There seems to be a new day that will live in infamy, or at the very least a speech. In a world supersaturated by media outlets transcribing and analyzing every word spoken by sports figures, Alabama coach Nick Saban forgot to check his tongue and let loose a metaphor that shocked a nation.

Following a ‘devastating’ loss—devastating in the context of sports, not in the grand scheme of the meaning of life; which I sadly feel has to be noted before angering a large group of people—Saban mentioned a football game and national tragedies in the same sentence, a big no-no in today’s world.

“Changes in history usually occur after some kind of catastrophic event,” Saban said. “It may be 9-11, which sort of changed the spirit of America relative to catastrophic events. Pearl Harbor kind of got us ready for World War II, or whatever, and that was a catastrophic event.”

The anti-Nick Saban diatribes have all been written, and despite making a valid point, the words are hard to defend. By this point we all know it is insensitive to use war metaphors in something as trivial as sports. But given the state of our society, especially in the regard in which it holds sports, can we really blame Saban?

Sadly, fanatic has become a more than appropriate term for sports fans. Our interest in sports is so deeply rooted that the slightest mistake by our would-be sports heroes is met with anger and contempt, often times not for the play, but for the actual person itself.

Saban has been asked to keep things in perspective when discussing sports, but really, how long has it been since the sports world had any perspective of its own? In keeping with perspective, Steve Bartman had to practically enroll in the witness protection program after robbing a Cubs baseball player of a foul ball – note to everyone: look at the pictures, he wasn’t the only one reaching.

Bartman is just one of several sports figures who have received death threats for their actions on the field of play. Other members of the club include Tim Donaghy, Bruce Bowen, Barry Bonds, and the young woman who accused Kobe Bryant of rape.

At the heart of fans sportscentered—pun intended—world are coaches. They represent the targets of our discontent. As our demands on our sports figures increase, the coaches have carried the brunt of the load.

The workday of most college-professional coaches have become well documented in recent months With a work schedule that often begins at 4 or 5 am, and at times ends with a coach sleeping on a coach in his office, the job has put tremendous strain on their lives.

From the suicide of Tony Dungy’s son, to the legal troubles that have followed Andy Reid’s family, the sports world was given pause—where were the fathers?

They were exactly where we demand them to be. Whereas sports use to be a re creational escape from the realities of the great depression, sports have become the end all, be all to some folks daily life.

For many, they work year round, hard hours and hard wages, and spend a good portion of it on one night of viewing pampered millionaires play a game. To that extent, perfection has become demanded. Anything less than an athlete or coach’s total devotion to perfecting their craft and entertaining the public mass is viewed as a character flaw.

Given this, is it any wonder that a coach would equate the outcome o####ame to national tragedies? After all, wars see the death of young men, they bring out the worst in humanity, and tear apart families.

But take a step back. We have allowed sports to do the same. High school and college athletes have collapsed under the hot sun while the ever-increasing rigorous training takes its toll. Fans have, at times, torn each other apart in the stands. And coaches have seen their families torn apart under the strain of their jobs.

Given the amount of pressure placed on coaches, a loss to an unranked team is a personal tragedy. This is their livelihood, and their standing as human beings is essentially tied to the score board and final record.

But then, it is just a game.

A thousand pardons if I am not in a hurry to enshrine Michael Vick's name in the Adolf #### Hall-of-Fame for the most di####able men in human history as so many of you have rushed to do.  I suppose God will just have to forgive me.

Color me racist also, if you will, for not buying into the load about Vick being a marked man due to the color of his skin.  NAACP leadres and controversial televsion analysts be damned.  The idea of playing the race card in attempt to deflect accountability for a man's actions hinders a person's ability to really grow.

Vick and his cohorts may have committed a disgusting act, and compounded their troubles by setting up a gambling ring that crossed state lines, but they (well, Vick) do not deserve the amount of scrutiny they have received in the court of public opinion. 

What is deserved is the one to five years that the gambling charges hold.  A loss of reputation for sure.  But given the time that will be served, is Vick not also worthy of a second chance?  They were, after all, just dogs.

