Replies

First of all, the argument was predicated on McNabb's performance in 2003 as well.

Not in any way intending to be a wise-ass (about this largely irrelvant tangent we've gone on), let me clear something up for non-football junkies.

You wrote "The argument was about McNabb's record in 2001-2002, so I think it rather appropriate to mention his teammates from 2001-2002...you know?"

When people discuss "McNabb's record in 2001-2002", which they were in part here, they're talking about the 2001 regular season and the postseason that followed (which took place in January 2002) + the 2002 regular season and the postseason that followed (which took place in January 2003).

However, the Pro Bowl list you cite is the one related to the 2001, not 2002, regular season.

It follows that McNabb's "2001-2002" Pro Bowl teammates, referenced earlier in the discussion, are those that played with him during the 2001 (not 2002) regular season, which led up to the Pro Bowl which took place the week after the Super Bowl, in February 2002. The proof of this is the inclusion on the list of Jeremiah Trotter, who played (poorly) for the Redskins during the 2002 season (there was no 2002 postseason taking place in 2003 for the Redskins ... tee hee!). This is also proven by the failure to include Jermane Mayberry, Bobby Taylor and Brian Dawkins, Eagle Pro Bowlers last season ("2002-2003 All Pro", not "2001-2002 All Pro".)

Hope that clears things up. Certainly not the most important part of this discussion.

As far as 2003 is concerned, I don't think anyone is arguing he has been anything but terrible so far. As the example of Warner indicates, a pro player can lose that 'it' that makes them good very quickly - whether that has happened to McNabb yet or not it is far to early to tell, but it would seem that his play this year has led directly to Limbaugh's comments.

As for the Pro Bowl, I was refuting the claim he had no pro-bowl caliber skill level players - he did.

As for the 2003 pro-bowl the Eagles had

OT Tra Thomas
OT Jon Runyan
OG Jermaine Mayberry
TE Chad Lewis
QB Donovan McNabb
DE Hugh Douglas
CB Bobby Taylor
CB Troy Vincent
FS Brian Dawkins
PK David Akers

All of which only makes the point this is not a one man team, and never was, all the stronger. Having seven and then ten pro-bowlers indicates a stacked, and balanced team.