Kudos to the NAACP’s CEO for criticizing the president of its Philadelphia branch for the “racially charged comments” he made regarding Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.
You know, it never works out when political candidates or officials try to criticize athletes. This sort of reminds me of when San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown called Elvis Grbac “an embarrassment to humankind.”
The people who criticize McNabb deride him as a “company man” (which is code language for “Uncle Tom”). Those of us, who defend him, think he is, instead, a team player. There’s a difference.
The USA Today’s Jon Saraceno hits the nail on the head:
“Look, this guy plays hurt, he plays tough, doesn\'t offer excuses and he certainly doesn\'t sell out his teammates as Owens has. McNabb has a healthy dose of perspective, and he has class. He was raised right. Sometimes, big money changes players for the worse (see T.O.) Sometimes, too much recognition does them in (see T.O.). Sometimes, their mouths rev out of gear before their brains catch up (see T.O.).”
On another note, I am cautiously optimistic about this Sunday’s Redskins/Cowboys game.
Feisty Cowboys’ coach, Bill Parcells, has owned Joe Gibbs over the years - and the Cowboys have owned the Redskins, too. But this is a different type of Cowboys/Redskins game because - for the first time in a long time - there is a real rivalry.
Both teams are desperately competing to make it to the playoffs. The loser of this game is likely out.
Normally, I would justify my Redskins’optimism by arguing this lopsided record actually means the Redskins are “due” for a win. But the fact that the Redskins basically stole that Monday Night game from the Cowboys, earlier this season, means that we may have already used up our luck against the Cowboys. Sadly, the Redskins didn’t turn that upset victory into momentum, nor did the Cowboys allow that loss to define their season.
Somebody must think we can win, because the Redskins are currently three-point favorites. All I ask is that, if the Redskins blow this game, that they don’t do it in the last minutes of the fourth quarter.
I’m not sure I can take another game like that.
