not playing like Donovan McNabb and so I'm gonna discipline you. ... and we're gonna sit you down for a minute and we'll see if this can snap you out of this little funk you're in." Young said. One of the best parts of this segment was that ESPN dug up clips of the Eagles' 40-8 win over the 49ers in 1994 when George Seifert pulled Young. If you're like me, you remember this as the Charlie Garner game. Garner carried 16 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns as the Eagles improved to 3-1. That was the year the Birds started off 7-2 before losing seven in a row. Anyway, some other snippets from the ESPN guys... Tom Jackson on the move to pull McNabb: "I don't have a problem with it. You're Andy Reid. It's your responsibility to make decisions on what's best for the team at the time. I think he made an assessment of not only the play of Donovan McNabb yesterday but what had happened to him during the course of the week. You put Kevin Kolb in to try and get a spark for the football team. That did not happen. If Kevin Kolb had played well, we might be discussing something different. I think now they're still in the playoff race. You start him Thursday. If he were to falter again, and I think Andy was watching him deteriorate right before his eyes, if he does that again on Thursday, I think Kolb'll get his chance to play." Carter on the decision: "Do you know what you're getting yourself in for? This doesn't happen to the Mannings. This doesn't happen to Brady. You don't do this to a franchise quarterback. There is no turning around from this so when you put me on the bench, you're saying this is the beginning of the end cause there is no turning back. This is not OK. This is not gonna be OK."
Ditka: Reid should have told McNabb
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
ESPN's Monday Night Countdown crew had quite a lengthy discussion about Donovan McNabb, Andy Reid and the Eagles during yesterday's show.Among the topics discussed: Should Reid have been the one to tell McNabb he was being benched?
Analyst and former coach Mike Ditka said if he were in Reid's shoes, he would have told his quarterback:
"I don't let the ballboy tell him. I don't let the quarterback coach, the defensive coordinator tell him. I tell him. Not only do I tell him that he's benched, I tell him why he's benched."
Cris Carter agreed with Ditka: "I believe it's disrespectful for Andy Reid not to go to him and tell him that."
Keyshawn Johnson and Steve Young, meanwhile, disagreed. Johnson said it's not unusual for position coaches to break that kind of news to the players. And Young said Reid didn't want to make a huge deal about the benching.
"I think that Andy was frustrated with Donovan. He knew he wasn't playing well...he didn't like the way he was playing. You're not playing well. You're not focused. You're not playing like Donovan McNabb and so I'm gonna discipline you. ... and we're gonna sit you down for a minute and we'll see if this can snap you out of this little funk you're in." Young said.
One of the best parts of this segment was that ESPN dug up clips of the Eagles' 40-8 win over the 49ers in 1994 when George Seifert pulled Young. If you're like me, you remember this as the Charlie Garner game. Garner carried 16 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns as the Eagles improved to 3-1. That was the year the Birds started off 7-2 before losing seven in a row.
Anyway, some other snippets from the ESPN guys...
Tom Jackson on the move to pull McNabb:
"I don't have a problem with it. You're Andy Reid. It's your responsibility to make decisions on what's best for the team at the time. I think he made an assessment of not only the play of Donovan McNabb yesterday but what had happened to him during the course of the week. You put Kevin Kolb in to try and get a spark for the football team. That did not happen. If Kevin Kolb had played well, we might be discussing something different. I think now they're still in the playoff race. You start him Thursday. If he were to falter again, and I think Andy was watching him deteriorate right before his eyes, if he does that again on Thursday, I think Kolb'll get his chance to play."
Carter on the decision:
"Do you know what you're getting yourself in for? This doesn't happen to the Mannings. This doesn't happen to Brady. You don't do this to a franchise quarterback. There is no turning around from this so when you put me on the bench, you're saying this is the beginning of the end cause there is no turning back. This is not OK. This is not gonna be OK."
Thanks Carter. Manning started the year horrible. Bret Farve was a human interception machine through out his entire career. But that was just Bret being Bret. Bob Griese barely completed 50% of his passes with two 1,000 yard running backs. Mario, Fouts never won a superbowl. I don't recall any of them getting benched. McNabb has done what only 1 QB in Eagles history has done, gone to the superbowl. His career interception percentage is among the BEST OF ALL TIME. We showed AJ Feely more respect after his Back to Back 3 interception games last year that cost us a play off spot.— brian mahoney- It seems to be a very passive aggressive way to deal with a QB that is not doing well. I expected more from Andy Reid than to mistreat McNabb that way and to mistreat us that way. It smacks of disrespect in my hirsute opinion. Sheil, I'm glad you still remember the Charlie Garner days. If Keshawn Johnson should have another opinion, please refrain from sharing it with us.— phan in TN
- When does Reid get benched??? I believe that this current offensive (and I mean that in both senses of the word) coaching staff, have lost all respect and confidence that the players had. None of the players believe anything in the game plan is worth while. They are finally seeing the coaching staff for what they really are...scared! Just like you say, Andy..."it starts with YOU!!!" Unfortunately for the team and all of the fans...it is going to end with you as well. If McNabb goes and Andy stays, get ready for a lot of BAD football Philly!— extremebeat
- Both Reid and McNabb should go!— scrooge1
- agree with ditka. head coach is the boss. if head coach dosn't have the guts(don't mean a 60" waist)to grab any of his donkeys by the face mask he can't & won't get his message across. I understand his frustration with the pre-game yawning, post game rival player girly hugging, low ball,high ball passing, waddle up to huddle, smiling media correct star player-star my a**! football is a team sport which McSmiley showed he isn't a team player by not being ready to go back in sunday if needed, standing by himself, not with offensive coordinators, & clapping when eagles went 3 & out. Let him start & play the next 2 games & Kobl the last 3.— jwatson
- "That was the year the Birds started off 7-2 before losing seven in a row." You forgot to mention the loss of Byron Evans to a broken leg as the start of that slide - which ushered in the (true) beginning of the (post-Buddy) Kotite Error.— Phrossty
- Chris Carter is comparing McNabb to Peyton Manning and Tom Brady? He must be drinking again.— Gary L
- Did anybody else see McNabb yawn before the game started? Wonder if Peyton or Brady ever did?— sceptre99
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