While those six words may send animals lovers and decent people in an uproar -- the thought that people have used that reasoning to defend Vick's actions is literally sickening -- when contrasted and put into context with some of the other actions found on the back pages of our newspapers, what does it say about our moral priorities?

Many have pointed out that while Vick has been so scrutinized, other, more serious crimes such as murder, rape, or abuse have largely escaped the national spotlight.  Some have even tried to shape that fact as evidence there really is an agenda to tear down successful black men. After all,  lots of people become victims each day without nearly a whisper.  But a black quarterback abuses a couple of dogs and it is a national scandal (other's reasoning, not mine).

But beneath the fold (aspring journalists should know this term), in the back pages, and on the side bars of websites are a couple of stories reporting crimes much more heinous than any Vick committed.  Yet the facts of each case hardly raise an eyebrow.  Is race a factor? Some may think so, but consider a few of the stories that have yet to break onto CNN.

Houston Rockets point guard Rafer Alston, he of AND1 fame, is about as hip-hop and #### you could get.  Yet we care little to read that he reportedly stabbed a man in the neck after a dispute in a night club.  That crime goes beyond cruelty to animals, it is attempted murder.  But while the story may still develop as we learn more details, newspaper have yet to pick up on the scandal as it only had a brief mention on the last page of today's San Antonio Express-News.

And while it may be responsible to get all the facts before causing a national scene, especially as it concerns the life of a man, contrast this reaction with the thousands of rumor and hate-filled columns reported on Vick before evidence was release.  Or consider the Duke Lacrosse Team.

Even better, applaud the government for stepping in on the nation's steroid problem when our drug and alcohol dependencies destroy so many more lives. Though he may not be cheered, Leonard Little has neither been persecuted nor prosecuted for his role in the death of another person while driving under the influence.  Not to mention the additional DUI's the defensive end has picked up since the incident.

Which brings us back to Vick.  Is what Vick did a di####able act of cruelty and indifference?  Yes.  But does the young man deserve to rot in hell and have every limb torn to pieces by the very dogs that he helped torture for all of eternity?  That is not for us to decide, nor should it be up to a blog to tell.

That PETA has gained so much support for a good cause is an admirable thing.  But that PETA is a much more famous organization than, say, MADD (Mother's Against Drunk Driving) is disturbing.

They are, after all, just dogs.  Again, those words ring cold and cruel in our ears in the context of dogfighting.  But given how we treat the loss of human life does the same twisted logic not apply to us.  Alston stabs a man in the neck: It is, after all, just another night club stabbing.  Leonard Little takes the life of another person driving while intoxicated.  It is, after all, just another in a long line of such deaths.

The point of this post is not to make light of what Vick did, but rather to shed light on how desensitized we have become to violence in the world around us.  How little we truely value each other as human beings.  As cynical as it may sound, Vick's biggest mistake in regards to his reputation was that he went after dogs.  If he had, in fact, gone after another person it might have just escaped our attention in the background of an everyday police blotter.

When a quarterback indicted on felony gambling charges and misdemeanor animal abuse can carry national headlines while a war, corrupted health care policies, and increasing national debt remain secondary issues, it causes reason to give us pause.  They are, after all, just dogs.

The Fox Sports blog community was built off an ambitious premise, namely enticing thousands of readers to participate by dangling the opportunity to join the ranks of the columnists already employed by the website.

 After all, what self righteous sports fan doesn’t know more – especially when concerning said fan’s favorite team or player – than Fox resident analysts Charley Rosen, John Czarnecki, and even newly acquired Jason Whitlock.

Never mind the years spent towards a degree, or in the scouting or coaching world, that qualify these people to make sound, well thought out opinions and present in a way as to inform and entertain you.

While this community of sports fan generally produces a positive experience (as well as a great way to kill time during an unfulfilling job), what most do not realize is that it takes a certain mindset to be a journalist of any type, let alone sports.

The problem for people writing about these athletes is that more often then not we spend our time chronicling the accomplishments of others rather than our own.  Perhaps this is why ‘the media’ is all too eager to witness another mans fall from grace.

Having such a station in life as a reporter, it’s apparent why all too often every incident gets analyzed to the minutest detail so that is appears to have a profound impact on our world. We all want to think that our life’s work made a difference.  

