Those STUPID M... (McNabb)

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So, they went and traded McNabb, To A DIVISION RIVAL! What are they thinking! Kolb can't carry them. Vick can't carry them. No playoffs this year for my beloved birds. There goes the season, probably for the next 2 years. Guess I'll have to drink more beer on Sundays to get thru the misery.....

 

McNabb refused to talk to anyone else so they really had no choice (other than keep McNabb) -- it was the only offer on the table.

 

My favorite player when he came into the league (as with while he was in college) and the only reason I started to like the Eagles. He really never got the respect he deserved in Philly.

 

Rocky Balboa does

 

Is this about football? Because if it isn't then you guys are just gibbering

 

If I can find it again on SI.com, I'll post it, but according to Don Banks, the offer from Washington was one of three offers on the table. The other offers were from Oakland and Buffalo, both of which were offering their 2nd pick in the draft for McNabb straight up. Not only was Washington offering an additional pick - a conditional 3rd or 4th next year, Washington's 2nd round pick is a slightly higher pick than the ones held by Oakland and Buffalo. Washington has the 4th pick (so 36th overall in round 2), whereas Oakland and Buffalo pick from slots 8 and 9, respectively. So the Washington offer was the best offer on the table (albeit marginally).

This year is also a very deep draft because an uncharacterisitcally high number of junior are applying this year. Due to a potential work stoppage next year (or if there is football a high chance of there being a rookie salary cap), many juniors are getting looking to get paid this year. So a high second round pick this year is about as valuable as a low 1st round pick most years.

The story, as Don Banks tells it, is that the Eagles at this point went to McNabb, and asked him which of those three places he wanted to go. Reid felt that after 11 seasons with the Eagles, the least they could do is send McNabb to the place of his choice. Assuming McNabb's goal for the remainder of his career is to win a Super Bowl, all three of the choices on the table have more needs than just quarterback. However, if you had to pick one of those teams, Washington is probably the one most likely to compete for a title in the next couple of years.

By trading McNabb to Washington, it tells me two things about the thought process of the Eagles: 1) They don't think McNabb can hurt them in Washington - either because McNabb himself is not good enough, or Washington as a team is not good enough. While it is commendable of Reid to not exile McNabb to the football wastelands that are Oakland and Buffalo, you just don't make that offer to McNabb if you see that as extremely detrimental to your own success. 2) They had no plans of retaining McNabb beyond this year anyway. McNabb's contract is up at the end of the year, and by trading him now you get something in return. If you weren't going to keep him beyond this year, then he goes to the team of his choice, and you get nothing.

But it's more complicated than that. Kolb is in the final year of his rookie contract, and is going to want a new contract at significantly more money next year. If the plan was not to retain McNabb beyond this year anyway, the Eagles probably want to see what they have in Kolb before offering him big money. (As an aside, Vick is also in the last year of his contract, but I don't think the Eagles are considering him as a potential starter.) You cannot expect to keep Kolb if you don't offer him starter money, and you cannot offer him starter money if you aren't going to make him the starter. Furthermore, even if you do plan on making him the starter, you cannot do so with any confidence if you don't know what you have.

So I can see the reasoning of the Eagles, even if I do not competely agree with it. For the Redskins, it's a no-brainer. They had a need at quarterback, and McNabb is way better than anyone they could have selected with their second round pick this year. They retained their 1st round pick, and can use that to fill another hole (and they have several) in a position of need.

 

Left Tackle would be a good start for Washington. With a verteran QB and several aging RBs, they need all the help they can get at theat position. Portis runs best when running to his left. I hate to say it, but I think Shannahan is a great coach. He will turn the skins around quickly. The Eagles just shot themselves in the foot by making their division tougher. If they were determined to trade him, they should of shipped him off to the wastelands.

 

The main concern I'd have if I were a member of the Eagles organization, is that QB is such an important position. You generally don't go far without an above average QB, especially if you have good QBs on other teams in the division. While I don't consider Romo, McNabb or Manning to be superstars, they are all above average QBs. Kolb may be the worst QB in that division.

 

Kolb started one or two games last year and did a great job. Even though he didn't win, defense fault, he put up great numbers. The only quest is he durable enough for a full season.

 

Kolb didn't play great. As an avid Eagles fan, I watched both of those games. He made alot of mistakes. His numbers were inflated against N.O. as they were playing catch up and he had 4 turnovers, 3 pics and a fumble, some of those picks were terrible passes. His other start was against KC, who had seven defensive penalties which led to alot of Kolb's numbers numbers. Listen to some Philly sports talk radio, they break him down and his positives aspects aren't that great. Plain stats on paper don't tell the tale. His numbers were decent for fantasy, but his real life performances don't match up. Donovan has had very good numbers in Philly over the years and had a ton of big play balls dropped, let alone a lot of drops themselves. His receiving core has been sub par every year except for when T.O. was there. His rifle arm is the main reason he has the numbers he has, as his recievers have not been open alot. The Eagles are really going to rue this move, trust me.

 

This is a big trade. The way Aldeth explains it , it makes sense. Still, it hurts for Eagles fans. I suspect they will try to draft a QB just incase Kolb fails. I used to ignore the Eagles but this year I have seen them do some good stuff.

Might be a sacrificial year to get a better team later. Some soccer teams here do that. they rejuvenate the program.

 

*Chuckle*

You were saying something about Vick not being capable enough...?

I am a Seattle fan so no dog in this fight(I would trade Hasselbeck for Kolb ANY day!) and I have always been a fan of McNabb but it is funny how things turn out in the NFL. People panic in the pre-season and then their team kicks ass in the regular season. People have their team headed to the Super Bowl in the pre-season and then their team starts 0-3.

 

Continuing with the McNabb thing, he is returning to Philly as a member of the Redskins this weekend. Asked about it, McNabb said he "expects to hear more cheers than boos".

Ummm.... He played in Philly for about a decade or so, right? And you'd think that he at least at times paid some attention to the fans during that time, right? Philly fans are not really known to be most congenial of fans around... does he actually expect to be cheered? About the only thing that he has going for him is that it was not his decision to leave. If he had asked to be traded, then he'd really be in trouble. But I was of the impression that it was the Eagles who decided to trade McNabb, and not McNabb that asked to be traded.

EDIT: I'm not suggesting that McNabb deserves to be booed, I'm only guessing that is what will happen. From the Philly fans I've met - and growing up in Pennsylvania, I can assure you that it is not a small number - they do not seem like the type of fans who will say, "Thanks for all the memories and wins in the past 10 years, including quite a few playoff victories." I'm thinking a more common response will be "F- you mother Fer!" These are the same fans that booed him on his draft day afterall...

 

Bravo Two Zero?

 

In hindsight, it seems that I was wrong about Philly fans. While there were a smattering of boo-birds, the vast majority of fans cheered when he was introduced, even giving him a standing ovation. I'd guesstimate that the breakdown was about 90% favorable, 10% unfavorable. I stand corrected.

I do not understand this reference.