good bye and thank you

Last night when I read that the Eagles had traded Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins I wrote a blog that was unfocused and angry. I decided not to publish it because it was so poorly written. However, I still would like to state that this trade makes little sense except as a salary dump. For this I am disappointed.

The Eagles management has been excellent at parting ways with long term players as they reach the end of the professional careers. There have been times when I have been disappointed to read that a player wasn't getting resigned after a number of good years with the team. However, that disappointment was an emotional reaction and management has done a good job putting the emotional reaction or their fans aside and putting together the best team possible. However, with this trade I do not think the Eagles accomplished this goal. With this trade I think the Eagles management has allowed the illogical prejudice of my fellow fans to influence a stupid trade.

I honestly don't understand why Donovan McNabb has been so hated by proclaimed Eagles fans for so long. I admit I was surprised and disappointed that the Eagles drafted McNabb ahead of Ricky Williams. However, I have gotten over that big time. McNabb has been a perennial pro-bowler and Ricky Williams has been a perennial distraction. Yet it seems that so many Eagles fans never gave Donovan McNabb the credit for what he has done for and with what he has been given by Eagles management.

McNabb's distractors have complained that Donovan has never won the big one for the team. While there have been steady division victories and deep play-off runs there has never been a Superbowl win for the team. I think it is incredibly infair and short-sited to put this all on McNabb.

Undoubtably, a good quarterback is necessary to win a Superbowl. But a good quarterback is not the only factor. Tom Brady and Payton Manning have been the most successful quarterbacks during the years that McNabb was an Eagle. Without a doubt they are excellent quarterbacks. However, when one looks at the rest of the the offense of the Colts and the Patirots there is no competition between the two teams. The Eagles have consistently had a below average receiving core and a subpar offensive line. I think if Brady or Manning were playing with the Egales over the past 11 seasons their stats would have looked allot different. McNabb played well for the Eagles.

So for all these reasons and many more I say good bye to Donnovan. You have been a stand up player and man for the team I love. I have been proud to wear your number 5. Thank you for the memories.