Sports are a reflection of society.  No doubt that phrase was first uttered, or perhaps written, by a sports journalist.  The statement and its implications have been overblown and repeated so much it has become cliché. 

I will be the first to admit that the best and worst of the human spirit are often on display through the games we play.  But to imply that these recreational activities have such vital roles within our society is ludicrous.  

Yet here we are, in the midst of a time that is sure to be remembered as the summer of sports discontent, and our government and press are spending valuable time and resources invested in seemingly every professional sports league.

That an effort is being made to clean up our sports, following some of the most reeling scandals in recent memory, is commendable.  But the amount of effort, given the attention and resources (or lack thereof), is beyond ironic – it would be hilarious if not for the implications.  That sports are a reflection of society merely speaks to how poorly that society sets its priorities.

Some food for thought:

As the steroid witch hunt reaches McCarthy-like proportions (research red scare if you are unfamiliar with our nation’s history), federal and state governments have been more than aggressive in keeping steroids out of the hands of our youth.  Even going so far as to require steroid tests in school athletics.  

Yet the flood of recreational drugs that have flooded our schools and ruined many a lives remains largely unnoticed, put to the backburner.  While it certainly is a waste to see steroids ruin the body of our future athletes, what about the drugs that stricken the mind of our potential leaders?

And while there is a federal investigation concerning a referee (by the way, quit whining Suns fan) who may or may not have affected the outcome of a couple games, where are the headlines covering potential bribes that affect the outcome of government elections?  Or government policies (cough, cough, oil.  Cough)?

To tie the preceding paragraphs back into my opening statements (for all those who have aspiring journalists listed in their bios, this is an important aspect of writing – your lead states your point/argument and the rest needs to eventually tie back into it), most journalists cover the who, what, when, and where of a story.

The best writers cover two more W’s: the why, as in “why is this important”.  And what’s next.  The aim of any good writing is to entertain, inform, and provoke action.  So why is this important to this community and what do I propose happens next?

It is important because the overwhelming number of rants that occur on this site have exposed a bitterness that I’m not sure is healthy, and something that I have seen reflected in society.

Step back and read some of the blogs that have been produced regarding the Michael Vick situation.  While there are a couple insightful thoughts that help to provoke intelligent discussion, most are venomous and unintelligible.  

His actions?  Deplorable for sure, but read some of the proposed punishments circling around the board.  They range from putting Vick in a pit full of pit bulls (catchy and rolls of the tongue, I know) to Lock him up and throw away the key. 

On whose moral authority has the court of public opinion been made to stand as judge, jury, and executioner?  Regardless of where your ethics are derived from, we should all agree that if Vick makes the effort to reform he should be given a second chance.

Christianity is based around forgiveness, which is what Jesus preached.  Our justice system is predicated on reform.  The NAACP is right (for once), we should help Vick rehabilitate his ways and, once he has paid his debt to society, be offered a chance to rebuild his life.  Otherwise, why not just end it right now.

But alas, the purpose of this article is not to discuss Vick, but to point out how the media and public has overblown the whole situation.  Sure, the dog killings has sparked outrage on its own merits (deservedly so).  And the situation demands proper attention.

But from here it seems that we are more angry that it was an athlete who committed a crime than we are at the actual crime itself. 

You can argue the last statement, but how much outrage has his cohorts faced?  And who among you cared about dog fighting before it hit the front page of a sports section? 

The problem with sports is that people have so much of their life invested in it that inevitably our priorities get #### up.  People bemoan that athletes fancy themselves above the law, but who places them on that pedestal in the first place.

When did sports, not brains or hard work, become a ticket to success?  Somewhere out there is a little leaguer or wife discouraged because their loved one is too preoccupied with their favorite sports team to notice anything else. 

Back in the golden age of sports, when Babe Ruth was belting homers, people turned to sports as a way to escape the hardships of reality.  Somewhere along the way, sports became too much of our reality.

(Editor's Note: This is my obligatory "Let me step in with my high moral standards and be the savior of the FoxSports blogs, and then everyone in the community will give me "props" and kneel before Zod" post.  So, just like JC, here I am to sacrifice myself for your sins...)

