McNabb says black QBs criticized more

Good points here, I was a little bewildered reading through the thread and seeing so many people defend Rush. Im not saying he should have been fired for his comment, but it was definitely not accurate, and in my opinion in bad taste.

That said, McNabbs comments are just as tasteless and demeaning, if not more so.

The thing is none of us are in McNabb's shoes. Just watched the whole piece on HBO. He had to grow up w/ racism through his childhood. He has had to deal w/ the NAACP giving him shit. The whole T.O. BS, and not to mention is a-hole Philly fans who don't even like the guy. I'm not saying I agree with his comments cause I don't. He needs to keep his mouth shut or it's just going to get worse. But I certainly understand why he said it.

This is not entirely true. The fact is white hisghschool graduates on average make the same income as black COLLEGE GRADS!!!

There is still a racial divide in this country, and people are still making professional decisions based on race rather then qualification.

I think professional sports is a unique spectrum within which race is not considered when evaluating a prospect...So if McNabb wants to bitch about race he should be looking out for his fellow AA's and complain about racial inequality in the workplace, and consider himself lucky to be talented enough at football to not have to face the cruel reality of the working world in todays america.

Wow, this is possibly one of the best posts I have seen all year. Well said WillH.

I think that McNabb is definitely at a disadvantage because he plays in Philadelphia, not so much because of his race. But, like Skinsfan69 says, we're not in his shoes. I think it's a somewhat convenient crutch for him, but still.

But more than race or the god forsaken fans he has to play for, I think McNabb is starting to become aware of his football mortality, and the Eagles are doing him no favors.

McNabb is obviously not fully healthy from his knee injury, and the Eagles have a bunch of #2/#3 (at best) wide receivers in Curtis, Brown, and Baskett. Their best player on offense is, without question, Westbrook.

Yet, as often seems to be the case since Reid and McNabb hooked up nearly a decade ago, the Eagles put all the focus and pressure on McNabb and the passing game (46 passing plays to 20). If I'm McNabb, I'd say "enough of this" and demand a trade to a city that respects me, to a team that understands my physical limitations at this point, and to a coach that will help me out by using the running game.

I think that McNabb is definitely at a disadvantage because he plays in Philadelphia, not so much because of his race. But, like Skinsfan69 says, we're not in his shoes. I think it's a somewhat convenient crutch for him, but still.

But more than race or the god forsaken fans he has to play for, I think McNabb is starting to become aware of his football mortality, and the Eagles are doing him no favors.

McNabb is obviously not fully healthy from his knee injury, and the Eagles have a bunch of #2/#3 (at best) wide receivers in Curtis, Brown, and Baskett. Their best player on offense is, without question, Westbrook.

Yet, as often seems to be the case since Reid and McNabb hooked up nearly a decade ago, the Eagles put all the focus and pressure on McNabb and the passing game (46 passing plays to 20). If I'm McNabb, I'd say "enough of this" and demand a trade to a city that respects me, to a team that understands my physical limitations at this point, and to a coach that will help me out by using the running game.

This is what gets me. Philly is always lauded as this great team that manages the cap so well. In fact I'd say they draft well but manage the cap and their personnel incredibly bad. They are constantly throwing their own players under the bus and rarely show loyalty in the way that they should in my opinion. This is a great example of that. They are basically putting everything on McNabb and expecting him to get it done but when it comes down to it this personnel staff has done nothing to ever give him weapons. I think they manage their players as poorly as the Skins have in the past. They win despite their management not because of it. Needless tangential rabt over.

Look at this quote

"There's not that many African-American quarterbacks, so we have to do a little bit extra," McNabb tells HBO. "Because the percentage of us playing this position, which people didn't want us to play ... is low, so we do a little extra."


How can he just make a claim like that so confidently as if it were a statistic? I guess I understand his comments based on his upbringing but there has to be a better way of addressing his concerns and viewpoints. He just sounds like a person finding excuses.

As WillH said before if he cares so much about race issues he should be advocating for blacks in the workplace and in other jobs where there is clear discrimination.

But Rush' comments were wrong. He basically said that McNabb was overrated and the defense carried the team. That is just a ridicules statement. He got his team to 3 or 4 straight NFC Champ. games and a SB??? With average to below WR's ??? C'mon! If Jason Campbell does that we all would be kisssing his ass too.

McNabb has thrown waaaaaaay more TD's then Int's. Without question when he is healthy he is a very very good NFL qb. Just ask NFL defensive coordinators. I doubt they would say he is overrated.

I did not have a problem with Rush saying the media wants blacks to do well. If he feels that way fine. Just back it up with an accurate statement. In this case it was simply not accurate.At the time Limbaugh made his comments, the Eagles were a 1-3 team in 2003 coming off a home conference championship loss the previous season. McNabb was already a three time pro bowler with virtually no production in those three seasons. Completion percentages of 58, 57.8, and 58.2 respectively, and yards per attempt of 5.9, 6.6, and 6.3 respectively. No serious weapons, maybe. But how can anyone in their right mind say that 4 weeks into a disappointing 2003 season for the Eagles, that McNabb wasn't overrated?

Since then, McNabb got his 2003 season on track and had an outstanding 2004, and appeared to prove Rush dead wrong. But then again, add two more seasons of data (plus this season), and 2004 begins to look more like an abberation than anything.

It's hard to complement the guy for his TD/INT ratio when the Eagles throw the ball so much around the goal line. While 31 other teams will pound it in, McNabb gets his TD totals inflated. Low INTs, fine, he's earned that title over many seasons, but don't compare it against TDs! Compare it against attempts.

McNabb is not a race relations scholar so I think we give him too much credit when we take what he says or has said so seriously. In this case it seems a little convenient that he waits until his job security is dangerously low to bring this up.

