Post by EagleGene on Jul 21, 2006 20:25:24 GMT -5
McNabb Answers T.O. Questions
July 21, 2006
By ZACH BERMAN
It was Donovan McNabb's turn.
After endless banter about McNabb during the off-season ranging from his health to his leadership to former wide receiver Terrell Owens, McNabb had the floor.
The franchise quarterback delivered the same message he voiced throughout the tumultuous 2005 season. McNabb emphasized in trying times he won't change who he is. Rather, he'll maintain the same smile-through-trouble approach.
"Each year, it's like I get challenged with something," McNabb said. "I think the best way of handling any situation is to just be yourself and try not to get out of body and be someone else. I tried to handle it professionally and in a manner that wouldn't distract anything we're doing in here, that wouldn't put my family at risk in anyway and in doing that, just being the right guy in the right situation."
McNabb acknowledged that questions and scrutiny wouldn't end. Media attention comes with the territory of being the franchise quarterback for a successful team in a major media market. Because of the Owens fallout and the former Eagles receiver staying within the NFC East by signing with the Dallas Cowboys, the burden will continue to loom from the outside.
That part is out of his control. What's in McNabb's control is the team's attitude and how they deal with the extra-curricular attention. That part is within his control, and he's confident the Eagles are putting it behind them.
"The good thing in life is you can put the past behind you and move and create your own future," McNabb said. "This team is definitely hungry and looking forward to answer the criticism."
McNabb was cordial and honest, appearing eager to provide his response to the ongoing speculation resulting from allegations in Owens book. He didn't come out and blatantly take shots at his former teammate, rather issuing compliments and Owens' skills and work ethic.
But he did object to Owens' perception of some of the events from last season in Owens' book, which McNabb characterized as a "children's book."
"One thing you have to understand is when you write your book, you're going to write whatever you feel. Let's not overlook that," McNabb said. "Obviously, he said all the words weren't his. You got to understand, I'm the guy on the other side. I lived it last year."
Among Owens' claims was that a coach told him McNabb is tense in big games. McNabb's response: "It's funny how they would just go to him. Why wouldn't they just come to me?"
Owens also wrote that McNabb cursed at Owens in 2004 during a huddle of a mid-season game against the Giants when Owens came back claiming he was open.
McNabb's response: "He told me, 'Hey I was open, throw me the ball,' and you guys believe that, I'm sure," McNabb sarcastically said. "You think about that."
There was also an insinuation that McNabb had a part in Owens' four-games suspension and then being sent home by the team for the reminder of the 2005 season.
McNabb's response: "That's not true. If I had that much pull, a lot of changes would be made."
But the overlying controversy that resulted from Owens' book was questions about McNabb's leadership and a supposed rift in the locker room in 2005. McNabb takes pride in his leadership and is the unquestionable leader of the offense, so the topic particularly incited response from McNabb.
From the outside, there were persistent questions about McNabb's leadership. From the inside, though, McNabb never felt his teammates questioned his leadership.
"I never felt my leadership was in question and I wasn't offended if people felt that way," McNabb said. "Leaders handle things in a whole different manner. It's not about me throwing punches or being in front of you guys yelling at him or about me sticking my chest out to show I'm the leader of the team. You handle situations professionally and as a man.
"If there's something that's going on, you talk amongst each other. Now if you decide to turn your back, I'll still get my words out and you'll hear at least what I said. Now if you can't handle that, that's not my fault. You look at some of these so-called big leaders of the game and I'm sure they handle situations just like I do."
McNabb said that whatever he says or does in Philadelphia would draw some type of criticism. But he also understands that when the Eagles struggle - and that happened for the first time last season since McNabb's rookie year in 1999 - negativity becomes magnified.
So while he admitted Owens was a factor in the Eagles' 6-10 season, the questions about his leadership, his health and perhaps even his perception will ultimately be determined on the football field.
"The way you win anything is by winning games," McNabb said. "All of this wouldn't have happened if we wouldn't have gone 6-10 last year."