We know interrupt this blog site -- which is barely read -- for this important announcement:

The blog of the day post has routinely sucked for a while.  It seems the most popular posts are those that are included in what some of you have dubbed "Blog wars"  -- proving that along with way too much free time at work, you apparently have way too much time at home too.

Seriously, the blogs have become lame as all I read are back and forth bickering, with a few cracks of humor in between.  It's gotten so bad that while I sit here it's almost made me want to do work...honest to God, work!

What once was a respectable site has been transformed into an even lamer version of MtV's alleged hit sho "Yo Mamma"  (Fez should have won an Emmy). 

Now, there are some blogs out there that are genuinely all in good fun, like the brackets, but have caused a lot of contreversy.  A good lesson for those offended by these is don't take yourselves too seriously.  Honestly, the world would be a lot better off if we could just take this advice.

I'm going to use Dust as an example, not because I have a strong opinion of any kind towards him, its just his blogs seem to polarize the most people.  Dude, take it easy and lets talk sports.  If you do indeed live in Cali, grab a laptop, get a hammock, and tell me why the Lakers are going to win. 

Everyone going on his site to complain, he's doing a hell of a job blogging because his site gets top hits on a daily basis.  If he has opinion, let him have it.    If you want to address it, you have your own space.

I no longer wish to read about how some guy in Podunk, USA is going to beat the hell out of some guy in Uknown, USA.  I'd much rather be reading about the romance rumors between Brittany Spears and Mike Tyson, since they're now both officially on the same level of Looney Tunes.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have the sudden sick urge to actually get some work done around here..ugh.

-- We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

Just so we know where we stand: Make an #### of yourself on national radio by making ignorant, hate-filled remarks towards homosexuals and watch as the media makes you public enemy number one.  Lose your job. Get dragged through the dirt in the ever-important court of public opinion.

Beat the hell out of a few strippers as your entourage shoots indiscriminantly into a strip club and get a story on the back pages of sports sections while websites put you under their small news of the day stories between Peyton Manning restructuring his deal and Dallas hirng a new quarterbacks coach.

Allow me to be the first to applaud the media in setting their priorities straight. 

How Pacman Jones is not in the national spotlight is beyond me.  The only explanation that comes to mind was one offered by a journalism professor not too long ago.  Then during a class discussion a student suggested that the media was somehow responsible for the bleak outlook on the world, as it only reported the bad news.

The professor smiled, replying, "The time you should really worry is when the news stops reporting negative events."  Her point was that the mundane events of our day to day lives are hardly newsworthy, and only the events that deviate from the norm are worth mentioning in the limited space available.  Therefore, when crime, poverty, etc. become so common that they are hardly worth mentioning, we have finally reached the depths of hell as a society.

That professor was a smart lady.  She graduated from NYU and Columbia University with a 4.0 GPA.

So it brings to mind the question of how far our society and morals have fallen when we get so accustomed to violence from our athletes that a rising NFL star, with a history of repeated violence towards women and numerous alteractions in clubs, is involved in a shooting that wounded two innocent people and paralyzed a man without it being a topic of national contreversy.

Just to put some things into perspective of how twisted we are:

A 25-year old mother of three faced two years jail time before being sentenced to five years probation; every time she is subjected to a background check (employment opportunity, credit, etc.) they will find that she is now a convicted felon.  Her crime: driving her three kids and pregnant sister -- suffering from early contractions -- to the hospital through hopelessly stalled traffic, the woman suffered a lapse of judgement when a car cut her off not once, but twice.

In a fit of roadrage, the mother threw a McDonalds cup at the car, spilling its contents on the passenger.  The court considered the cup as a missile, which is defined as any object launched with any amount of force, and her act is considered a felony.  The media has dubbed this the McMissile Crisis.

Pacman Jones, in comparison, most probably faces a two game suspension and a fat signing bonus after instigating violence at a strip club which led to the shooting of three people.

I'm sure the woman's husband can appreciate what he is fighting for in Iraq.

Another example, a 17-year old footbal player and honors student ruined his life when engaging in sexual activities with a consenting 15-year old girl.  The young man, now 20, lost his academic scholarship and his life as Georgia law use to state that performing #### sex on a minor is considered child molestation -- even when performed (probably poorly) by a minor and with consent.  He is now a registered sex offender for life.