But in response to this thread, just because McNabb is kind of a dummy on this particular issue doesn't mean there isn't racism in America anymore.

Regardless of his situation, throwing the race card when it's not required is serious buisness. It causes a lot of problems in the working class, it must have some type of impact in the looker room. I don't think he's getting these problems because he's black. I've been around a few racial tension fueled problems, and there's never just one person to come forward and say "this is wrong, and it's racist". I think if race was the driving factor, we would see a couple more Eagles coming forward to support Don.
Fans are going to say anything to get in your head, and in phily I can only imagine what's being said. Some pretty harsh fans up there, and I wouldn't want to play there, but they are fans and unfortunatly allowed to say what they want, be it right or wrong.
Media isn't going to throw the race of a struggling person into play because it's career suicide. So it's not coming from there.
Teamates are going to throw the race card because of what it will do for the franchise, team chemistry, and leauge.
So, where is the race card coming from? Not saying that it doesn't happen, I know there are STUPID (Ignorant is not knowing any better, stupid is knowing better, but doing it anyway.)

At the time Limbaugh made his comments, the Eagles were a 1-3 team in 2003 coming off a home conference championship loss the previous season. McNabb was already a three time pro bowler with virtually no production in those three seasons. Completion percentages of 58, 57.8, and 58.2 respectively, and yards per attempt of 5.9, 6.6, and 6.3 respectively. No serious weapons, maybe. But how can anyone in their right mind say that 4 weeks into a disappointing 2003 season for the Eagles, that McNabb wasn't overrated?

Since then, McNabb got his 2003 season on track and had an outstanding 2004, and appeared to prove Rush dead wrong. But then again, add two more seasons of data (plus this season), and 2004 begins to look more like an abberation than anything.

It's hard to complement the guy for his TD/INT ratio when the Eagles throw the ball so much around the goal line. While 31 other teams will pound it in, McNabb gets his TD totals inflated. Low INTs, fine, he's earned that title over many seasons, but don't compare it against TDs! Compare it against attempts.

Let me ask you something. Outside of T.O. who in the hell has the guy had as a decent NFL WR? Who has done more with less around him? So what if they pass alot. The coach has to have confidence in the QB to throw alot. Only certain QB's can handle that type of gameplan. Did you watch NE the other night? How many coaches have the confidence in their QB to run that type of gameplan? Maybe 4-5 QB's in the league can do that. Brady is one of them and so is McNabb when he is healthy.

Plus how many times has McNabb broken down a defense with his mobility? That is what makes him a very good QB. There are times when people are covered and it just breaks the back of a defense when he makes 1st down w/ his legs. It's not all about passing stats. We should know that from Mon. cause JC made some great plays running that kept drives alive.

Any football fan knows McNabb has the respect of the guys he plays against. Any football fan knows he has the respect of NFL defensive coordinators. So to say he is overrated is just a silly comment made by someone who doesn't know shit about football. He was 1-3 and that is how you judge the guy? You judge the whole picture, not 4 games. Simply ridicules. Rush got fired for his comments about McNabb. He probably should have gotten fired cause of his football IQ.

Let me ask you something. Outside of T.O. who in the hell has the guy had as a decent NFL WR? Who has done more with less around him? So what if they pass alot. The coach has to have confidence in the QB to throw alot. Only certain QB's can handle that type of gameplan. Did you watch NE the other night? How many coaches have the confidence in their QB to run that type of gameplan? Maybe 4-5 QB's in the league can do that. Brady is one of them and so is McNabb when he is healthy.

Plus how many times has McNabb broken down a defense with his mobility? That is what makes him a very good QB. There are times when people are covered and it just breaks the back of a defense when he makes 1st down w/ his legs. It's not all about passing stats. We should know that from Mon. cause JC made some great plays running that kept drives alive.

Any football fan knows McNabb has the respect of the guys he plays against. Any football fan knows he has the respect of NFL defensive coordinators. So to say he is overrated is just a silly comment made by someone who doesn't know shit about football. He was 1-3 and that is how you judge the guy? You judge the whole picture, not 4 games. Simply ridicules. Rush got fired for his comments about McNabb. He probably should have gotten fired cause of his football IQ.QBs that have been more successful than McNabb with equal or less "weaponry":

Matt Hasselbeck
Steve McNair
Brett Favre (pre and post-Walker)
Rich Gannon
Trent Green
Tom Brady
Drew Brees (circa SD)
Chad Pennington (pre shoulder injury)

The argument for McNabb over these guys is that all of these guys for one reason or another have faded in or out of the national spotlight, but all of these guys were better in their prime than Donovan was, and they were so throwing to guys like Darrell Jackson, Derrick Mason, Antonio Freeman, Charlie Garner, Troy Brown, Eric Parker, and Laverneus Coles. James Thrash in his prime was at least as competant as a majority of those guys.

Prior to 03, McNabb never had an elite target. However, by 2004 and 05, he had two. Since then, he's still had Westbrook, who has only gotten better and better since he came into the league.

Receiver play does not excuse average passing. Its an adjustment factor. If McNabb was a deserving 5 time pro bowler, he'd be able to consistently complete more than 60% in a QB friendly offense. By this point in his career its obvious he isn't good enough to do so.

Good for him with his mobility, but it hasn't helped his numbers a whole lot. Maybe it has, but if thats the case, then he is not a very good pocket passer at all. Also, if that is the case, then now that his mobility is limited this year, he won't be a serious threat at all.

Anyway, this is not to take away from what the guy has accomplished (which is quite a bit) in his 8 1/8 years in this league, only to take away from what he hasn't accomplished: become an elite QB.