The700Level.com - Philly Sports & Minutiae

And The MSM Finally Catches On...

Gentlemen, welcome to last Friday.  Much has been made over McNabb's raise over the past few days, but most in the media have taken an angle on the story that frankly showed they weren't fully grasping the levity of the situation.  "Financial apology" and "money for nothing" stories might come off as controversial, and the notion this created a "two-year window" for Donovan may sound appealing, although the facts would indicate none of it was an entirely accurate assessment.

As some people are beginning to figure out, the greatest accomplishment between the two sides was simply understanding how business in the NFL works.  The Eagles have two quarterbacks, and both will have one year remaining in 2010.  Theoretically, they only need and probably are only able to sign one, but they remain uncertain as to which one that should be.

Quotable: Peter King's Take On McNabb Deal

Via King's MMQB:

The McNabb deal makes sense, there's nothing sinister about it. "Donovan's contract yelled out that it needed to be adjusted,'' said Eagles president Joe Banner.

Due $9.2 million this year and $10 million next year before the deal dissolved, McNabb had $5.2 million added to the next two years. That's it. As for the buzz over the past three months that McNabb was demanding a new deal, Banner contends it never happened.

Where Do Donovan, Eagles Go From Here?

Coming off of a contract renegotiation which pays him an additional $5.2 million and guarantees the entirety of the next two years, you might find it odd the McNabb-O-Meter slides further away from a future with the Birds.  The reality is, while it makes the quarterback happy in the short term, it accomplishes little to nothing toward securing McNabb beyond this season.

Eagles, McNabb Agree To Terms (Updated)

Comcast Sportsnet reports Donovan McNabb has agreed to a restructuring of the final two years of his contract with the Eagles.  Full details have not yet been disclosed, but the renegotiation is said to add an estimated $5 million in new money, plus another $1 million in incentives according to ESPN.

A press conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, and Eagles brass has already confirmed this is a done deal.  Via Eagletarian:

“Donovan has played a large part of this team’s success over the last 10 years,” Eagles chairman Jeffrey Lurie said in a release annonuncing the news, at 10:25 p.m.. “He has been a professional in every sense of the word.”

"We are thrilled that this all worked out,” said Eagles president Joe Banner. “He is a great football player, a great person, and someone who gives back to the community. We are lucky to have him in Philadelphia.”

"The Philadelphia Eagles organization and the entire city of Philadelphia are fortunate to have a quarterback the caliber of Donovan McNabb," said Reid. "He has proven himself to be a talented player on the field, a caring member of the Philadelphia community, and a winner."

We'll have our full take on the new contract tomorrow, including the impact this signing has on the McNabb-O-Meter.

Introducing The McNabb-O-Meter 2010

If reports are accurate and Donovan's new contract does not extend the length of the deal, it will essentially give the Eagles one more season to determine whether they prefer to stick with 5 or move on to the Kevin Kolb era.  A lot can and probably will happen in that time, making it nearly impossible to predict exactly how the finish will ultimately go down, but one thing is almost certain: his standing with the team will fluctuate.

Eagles, McNabb: New Deal On The Way?

While one unhappy player stews at home, another is quietly working on some new terms.  Derrick Gunn reports the Eagles and Donovan McNabb are working on his contract, though it appears it will not be the extension many thought the quarterback was seeking.  Rather than add to the remaining two years on his existing deal, it appears the sides will settle on restructuring what is already in place.

What Does Eagles Statement Mean For Donovan McNabb?

There's a name that surprisingly did not come up much yesterday, if at all.  The Eagles just flatly denied both a contract renegotiation and a trade for a player, citing "league MVP's, Super Bowl champion quarterbacks, and perennial Pro Bowlers" who failed in their efforts to force an organization's hand because "their teams have required them to wait until their contract expired or there was only one year remaining."

How quickly we all forget the quarterback of this team seeks a contract extension as well.