Pacman Jones dropped $80,000 in one dollar bills on a strip stage, for "visual effect", and violently confronted the women when they attempted to pick up the cash.  He also assualted a woman he claimed attempted to take his wallet and spit in the face of another woman.  Yet he is the one deemed safe to members of the opposite sex.

Perhaps if the young man from Georgia had a 40 time that clocked as fast as Jones he could elude the law and our contempt just as well.

(Editor's Note: Just kidding about the last part of my title, it seems ths past week or two the only thing people are responding to is petty squabbles surrounding that guy...anyways, now that I got your attention...enjoy)

Miami -- In a sudden change of heart, sources close to Bill Parcells revealed the future Hall of Fame coach reached an agreement late Thursday night to return to the sidelines with the Philadelphia Eagles. 

The current head coach of the Eagles, Andy Reid, would neither confirm nor deny the hiring of Parcells.  However, the Eagles have scheduled a press conference for early Sunday morning where the announcement is expected to be made official.

Parcells spent most of the week barricaded inside his Valley Ranch office, but did grant a brief interview by phone.

"I thought I (retired) too, but I'd be a fool not to listen.  This is America after all," said Parcells.  "I've never been one to stay too predictable in my career, not to be offensive or anything, but I have a lot of 'Jap' plays up my sleeve."

If anything, critics have pointed out that Parcells was a little to predictable last season, leading the Cowboys to one of the worst second half collapses in recent memory. 

Ironically, one of the reasons that drove Parcells to retire just might be a key to his return.  Terrell Owens, the controversial wide receiver who recently stated that Parcells retirement was "needed", is said to have stirred a competitive response in the former Dallas coach.

"In football, there is winning and there is misery.  And then there's sharing a locker room with that player," said Parcells, still refusing to mention Owens by name, a practice that begin early last training camp.

Parcells position within the Eagles organization has yet to be determined, as Reid will retain his job, but sources claim  that Parcells will join the staff as the new quarterbacks coach.

Although the position acts as a demotion, it allows Parcells an opportunity to work closely with quarterbacks Jeff Garcia and Donavan McNabb, who both have been slighted by Owens  in the past.

Those close to Parcells believe that he is hoping the anti-Owens bond shared between the team rejuvenates him in the same way that it ressurected the career of Jeff Garcia.

McNabb, who is currently not returning phone calls, stated through his agent that he is looking forward to working with any coach who can save him from passing more than 40 times a game.

Garcia, who is coming off a run in which he lead the Eagles to the playoffs, was very enthuisastic towards the recent news and believe Parcells will excel in his new position.

"Just because an individual in his 60s hasn't found true love, and, yes, there are opportunities -- but it also forces you to be more particular," said Garcia.  "In so many ways, you become more adamant about finding that right team and not allowing yourself to open up to just anybody.  And I'm not ####!"

Parcells will also be  accepting a position as treasurer for the Anti-Owens Alliance (AOA).  The AOA is a non-profit organization founded by MdNabb in eartly 2006.  The AOA conducts monthly groups sessions, covering a wide variety of topics and stories dealing exclusively with past experiences with Owens.

In related news, ex-Cowboys quarterback Drew Bledsoe announced on his blog (www.tonyhomo.com) that he will be joining Parcells in his move to Philadelphia.  The veteran quarterback is expected to sign for the veteran's minimum with a signing bonus of 20 hamburgers.

(Editors Note: The Breaking News series that I've put up is something I've been doing for a while to kill time between my actual sports posts.  They are entirely fictional and for the sole purpose of entertainment -- Although this last post is probably just pressing my luck in the humor department.)

That the Houston Texans will take Reggie Bush with the first overall selection seems like a forgone conclusion.  But take a step back and consider, for a moment, is Bush the best pick for the Texans?

Draft experts will point to his explosiveness, versatility and dominance at the college level.  Ultimately, however, there arguement ends with a question: How can you pass up on the next Barry Sanders?

Well, to answer the question with yet another question: Because, who wants to be the next Detroit Lions?

