The Philadelphia Eagles continued their resurrection, pasting Cleveland, 30-10, Monday night for their third straight win since quarterback Donovan McNabb came back after being benched. The Eagles (8-5-1) will make the playoffs if they win their last two games (at Washington, home vs. Dallas) and either Tampa or Atlanta lose once.
All night on ESPN, though, I kept hearing that McNabb was still angry over being benched and desirous of playing elsewhere in 2009. What is it about quarterbacks that makes benching the ultimate insult, the sporting version of tossing a shoe at someone in the Arab world?
I have never understood this attitude and I have played and watched football my whole life. Players at every other position regularly sit down if they are not performing well and that’s accepted. Yet sit a QB and his manhood has been insulted.
In this case, regardless of what you think about Eagles Coach Andy Reid, his decision to sit McNabb in the second half of the Baltimore game has been a masterstroke. The Eagles have been a different breed of birds the past three weeks; you would think McNabb would acknowledge that the decision was a needed wakeup call for himself and his team. Instead, he acts all resentful. Maybe after 10 years with the same team, it’s a marriage that has run its course. Curious as to what others think.
on Dec 16th, 2008 at 7:19 AM
So maybe McNabb now thinks T.O. tactics work?
on Dec 16th, 2008 at 12:52 PM
I don’t think any player wants to be benched. But how angry McNabb might be is hard to tell. He generally keeps his true feelings hidden. It sounds like the ESPN clowns had their storyline for the night and ran it into the ground. I say “sounds like” because I had the sound muted and listened to the local radio broadcast instead.
And McNabb’s improvement recently is as much due to the offensive line improving its performance and Brian Westbrook getting healthy enough to become a real factor again.
on Dec 16th, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Good players at any position don’t want to be benched because they’re not playing well – for the most part, they want to keep going out there to redeem themselves. And when linemen, running backs and receivers are benched, it’s often for a few plays, then they are put back in the game.
What makes the QB position so special is that they are almost never benched and then brought back in. Unlike other positions, they’re never just given a “breather” for a few plays.
On top of it, and what makes it the worst, is how the media plays it up. The QB position is a special position in all of sports, and when there’s a benching of a Pro Bowl quarterback, the media runs and runs with it, making that QB look worse in the eyes of the public. When a WR is taken out of the game, you never hear about how he’s going to lose his starting job; when a QB is, you always do.
I agree with the sentiment – everyone should look at it differently. But as long as the media, the fans, the coaches, and even the League look at the sitting of a QB the way they do, I totally understand how they would feel pretty bad when they’re benched.
on Dec 16th, 2008 at 2:34 PM
I understand no one wants to be benched, but it happens all the time with other positions with much less drama. Vent, then move on.
on Dec 16th, 2008 at 3:46 PM
I guess its all part of being in Philly but Donovan McNabb has conducted himself with nothing but class in the wake of many incidents that have happened to him in Baltimore. My question is what is the media and blogwhore’s obsession with him? He goes to work, minds his business, and stays out of trouble. He’s not getting caught up in gunfights, making homophobic remarks, etc etc yet he gets flack that is undeserved. “Reports” that McNabb is still pissed. How about waiting to hear it from the horses mouth instead of fanning flames to a fire that may not even exist. Journalism loses again.
on Dec 16th, 2008 at 3:48 PM
Error in my last post…he’s conducted himself with nothing but class……happened to him in Philadelphia. I’m in Baltimore right now for business so a little slip.