With the benefit of hindsight, we can clearly say that the biggest mistake the Mike Shanahan/Bruce Allen tandem has made in Washington was the trade for Donovan McNabb on Easter Sunday 2010. At the time, most people were willing to overlook the two draft picks that were sent to Philadelphia because everyone was excited at the prospect of a big-name quarterback. (Wait a minute ...)
We all know how it worked out, and there's little need to rehash the benching in Detroit, the Monday Night extension announcement, and the demotion to third quarterback. But McNabb was on ESPN's "First Take" Thursday morning and felt the need to do just that.
We actually refuse to watch "First Take" (we have only so many undamaged brain cells left as it is), but Rick Maese of The Washington Post was good enough to jump on the grenade.
McNabb says he was misused here and thinks Skins could similarly misuse RGIII: "You have to be in a system that caters to your ability"
— Rick Maese (@RickMaese) March 29, 2012
Here are Donovan McNabb's 2010 stats. We also were fortunate (?) enough to cover every home game of his in person. If you want to argue that McNabb's struggles were a result of lesser talent, go ahead. But misuse? Please.
McNabb says on ESPN RGIII is not a good fit for Redskins. Says ego will get in way. "Are you going to cater the offense around his talent?"
— Rick Maese (@RickMaese) March 29, 2012
First of all, whose ego? And second of all, yes, generally it is a good idea to build teams around talented players. Rolling right along ...
Skip Bayless asked McNabb if he simply has an ax to grind. "I do but I don't"
— Rick Maese (@RickMaese) March 29, 2012
This is the classic Donovan McNabb quote. He clearly still has an ax to grind, but he never, ever just comes out and says "Yes, I resent the fact that I was benched in favor of Rex Grossman. Who wouldn't? He's Rex Grossman, for God's sake." I don't know why he does this (trying to play the nice guy, I guess), but it doesn't make him look any better. Rather, it makes him look like the locker room lawyer that many of his teammates have acknowledged him to be.
And finally ...
BTW, McNabb says he's not ruling out playing again in the NFL, "but if the move is for me to move into the media, I'm ready to that as well"
— Rick Maese (@RickMaese) March 29, 2012
Oh, baby. You are so ready for that.