For years the Lions had Sanders and little else.  One of the major defeciancies was the lack of an offensive line.  Detroit, during the Sanders era, had the elite runnig back in the league and little else.

Flash forward to the present day Texans.  The expansion team was built with all kinds of talent and promise.  David Carr and Andre Johnson, their first two first round draft picks were gamebreaking talents that could not be passed up.  Add underrated half back Davis and suddenly comparisons to nearby Dallas' legendary triplets began.

Unfortunately for Houston, that promise has stalled.  What the Texans failed to do was build what is the heart of any team: the line. 

Since the early incarnation of the Texans were compared to the Dallas Triplets, lets look at the Superbowl Cowboys for a minute.  The 'Boys had perhaps the most dominant offensive line in recent history.  All-Pro linemen were backed up by future Hall of Famers who were backed up by future Pro Bowlers.

The defensive line, especially the one that featured Charles Haley, was deep and lead a dominant defense despite a no name secondary and solid, if not well-known, linebacker core.  

So what does this have to do with the Texans?

In this draft there are two players in  Williams and Ferguson who experts say you can confidently take and plug into your starting line and Pro Bowls for the next 10 years.  These players are being projected as cornerstone players, rookies you can build your offensive and defensive lines around. 

Now the Texans have been a very bad team, but running back has hardly been their problem.  Davis is a proven commodity and tried and true 1,000 yard back.  He also has the versatility the league covets as he has been Carr's biggest safety blanket.  Now imagine if the young, bargain-priced back had an offensive line.

Experts say that Bush is the no-brainer selection for the Texans, but if they care to use their brains they will consider their options.  One of the options:

The Jets own two picks in the first round, including the number four overall pick.  They also have an aging running back they need to replace.  If the Texans were to put together a deal that would net them the two NY first round picks, and an additional first day selection, it's hard to come up with a logical reason why they should pass it up. 

At the number four spot, either Ferguson or Williams should be available and the other draft picks should help to fill some glaring holes in the Texans roster.

The Texans stand at an important crossroads in their brief history.  Two years ago the Texans were compared to a promising young version of the dominant 90's Cowboys.  Today they are being asked to take a young man projected to be the next Barry Sanders.

Sanders was the most electrifying running back in NFL history, which kept the Lions happy by filling seats.  He also rarely sniffed the playoffs and when he retired no one remembered the accomplishments of the Lions, just Sanders himself.

The Cowboys won three Superbowl rings and cemented their status as an elite NFL dynasty.  The triplets gained great noteriety but the star on their helmet always carreid as much weight as they did. 

They say history repeats itself, the only question is what kind of history the Texans choose to forge for their franchise with this, the most important pick in th history of their franchise.

Wow, it's really been a while since I posted anything on here.  Busy with life and school and such.  Anyways, going to try and keep up with the blogs again.  Just for starters here is my take on Brett Favre:

EVERYBODY QUIT COMPLAINING!  I'm tired of seeing the national NFL media types call out Favre just because they have no other stories until the draft.  Oh, no!  He's being selfish and holding his team hostage...They can't do anything until he makes a decision.

So, okay, first of all it's not training camp yet so Favre does not have to report to work until then.  As for holding the team hostage...Either way you Packers need to rebuild an offensive line, whether you're going with the aging hall of famer, or the rook.  It's not as if you're going from Favre to Michael Vick, there should be no change in philosophy. 

Quit using Favre as a cover.  Go out, get some offensive weapons and a line so that your quarterback, WHOEVER he may be, has a fighting chance this season.  Or maybe you prefer your QB throwing with two defensive tackles draped all over him. 

Rush Limbaugh and Mondesire were right, albeit for the wrong reasons.  Unfortunately the aforementioned nincom####s were given a public forum because the ignorant statements they voiced have overshadowed the one truth they got right: Donovan McNabb is overrated.  There, I said it, I believe it.  Does that make me or my comments racist?  Hardly. 

Discrimination is one of the most fun and innocent parts of being a sports fan, at least when it is based upon the color of a person's jersey and not of their skin.  I dislike McNabb for the purist reasons in all the world.  You see, I grew up a Cowboys fan and McNabb plays for the hated Philadelphia Eagles.  Unfairly, one man has perverted the innocence of my contempt for selfish reasons.

