Sheridan and McNabb

Phil Sheridan is giving Rich Hoffman a run for his money as the best sports columnist in city with another stellar article in today's paper about Donovan McNabb and his HBO comments about race.

This superb piece had nuance and insight, and was as thought-provoking about McNabb and race as #5's initial comments. The nut graph as far as I'm concerned (and this goes beyond race commentary and neatly summarizes McNabb's star-crossed career in Philadelphia):

"McNabb's dubious status as the most peculiarly criticized professional athlete in the country.

That's most peculiarly criticized, not most criticized. Many athletes take heat for their performances, for the things they say and do, for their off-the-field actions. Some of them bring heavy criticism on themselves with bad behavior or ignorant public comments.

McNabb has been a very good player and a model citizen throughout his Eagles career. And yet he has been at the center of strange episodes involving Rush Limbaugh, who said he was coddled by the media because he was black; Terrell Owens, who insinuated that McNabb was not black enough; and the head of the local NAACP, who wrote a screed essentially calling McNabb a traitor to his race."

And on the larger score of McNabb's coments, let me say. Sadly, I think McNabb has some valid points and legitimate arguments about the unique challenges by black QBs in the NFL. My own personal experience is that people who criticize McNabb - and some of these people are my friends - invariably bring up his race, usually accompanied by a racial slur. There is very real anger towards McNabb from these naysayers (perhaps why I personally maybe overcompensate in his favor as a fan) and I can't help but detect at least a whiff of racial animus. I hope - and prefer to think - that the anger stems in large part from frustration because of McNabb's incredible talents and how close he has come to winning a championship for this team and city, but there is no denying there is an anger and an edge that simply is not there when talking about other white Eagles' or NFL QBs.