WHAT QUARTERBACK CONTROVERSY?

March 1, 2007

Michael Smerconish

 

THERE'S NOTHING new about a quarterback controversy in this town. I've been enjoying them from the sidelines my entire life, and the competition they bring is often a good thing.

 

My earliest memory of an Eagles game is my father's taking my brother and me to Franklin Field in the late '60s. Two things stand out: the unique toilet style in the men's room and fans squabbling over who should start at QB.

When I told that to Ray Didinger, author of "The Eagles Encyclopedia" with Robert S. Lyons, he knew the debate. In 1966, Norm Snead, King Hill and Jack Concannon all took turns starting for the Eagles under Joe Kuharich. (That was the year Kuharich uttered the memorable line: "Having three starting QBs is rare but not unusual.")

 

Snead started 10 games, Hill and Concannon (the fans' fave) each started two. Incredibly, the Eagles actually finished 9-5 that year and went to the Runner-Up Bowl, where they faced the Baltimore Colts. Kuharich played all three QBs. The Eagles lost, 20-14.

 

When I was still a boy, in the early 1970s, my father often scrounged 700-level seats at the Vet to watch Roman Gabriel lead the "fire high gang" when Mike McCormack was coach. Some thought Gabe should have sat in favor of Mike Boryla or John Reaves. I was for Gabe. (I once hung a banner saying "Win One for the Gaber" that got picked up in the Evening Bulletin.)

 

By the time the Vermeil era began in 1976, we had season tickets in the 600 level, and things were relatively stable with Ron Jawor-ski at the helm. Didinger was in the room at a post-game Vermeil press conference where he said:

 

"Guys, you might as well write this. I'm not going to let the fans substitute my QB for me. They've been doing that in this town for years, and that's why they've never won. I have a QB [Jaws] who can win for us, and the only way to let him develop is to let him stay in there and throw nine innings. The fans can boo all they want; I'm not changing QBs."

 

But when Vermeil left and Marion Campbell drafted Randall Cunningham, Campbell sat Jaws down in favor of Randall - then switched back to Jaws. Next came the Buddy Ryan era, which sometimes featured Jaws and Randall in the same series.

 

By then, we were in the 200 level at the Vet in the end zone, and I can recall afternoons in the early '90s when fans chanted for Jim McMahon to replace an erratic Cunningham. Controversy about Randall continued with Ray Rhodes at the helm. At one point in the mid-'90s, Rodney Peete got the nod over Randall.

Under Andy Reid, Donovan McNabb has had a free ride. McNabb was the first player Reid ever drafted and Reid has been loyal to his protˇgˇ. Only recently did Jeff Garcia threaten that stability, and raise the prospect of a real quarterback controversy.

 

GARCIA BREATHED life into a town devastated by Donovan's injury, and almost took us to the Promised Land.

 

His 6-2 record was all the more impressive because of the "Rocky"-like nature of his rise to glory. The city will be forever grateful for his role in making this season's Birds one of the franchise's more unpredictable, fun-to-watch teams.

Too bad the Eagles don't share that affinity for the latest No. 7. Instead, they've gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure that this potential QB controversy ends with his departure.

 

How else to explain the shoddy way in which the Birds turned their back on Garcia by extending A.J. Feeley's deal for three more years? In signing Feeley, the Birds have bought Garcia a one-way Barbera Dodge out of town.

The Eagles, according to Garcia's agent Steve Baker, never even sat down at the table. To me, that says they were hell-bent on getting rid of him, probably to shield Donovan from the looming controversy.

 

ESPN's Sal Paolantonio agrees. When I asked him if he thought the handling of Garcia was intended to placate McNabb, he went one step further. He said, "Jeff Garcia's fate was sealed by Mama McNabb."

 

He was referring, of course, to Wilma's blog, where, in December, after the Eagles win over the Cowboys on Christmas Day, she offered a post titled "Bittersweet."

 

She wrote: "We want our team to win and even go to the Superbowl and win it in Miami especially if they continue to play as they have. But oh oh, if they win the Superbowl without my son, what would be the real outcome with the fans? Will they crucify him? Maybe, then the trade talks would begin. Off season madness, worse than last year's fiasco. But guess what, I guess I'll have to take the beating if it comes."

 

I appreciated her candor. What athlete hasn't felt the pull between wanting a team victory, but not a stellar performance by whoever is ahead of you on the depth chart?

 

But trade talks? Off-season madness? Worse than T.O.? The Eagles wanted none of that. So, by signing Feeley, the team has done McNabb the ultimate solid. They have gone out of their way for the player Terrell Owens described as a "company man."

 

Call it the ultimate quarterback sneak.

Listen to Michael Smerconish weekdays 5:30-9 a.m. on the Big Talker, 1210/AM. Read him Sundays in the Inquirer. Contact him via the Web at www.mastalk.com.