This friday I had the great misfortune of hearing a fill in talk show host go on and on about how Eagles fans who want McNabb gone are lunatics.   The man has won more games and made the team more relavant for more years in a row than in the history of the team.

     Point conceeded, the winning that is.  Yes, with McNabb at QB the Eagles have soared to heights never before reached for the franchise over an extended period of time.  With that being said I would like to make the sane and rational counter arguement as to why his time in philly should be up, for good.

     He's a selfish player - Yes, I said it and he is.  Here's why, he thinks that he is better for the team playing injured than having someone who is healthy play.  I can trace this all back to one fatefull day when he broke his ankle against the Cards, kept playing and threw 4 TD's in a big Eagles victory.  Ever since that day, he's basically refused to sit down even when it is obvious that he is not helping his team by his percieved heroics. 

     The Eagles actually win without him - Ok, let me put a small note on this, the Eagles actually win without him, when Brian Westbrook plays.  The Eagles without McNabb have put up some outstanding seasons,  from last years playoff run under Garcia, to A.J. Feeley/Koy Detmer several years back.  The only time i can recall with McNabb gone was 2 years ago, and they were horrible, did I mention that Brian Westbrook was out for the year as well then too.  I don't have the stats handy, but take a look sometime, the Eagles without McNabb are pretty good.  The Eagles without Westbrook are just horrendous, with or without McNabb.

     Every year it is something new - You might be scratching your head at this title, but bear with me.  Every year for about the past 5 years McNabb has come into camp and said he is going to change "X" about his game.  Don't get me wrong, I'm all for players realizing they have things they need to work on, but in the case of Mr. McNabb it's not for the good of the team, it's all for how he wants to be perceived.  The most notable change asked for solely by McNabb was his basic refusal to run.  He didn't want to be known as a typical "Running QB"  rightly or wrongly, might also be attatched to comments about the general play style of other prominent black QB's.  This was the part of McNabb's game that made him so dangerous, the chance to take off in situations where it could do good.  Instead McNabb's ambition to shake those stereotypes hurt his team.  I know their record was still good, but it was hard to watch 20 yards of open field with no one around, McNabb seeing it and then instead opting to run back towards the pocket and throw to some covered reciever. 

     With his seemingly questionable "tweeks" of his game year in and year out, comes a ever growing me first attitude.  Have the Eagles always given him more talent each year to work with, no.  But, this may just be a hunch, but he seems to be one offseason a day from being that guy who wants to start making demands from his front office.  Sometimes these demands are worthwhile, but I'll put money down that if he still is in philly another year, he'll make those demands and probably come off sounded a whole lot like someone he had a big tift with TO.  Although he probably won't be working out on his driveway, he could get hurt out there.

     His surprise/anger at the drafting of Kolb - I think these all tie into his selfishness, but really, what did he expect, the Eagles declined to resign Garcia and well he spent the majority of 3 seasons injured.  Let's look at it objectively, oft injured QB, and nothing more than a lifelong back-up in the plans.  Maybe one day he won't get up from these injuries, maybe it's time to plan for the future.  It was a smart move on the Eagles part as far as I am concerned.  Not all QB's are Brett Farve in that they play at a high level for 18 years.  It just doesn't happen, and again with McNabb's injury history, it might not hurt to have a plan in place for the future, cause it sure looks like they are going to need it.

     The NFL sells itself as a team game and how no one player is above the rest of the team (I might make some tom brady like exceptions, but I won't cause it's not like he's playing with a bunch of second rate players there).  Mr. McNabb seems to think that he the only reason the Eagles have had such continued success.  Was he a part of it,  yes, was or his he the main reason for it, no. 

     A dreaded comparison / One final note - The Eagles fans and many of the Eagles admonished TO for his open and brazen criticism of the team, and rightfully so.  But is McNabb really that much different, his wants and desires for himself have held the team hostage and made them succeptable to his current feelings about how he should play.  TO was loud and pretty much everything fans hate to see from high priced athletes.  In a way, I'd almost rather have a guy like TO who openly voiced his displeasure, he made no bones about his place on the team and where he thought he should be there.  You may be able to argue that McNabb is actually worse.  The silent type that quietly takes control and without knowing it  has usurped total control and made the team about him but only shows his anger now when it's being put in question.