Timeline: with two years remaining on a deal originally signed in '02, McNabb went public with his desire for a new contract sometime after his mid-season benching.  During the offseason, sources then revealed he didn't intend to agree to terms unless he was happy with the personnel, going so far as to suggest he might also request a trade.

Well, Donovan: where do you stand now?

Because There's Nothing Else To Talk About Right Now...

On Tuesday, in the midst of the beginning of baseball season for the defending world champs and the stretch runs for the Sixers and Flyers, 950 ESPN will devote a four block of sports talk radio to something they've dubbed "The Great Donovan Debate."  Hosted by Mike Missanelli and featuring notable guests such as Sal Paolantonio and Ron Jaworski plus a live studio audience, the event was designed to debate the merits of franchise QB Donovan McNabb.

Let's save everyone four hours right now: there is no debate.

Donovan McNabb Speaks About Brian Dawkins & Tra Thomas

Donovan McNabb felt the need to tell his fans and the world how he feels about the loss of Brian Dawkins and Tra Thomas. It leaves you kind of sad about the state of the Eagles in a post-Dawkins era.

It's Not A Story Unless Howard Eskin Says It's A Story (But He Does Have a Point)

Burger King was on Sports Final last night with his pal John Clarke to discuss the McNabb/sitdown situation. Now, if you get past Eskin's ego in demeaning an "Internet report," he actually makes a few solid points. In my opinion, it was ESPN who blew the whole thing last week out of proportion by saying a new deal was almost all but finalized. It really had nothing to do with any notable "blogs" yet the geniuses at the NBC10 "blog" title their article "Eskins Blasts Bloggers." Eskin, the windbag artist, paints with too broad of a brush. [Video below]

So Wait, Are You REALLY, REALLY SURE You Want To Be An Eagle?

A Comcast reporter by the name of Kevin Walsh caught up with Donovan McNabb as he watched Villanova have their way with Syracuse on Sunday at the Wachovia Center. He does ask the tough question regarding comments McNabb made at the Super Bowl in which he obstensibly threw his defensive teammates under the bus. McNabb says all is well and the people putting on the jerseys know what he means. Things turn south, however, and it turns into a big pile of awkward. [Comcast Video]

While we're at it, a Yahoo! report says McNabb may skip the OTAs if he doesn't get a "financial apology" for Andy Reid's decision to bench him. Awesome. [Yahoo!]

Video: McNabb Chats On ESPN

McNabb chatted it up on ESPN yesterday about his future as a Philadelphia Eagle. Not much that hasn't been said before but I found the fact that there were Eagles fans down in Tampa without their team to be quite sad.

McNabb Wants To Retire As An Eagle, Says Deion Is Off

Donovan McNabb has been making the media rounds down in Tampa, even appearing as an analyst on SportsCenter, and he's been asked a lot about his future. Donovan rebukes Deion Sanders claims that he "knows" McNabb wants out of Philly. McNabb firmly states he wants to retire as an Eagle and notes, "Deion's not speaking for me."

The quote to come out of Five's time down in Tampa that I've enjoyed the most is the one about the Philly fans.

Obvious: Cards Fans That Vandalized McNabb's Lawn Are Idiots

So when I first read about the horrible incident in which Cardinals fans vandalized the lawn of Donovan McNabb's Arizona home, I figured it was likely some overzealous, drunken college students. College kids do stupid stuff all the time. Of course, assuming is never a good idea. One of the culprits was actually a 37-year old dude.

Eagles Offseason: Quarterbacks

Donovan McNabb will return for his 11th season with the Philadelphia Eagles.  Joe Banner already said so.  Andy Reid said so.  So why do I get the overwhelming feeling it's not that simple?

Because it may not be.  Amid all the discussion about McNabb remaining an Eagle lingers his desire for a new contract and a boiling frustration with the fans and head coach.  If he still holds a grudge over some boos, imagine how he must stew over his benching.

The fact is, this story can still play out where Donovan winds up elsewhere.  Nobody within the organization wishes to entertain that idea now, especially with the most unpopular backup QB in recent memory waiting in the wings, but it's a reality.