Three Things About Mcnabb That Will Drive Redskins Fans Nuts

Redskins fans surely had mixed emotions when they first heard long-time rival Donovan Mcnabb was traded to Washington.  A player they consistently booed was now given the key to their city. 

This shock to the core of the fan base probably lasted long enough until their next thought came to their mind.

The Redskins just became a legitimate threat in the NFC East.

His resume is well-documented.   Five NFC Championship appearances.  One Super Bowl appearance.   One of the lowest TD-INT ratio's in league history.   The list goes on as any stat book will tell you.

However, what you won't find in the team media guide are three issues that he will bring with him from from his days in Philadelphia.

A Strange Gameday Personality

Mcnabb has always prided himself on being an even-keel leader both on and off the field.   Michael Strahan often talks about how Mcnabb wasn't much of a talker.  If Strahan was lucky, he would get a smile in return.  

Eagles fans have watched this personality unfold over the years with memorable incidents like picking up the press box telephone on the sidelines in Giant Stadium.

Playing the hit single "I'm Aloof" on his air guitar prior to the Wild Card playoff game in Cowboys Stadium.

And who can forget his stoic response to the sideline rant by his old pal Terrell Owens on the road versus Pittsburgh?

Yet, it is these antics of behavior that eventually drove Philadelphia fans nuts.  At no point in his 11 years as a field general did he get fired up with a teammate.  No matter what the situation in a season or game, Mcnabb always went out of his way to non-verbally communicate his laid back approach.

Anyone who witnessed what happened when Jeff Garcia took over after Mcnabb's injury will tell you what kind of influence some passion will have on a team.  Fans grew tired of his oddball behavior on Sundays and desperately wanted to see some emotion out of their leader.

A Reluctance to Run

When Donovan broke onto the scene in 2000, opposing teams had to designate a 'spy" to account for his dangerous running ability.   It seemed that anytime the Eagles needed a spark or a first down, Mcnabb would get it with his legs.

As he matured into a well-rounded quarterback, he relied less on his running ability to prove he could be a pocket passer.   In those early press conferences he would talk about how he was bothered by the label "running quarterback" and the historical negative connotations that went along with it.

This drive to dispel a label ultimately cost him as teams no longer game-planned around his ability to scramble up field and an incredible weapon was put on the shelf.

Instead of running seven yards for an easy first down, he preferred to throw it at his receiver's feet. 

Unfortunately for him, those days of running for first downs are behind him.   Now if he sees seven yards in front of him, he won't be running because of injuries and age, not a stigma.  

A Multidimensional Poker Face

Perhaps the most puzzling aspect of Mcnabb in his time in Philadelphia was his decision to keep his guard up at all times.   It did not seem to matter if it was in a press conference or post-game interview, Mcnabb always took the high road.

Rush Limbaugh?  No problem.

Terrell Owens?  No problem.

Drafting Kolb?  No problem.

Getting benched in Baltimore?  No problem.

Publicly, Mcnabb said all the right things one has come to expect from a superstar athlete.   Protect the image.  Protect the brand.  His communication degree has come in handy.

For this he is to be applauded.  Many other athletes would have taken the bait on at least one of those topics. 

Yet, in every single soap opera that he was involved with, leaked reports would come out with an entirely different position from Mcnabb.  

Whether it was Brian Baldinger paraphrasing Donovan from conversations he had with him during a Friday production meeting, or private talks he had with Deion Sanders, a contrasting story would always surface that did not correlate with his public statements.

So what does Mcnabb say when reporters follow up on these leaks?

He never said that ... at least not on the record. 

Conclusion

This is not to say that Mcnabb won't be welcomed with open arms in Washington.  He has been and should be.   When a quarterback is with the same organization for 11 years and does not deliver a Super Bowl to championship-starved fans, these types of issues will hang over his head.

At the same time, once the honeymoon period is over, do not be surprised if these issues begin to resurface in his new home town.  Just don't go back to Philadelphia looking for answers - they will have their own problems with a quarterback trying to prove himself.

But at the end of the day, what was the alternative for Redskins fans? 

Jason Campbell? 

No thanks.