authentic
April-4th-2010, 10:30 PM
click for the rest (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/04/AR2010040403463.html) :D
McNabb, for the record, didn't know until the last second where he was going to wind up. The rumors that the Vikings were atop his list were erroneous; McNabb told me that himself last week. The Raiders were a team that was interested, but not the only team. McNabb and I talked about the business of football the other night in Arizona, a totally off-the-record conversation. But I was reminded that night, with all due respect to Campbell, why McNabb is about the best fit around to be the quarterback of the Washington Redskins . . .
. . . Because Donovan McNabb has done most of it and seen all of it. Even on an evening when the Eagles, the only team he has played for, were trying to trade him, he was completely unfazed. We're talking about an 11-year veteran who was booed by Eagles fans from the moment he was selected. He's dealt with injury, the harshest criticism imaginable, idiot teammates such as Terrell Owens, roiled up locker rooms. He's watched his team draft his replacement, taken the field with few if any Pro Bowl-caliber weapons. He's shrugged off controversies involving race that were none of his doing. Yet, McNabb has always been able to speak his mind, keep his dignity and keep his team in Super Bowl contention.
McNabb is not only accustomed to the insanity of being a quarterback in the NFL, and the extra weight of being a black quarterback in the NFL, he laughs it off. It can't get to him, didn't even catch up to him when he was young. If you can survive playing quarterback in Philly, and lead the team to five NFC championships, then Washington ought to be a piece of cake. After a week or two in D.C., McNabb will wonder who turned down the volume.
The most important thing to the success of a franchise is having an established coach and quarterback, people with commanding presence. And the Redskins have that in this in Mike Shanahan and McNabb, something they haven't had since perhaps since Joe Gibbs and Mark Rypien.
He's as battle-tested a quarterback as could possibly have been available to the Washington Redskins right now. The silliness that passes for controversy in Washington will likely make Donovan McNabb smile . . . if not laugh out loud.
In a very brief conversation Sunday night after the trade, McNabb said he is "absolutely looking forward to this . . . absolutely. I'm excited about it, no question." There was a pause as he asked me about Campbell. "I need to get in touch with Jason, I need to hear his thoughts on all this . . . You know I really like Jason."
As do I, which is why I think this trade for McNabb and what I presume to be the imminent departure of restricted free agent Campbell, are just what both men and the franchise need. McNabb, it seems to me, will benefit from the change in scenery. I was agitating for the Arizona Cardinals, McNabb's hometown team because he has a home there, to do this the moment Kurt Warner retired, but they instead settled for Derek Anderson. The Chicago Bears, McNabb's real hometown team, should have gotten McNabb last off-season instead of giving up the farm for interception machine Jay Cutler; it would have been so much smarter. McNabb, at 33, isn't a long-term solution, but these days the smart teams play to win now, which is why the Jets and Vikings took a shot with old man Brett Favre. Look at the success Warner had with the Cardinals.
And I've hoped Campbell would leave the management-coaching dysfunction that undermined his career and find a professional situation. That could have happened with Shanahan now in charge. But Campbell, no matter how hurt he probably is now, should drop to his knees and feel his prayers have been answered. With McNabb and Rex Grossman here, the Redskins don't need Campbell anymore and couldn't possibly match an offer he got elsewhere.
McNabb, for the record, didn't know until the last second where he was going to wind up. The rumors that the Vikings were atop his list were erroneous; McNabb told me that himself last week. The Raiders were a team that was interested, but not the only team. McNabb and I talked about the business of football the other night in Arizona, a totally off-the-record conversation. But I was reminded that night, with all due respect to Campbell, why McNabb is about the best fit around to be the quarterback of the Washington Redskins . . .
. . . Because Donovan McNabb has done most of it and seen all of it. Even on an evening when the Eagles, the only team he has played for, were trying to trade him, he was completely unfazed. We're talking about an 11-year veteran who was booed by Eagles fans from the moment he was selected. He's dealt with injury, the harshest criticism imaginable, idiot teammates such as Terrell Owens, roiled up locker rooms. He's watched his team draft his replacement, taken the field with few if any Pro Bowl-caliber weapons. He's shrugged off controversies involving race that were none of his doing. Yet, McNabb has always been able to speak his mind, keep his dignity and keep his team in Super Bowl contention.
McNabb is not only accustomed to the insanity of being a quarterback in the NFL, and the extra weight of being a black quarterback in the NFL, he laughs it off. It can't get to him, didn't even catch up to him when he was young. If you can survive playing quarterback in Philly, and lead the team to five NFC championships, then Washington ought to be a piece of cake. After a week or two in D.C., McNabb will wonder who turned down the volume.
The most important thing to the success of a franchise is having an established coach and quarterback, people with commanding presence. And the Redskins have that in this in Mike Shanahan and McNabb, something they haven't had since perhaps since Joe Gibbs and Mark Rypien.
He's as battle-tested a quarterback as could possibly have been available to the Washington Redskins right now. The silliness that passes for controversy in Washington will likely make Donovan McNabb smile . . . if not laugh out loud.
In a very brief conversation Sunday night after the trade, McNabb said he is "absolutely looking forward to this . . . absolutely. I'm excited about it, no question." There was a pause as he asked me about Campbell. "I need to get in touch with Jason, I need to hear his thoughts on all this . . . You know I really like Jason."
As do I, which is why I think this trade for McNabb and what I presume to be the imminent departure of restricted free agent Campbell, are just what both men and the franchise need. McNabb, it seems to me, will benefit from the change in scenery. I was agitating for the Arizona Cardinals, McNabb's hometown team because he has a home there, to do this the moment Kurt Warner retired, but they instead settled for Derek Anderson. The Chicago Bears, McNabb's real hometown team, should have gotten McNabb last off-season instead of giving up the farm for interception machine Jay Cutler; it would have been so much smarter. McNabb, at 33, isn't a long-term solution, but these days the smart teams play to win now, which is why the Jets and Vikings took a shot with old man Brett Favre. Look at the success Warner had with the Cardinals.
And I've hoped Campbell would leave the management-coaching dysfunction that undermined his career and find a professional situation. That could have happened with Shanahan now in charge. But Campbell, no matter how hurt he probably is now, should drop to his knees and feel his prayers have been answered. With McNabb and Rex Grossman here, the Redskins don't need Campbell anymore and couldn't possibly match an offer he got elsewhere.