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McNabb is better than Dilfer, and the Ravens D was better than Philly's the past 2 years. I'm not sure about Brad Johnson, but again the Bucs D was/is better than Philly's ever was. Two years ago he definitely deserved a pro Bowl invite, I'm not so sure about last year. Popularity has something to do with who goes to the Pro Bowl. Also, many players decline to go for one reason or another, so you then go to the next guy...the next thing you know you've got the 5th or 6th best QB there, but he's still recorded as a Pro Bowler for the rest of his life. So it's deceiving.

As far as black QBs go, I'd take McNair over McNabb any day of the week.

I've been bugged by all the wrath directed at McNabb this week. He's a good guy. All Rush said about him personally was that he was overrated, and even in today's double-standard PC world that is not enough to get somebody fired. It was his comment on the media and ESPN's spinlessness that did him in.

I live in Syracuse and think very highly of McNabb as a player and a person. I know it may have been a lot to ask but I was hoping that he would stand up and say that Rush's comments were not racist and people should relax. However, I think he was more offended about being called out as an overrated football player. Unfortunately, he used the race element of Rush's comments as a shield against the valid criticism of his performance on the field. Again, I know it may have been a lot to ask with all of the media attention but I didn't like to see McNabb play the victim.

McNabb is better than Dilfer, and the Ravens D was better than Philly's the past 2 years.

Sure...but my point remains, that just because the Eagles made it to the championship is not proof of his being the best Quarterback - especially not when we have had several middling QBs make it to championships on the back of an excellent defense. Dilfer was a very good role-player - essentially, just don't blow the game by making a silly turnover. Dilfer was functionally not a QB at all, and he wasn't required to be for his team to succeed. McNabb is clearly better than that...but there are several QBs in each conference that are better QBs than McNabb.

You are also correct that the Eagles Defense was not the completely dominating thing that the Ravens was. That just means they needed more of an offense to compliment them. The Eagles defense was the core of the Eagles team, with the offense an occasional supporting cast. The Eagles offense didn't need to dominate, or even be exceptional - all it had to do was not blow things, be occassionally successful, and take advantage when the defense handed them a plum as they did with yesterdays 18 yeard touchdown "drive".

As you describe, Pro-Bowl selection is hardly objective, nor is it neccessarily even a reflection of what it claims to be due to the factors you cite. On the other hand, McNabb DOES bring more to the game than his middling statistics would suggest...I just don't think the case can be well made that he is a top-tier QB, at least yet.

All of this is getting off the point. McNabb is not, nor has he been a top-tier QB, so why has he been presented as such and honored as such? Is it implausible that he has been getting more than his fair share of attention and praise because of media cheerleading? What other reasons might there be for this?