Being a professional athlete comes with many perks and burdens; perks such as millions of dollars, fame, and celebrity status. And burdens such as over exposure, responsibility, and criticism.
Athletes and fans today can almost all agree that a quarterback takes in more criticism and ridicule than any other position in sports. It basically comes with the territory when signing up for the job these days.
In football, the NFL especially, fans get so caught up with their teams success that when they fail there has to be a scapegoat. This often leads to the exile of a player or coach.
Which leads me to my next thought. Wasn't Donovan McNabb on his way out of Philadelphia during the offseason? I thought I heard something about a trade to the Vikings? Some sort of rumors huh?
Well look where D-Mac is now. The NFC Championship game. Sound familiar?
If it doesn't ring a bell, then you have not been watching football this decade.
In the last eight years, every year McNabb has been healthy or did not have Terrell Owens destroying the team, the Eagles have made it to at least the NFC Championship.
In that span the Eagles have reached one Super Bowl, coming within three points and one drive of a world championship.
The year before this streak began, McNabb won a road playoff game at Chicago in the NFC Wild Card round.
Yet, Donovan continues to be the most under appreciated player in all of football.
The Eagles are back in the NFC Championship again! It must be because of Brian Dawkins and their tenacious defense or their multi-talented running back in Brian Westbrook.
Yes, all of these have contributed to the Eagles' late-season run, winning six out of their last seven games to make it this far.
But without McNabb, the Eagles would have caved midseason, probably after their tie with the Cincinnati Bungals.
Donovan is not having a career season, has not performed miracles or saved lives. He has simply been Donovan, throwing for 3,900 yards, 25 touchdowns (two on the ground) to 11 interceptions.
Pretty solid for a guy booed by his own fans on draft day.
"They're pointing and booing. It pissed me off to the point that my motivation was so high, I couldn't wait to get started." Donovan said about being booed by Eagles fans of draft day.
Ten years later, McNabb is once again one game from the Super Bowl, after being benched halfway through this season. Sounds like he's pretty resilient, too.
How many quarterbacks can say they have been to a conference championships, let alone 5?
I like to compare McNabb to the likes of Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley or Dan Marino. Each of whom never had that great sidekick to win championships.
All of these players listed are in the Hall or Hall of Fame caliber. The thought of Donovan McNabb in the NFL Hall of Fame? Sounds a little ridiculous doesn't it.
If McNabb takes the Eagles all the way this season don't be surprised when he's on the ballot 10 years from now. It won't be that ridiculous.
While Donovan has not out performed any of these greats on paper, he has out performed them in one important quality that may count the most: Leadership.
You don't see anybody knocking Dan Marino these days do you? Barkley was a monster on the court right? Thought so.
If you want to knock McNabb for not winning a championship that is fine. But nobody has the right to knock Donovan for his work ethic, leadership, and determination that he has displayed throughout his entire career.
A stand up guy, a class act, and tremendously under appreciated. That equation doesn't add up right to me.
In an era when kids idolize players such as Adam Pacman Jones and Michael Vick, there is a lack of support for a player like McNabb. That doesn't make sense either.
With many popular teams out of the playoffs, I urge you to root for McNabb in the upcoming weeks unless you are otherwise obligated to root for one of the other three remaining teams.
While I am not predicting an Eagles championship right now, I sure am hoping they win it all.
And if the Eagles fall short, don't be surprised when you see them playing on championship Sunday again next season.
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