It's fun to hate McNabb.  It delights me every time I see DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis slam him into the turf or watch him blow a game, being picked of by Roy Williams for a touchdown.  But when something as di####able as racism is brought into the equation, it gives us pause and we realize that sports are not so important.  Suddenly that childlike disdain is gone, because it's about more than sports now, it's about the suffering of a human being.

McNabb is an athlete, one of the finest on the field.  Off of it he has been, as the NAACP has said, "an excellent role model and a class act".  It sickens me as a sports fan to see when athletes are attacked on a personal level for actions committed during a game.  As McNabb stated, to talk about his game is one thing.  When you talk about his race, there's problems.

As odd as it may seem, it is only out of the deepest respect for you Mr. McNabb that I tell you, you are as overrated a quarterback as I have ever seen.  Sound funny?  Let me explain.

Questioning McNabb's increasing reluctance to make plays with his feet is both a valid and intelligent point.  It's a fair request to ask that any quarterback with a career completion percentage in the 50's be able to do more than just stand in the pocket.  After all, accurracy has never been McNabb's strongest attribute.

Calling McNabb a racist because he doesn't run as often is, however, an ignorant and flawed statement.  Not all African-American quarterback have to run to stay true to themselves.  For instance, is the Jags QB Byron Leftwich a racist, or not "black" enough simply because he is an immobile pocket quarterback? 

Furthermore, players evolve out of neccessity.  Calling McNabb a racist for developing into a pocket quarterback would be like calling Michael Jordan a sellout for learning a jumpshot.  Athleticism is a very temporary thing and eventually an player must show that he is much more than an athlete.

As a quarterback I feel McNabb is overrated, his passing numbers were comparable to those of journeyman quarterback Brad Johnson, who is hardly considered great (and he has a ring).  It is my belief that Donovan was given a lot of undue credit for success that was created by a dominating defense that carried a mediocre offense for years to NFC championships. 

But back to the point: how is this statement showing respect for McNabb?  Because I'm evaluating him as a football player.  And, as  you can tell by my slanted views, I'm evaluating him as a fan.  I don't like him.  And fans don't hate or boo mediocre players (with the exception of the Raptors Rafael Araujo).  It was McNabb, after all, who just last season evaded a Cowboys pass rush for what seemed like five minutes, firing one of many touchdown passes in the Cowboys-Eagles series.

I hate Donovan McNabb.  And this is how it should be.  I call Mr. Chunky Soup overrated and boo his every move on the field.  He does his best to prove me wrong.  Whatever happens, my opinions of the man start and end on the field.  And whether it's throwing a touchdown pass or an interception, it's not a black man that I see on the field, only an athlete in that green jersey which I love to hate so much.

Every so often a word is invented that changes the English language.  With the beating the Eagles took there is no other word that can sum it up other than "monkeyraped".  Or perhaps you prefer donkeyraped.  Jeebus, the Eagles offense could've stayed on the field the whole game and still would've lost.  Anyways, with Westbrook now out, and nothing else to look forward to for the rest of the year, I thought I'd try and get a previous blog some more run and bring up my idea again:

Terrell Owens is the greatest player in the NFL today, capable of transforming any team into  playoff contenders.  Or at least that is what he is requiring anyone interested in his services to acknowledge before he fully commits himself to any team.  But the T.O. problems weren't caused by Owens obsessive infatuation with Owens, rather, they stem from everyone's inability to prove him wrong.

In T.O.'s mind, he believes he can single handedly carry a terrible team on his back for an entire NFL season.  Or, at the very least, his mere presence can turn a good team into a Superbowl team.  And while everyone and McNabb's mother has cried foul over his numerous statements, no one has considered that Owens may be right.

Blasphemy you say?  Go back to San Francisco when the whole "T.O. saga" started.  With the 49'ers dynasty disbanded and the team in salary cap hell, it was Owens presence that transformed a limp-armed quarterback into a perennial pro-bowl player.  In fact, injuries aside, since T.O. departed the only relevant comment that can be made about the former 49'ers, now Lions QB is:  Jeff Garcia who?