July 21, 2006
By ZACH BERMAN
It was Donovan McNabb's turn.
After endless banter about McNabb during the off-season ranging from his health to his leadership to former wide receiver Terrell Owens, McNabb had the floor.
The franchise quarterback delivered the same message he voiced throughout the tumultuous 2005 season. McNabb emphasized in trying times he won't change who he is. Rather, he'll maintain the same smile-through-trouble approach.
"Each year, it's like I get challenged with something," McNabb said. "I think the best way of handling any situation is to just be yourself and try not to get out of body and be someone else. I tried to handle it professionally and in a manner that wouldn't distract anything we're doing in here, that wouldn't put my family at risk in anyway and in doing that, just being the right guy in the right situation."
McNabb acknowledged that questions and scrutiny wouldn't end. Media attention comes with the territory of being the franchise quarterback for a successful team in a major media market. Because of the Owens fallout and the former Eagles receiver staying within the NFC East by signing with the Dallas Cowboys, the burden will continue to loom from the outside.
That part is out of his control. What's in McNabb's control is the team's attitude and how they deal with the extra-curricular attention. That part is within his control, and he's confident the Eagles are putting it behind them.
"The good thing in life is you can put the past behind you and move and create your own future," McNabb said. "This team is definitely hungry and looking forward to answer the criticism."
McNabb was cordial and honest, appearing eager to provide his response to the ongoing speculation resulting from allegations in Owens book. He didn't come out and blatantly take shots at his former teammate, rather issuing compliments and Owens' skills and work ethic.
But he did object to Owens' perception of some of the events from last season in Owens' book, which McNabb characterized as a "children's book."
"One thing you have to understand is when you write your book, you're going to write whatever you feel. Let's not overlook that," McNabb said. "Obviously, he said all the words weren't his. You got to understand, I'm the guy on the other side. I lived it last year."
Among Owens' claims was that a coach told him McNabb is tense in big games. McNabb's response: "It's funny how they would just go to him. Why wouldn't they just come to me?"
Owens also wrote that McNabb cursed at Owens in 2004 during a huddle of a mid-season game against the Giants when Owens came back claiming he was open.
McNabb's response: "He told me, 'Hey I was open, throw me the ball,' and you guys believe that, I'm sure," McNabb sarcastically said. "You think about that."
There was also an insinuation that McNabb had a part in Owens' four-games suspension and then being sent home by the team for the reminder of the 2005 season.
McNabb's response: "That's not true. If I had that much pull, a lot of changes would be made."
But the overlying controversy that resulted from Owens' book was questions about McNabb's leadership and a supposed rift in the locker room in 2005. McNabb takes pride in his leadership and is the unquestionable leader of the offense, so the topic particularly incited response from McNabb.
From the outside, there were persistent questions about McNabb's leadership. From the inside, though, McNabb never felt his teammates questioned his leadership.
"I never felt my leadership was in question and I wasn't offended if people felt that way," McNabb said. "Leaders handle things in a whole different manner. It's not about me throwing punches or being in front of you guys yelling at him or about me sticking my chest out to show I'm the leader of the team. You handle situations professionally and as a man.
"If there's something that's going on, you talk amongst each other. Now if you decide to turn your back, I'll still get my words out and you'll hear at least what I said. Now if you can't handle that, that's not my fault. You look at some of these so-called big leaders of the game and I'm sure they handle situations just like I do."
McNabb said that whatever he says or does in Philadelphia would draw some type of criticism. But he also understands that when the Eagles struggle - and that happened for the first time last season since McNabb's rookie year in 1999 - negativity becomes magnified.
So while he admitted Owens was a factor in the Eagles' 6-10 season, the questions about his leadership, his health and perhaps even his perception will ultimately be determined on the football field.
"The way you win anything is by winning games," McNabb said. "All of this wouldn't have happened if we wouldn't have gone 6-10 last year."