Move on to the Eagles.  Sure in the pre-T.O. era the Eagles may have been a solid team, appearing in three straight conference championships, but they never got over the hump did they? 

Sure enough, as he predicted, in Owens first season with Philadelphia he reinvigorated McNabb's status as one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL (remember his abysmal start the season before?).  McNabb's statistics rose across the board, most notably pass completion percentage, and the Eagles went to the Super bowl.

During this time all Owens has asked was that he be paid what he felt was his due recognition.  His critics responded with name-calling, his coaches suspended him.  But perhaps if someone had actually sat down and explained why T.O.'s theories were wrong then perhaps this whole mess could've been avoided. 

My solution:  The Eagles are done.  So why not give Owens an opportunity to prove everything he's ever said about himself?  Play him.  And when I say play him, I mean PLAY him.  Every minute, every down.

Owens feels he can carry an offense by himself?  Since nearly every play the Eagles call is a pass anyways, direct every single one of them to Mr. Owens.  Send him deep, send him over the middle and most importantly, send him into safeties.  See if he dares question another teammates stamina after being involved in every offensive snap.

Even better, since Owens loathes offensive coordinators so much, don't even bother calling plays.  Don't disguise anything.  Just keep everyone in max protection and send Owens out ALONE.  Let him choose his routes and draw the plays. 

What have the Eagles got to lose?  If, in the highly unlikely event, T.O. manages to win the game, bow down and revere him as the great athlete he has been telling everyone he is.  More realistically though, perhaps the Eagles can accomplish something more difficult than that ever-elusive Super bowl: Teaching Owens some humility.

Terrell Owens is the greatest player in the NFL today, capable of transforming any team into  playoff contenders.  Or at least that is what he is requiring anyone interested in his services to acknowledge before he fully commits himself to any team.  But the T.O. problems weren't caused by Owens obsessive infatuation with Owens, rather, they stem from everyone's inability to prove him wrong.

In T.O.'s mind, he believes he can single handedly carry a terrible team on his back for an entire NFL season.  Or, at the very least, his mere presence can turn a good team into a Superbowl team.  And while everyone and McNabb's mother has cried foul over his numerous statements, no one has considered that Owens may be right.

Blasphemy you say?  Go back to San Francisco when the whole "T.O. saga" started.  With the 49'ers dynasty disbanded and the team in salary cap hell, it was Owens presence that transformed a limp-armed quarterback into a perennial pro-bowl player.  In fact, injuries aside, since T.O. departed the only relevant comment that can be made about the former 49'ers, now Lions QB is:  Jeff Garcia who?

Move on to the Eagles.  Sure in the pre-T.O. era the Eagles may have been a solid team, appearing in three straight conference championships, but they never got over the hump did they? 

Sure enough, as he predicted, in Owens first season with Philadelphia he reinvigorated McNabb's status as one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL (remember his abysmal start the season before?).  McNabb's statistics rose across the board, most notably pass completion percentage, and the Eagles went to the Super bowl.

During this time all Owens has asked was that he be paid what he felt was his due recognition.  His critics responded with name-calling, his coaches suspended him.  But perhaps if someone had actually sat down and explained why T.O.'s theories were wrong then perhaps this whole mess could've been avoided. 

My solution:  The Eagles are done.  So why not give Owens an opportunity to prove everything he's ever said about himself?  Play him.  And when I say play him, I mean PLAY him.  Every minute, every down.

Owens feels he can carry an offense by himself?  Since nearly every play the Eagles call is a pass anyways, direct every single one of them to Mr. Owens.  Send him deep, send him over the middle and most importantly, send him into safeties.  See if he dares question another teammates stamina after being involved in every offensive snap.

Even better, since Owens loathes offensive coordinators so much, don't even bother calling plays.  Don't disguise anything.  Just keep everyone in max protection and send Owens out ALONE.  Let him choose his routes and draw the plays. 

What have the Eagles got to lose?  If, in the highly unlikely event, T.O. manages to win the game, bow down and revere him as the great athlete he has been telling everyone he is.  More realistically though, perhaps the Eagles can accomplish something more difficult than that ever-elusive Super bowl: Teaching Owens some humility.