Beyond the White and Gold

Now that the media firestorm has somewhat passed following the Rush Limbaugh and Donovan McNabb controversy, one is able to look back on the statement and objectively determine whether Limbaugh’s point is valid.

For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, during ESPN’s Sept. 28 telecast of Sunday NFL Countdown, Limbaugh said the following statement: “I don’t think he’s (McNabb) been that good from the get-go. I think what we’ve had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn’t deserve. The defense carried this team.”

Limbaugh has subsequently resigned from his post on ESPN, citing on his radio show that his desire was to prevent his colleagues on the show from receiving flak. Some have hypothesized that this statement was actually a convenient time for Limbaugh to bow out before the accusations of illegally obtaining painkillers came to the forefront. Whether or not that is the case, it is neither here nor there. I am concerned with the content of Limbaugh’s statement.

Let’s start with Limbaugh’s first point-that McNabb hasn’t been that great from the outset. If you look at his career numbers, that argument seems to hold up. McNabb has a passer rating for his career of 77.0 and a completion percentage of 56.3, while averaging just 5.9 yards per attempt. These are hardly numbers worthy of being deemed one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL. Granted McNabb has had some very good statistical years, especially when his rushing totals are factored in.

By looking at these three statistics, Limbaugh’s point has some validity. His final point is that the Eagles defense has carried that team. This is where Limbaugh is dead on.

In McNabb’s tenure in Philadelphia, the Eagles have never ranked higher than No.10 in the league in yards gained offensively and never ranked lower than No.10 in yards allowed defensively.

The 2002 season is the perfect example of the Eagles relying on their defense. The Eagles were 7-3 with McNabb starting and 5-1 while he was injured. The two quarterbacks during the 5-1 stretch at the end of the season were Koy Detmer and A.J. Feeley. If you just asked “Who?,” you are not alone. Apparently the brother of Ty Detmer and the guy who preceded gigantic Akili Smith at Oregon were good enough to lead the Eagles to an 83.3 winning percentage. Thanks to the defense of course.

Race is the center of the controversy surrounding Limbaugh’s statement. This part of Rush’s statement comes in two parts: there is some political correctness in the NFL, and that McNabb was over-hyped in the media because he is black.

Again Limbaugh is correct about the first part. The NFL is at a very politically correct stage, most notable is the new hiring process where teams are required to seriously consider minority coaches for the position. Even if you don’t view this policy as political correctness, is it completely unreasonable to pose the question that political correctness exists in NFL Headquarters? No, of course not.

Limbaugh is right that McNabb is over-hyped by the media. However, he slightly misses the mark as to why. The media does have a little hope invested in McNabb, but it is not solely because he is black. Black quarterbacks have been successful in the past. Doug Williams, Warren Moon and Randall Cunningham come to mind.

Even in today’s era, there are several black quarterbacks starting for NFL teams. The list includes some pretty successful gunslingers at that: McNabb, Daunte Culpepper, Mike Vick, Steve McNair and Aaron Brooks.

But out of this group, McNabb is the biggest star, and not because he is the most productive (McNair) or the most exciting (Vick). Rather McNabb has the most marketable personality. In other words, he’s a black quarterback that can sell products to middle America. McNabb is young, good-looking, charismatic and an African-American athlete who happens to play quarterback. That is why he is over-hyped.

To refute Rush’s claim that McNabb is over-hyped because he is a black quarterback, one only has to look to the Tennessee Titans’ McNair. McNair may be one of the most underrated players in the NFL today. He is an efficient passer, a dangerous runner, extremely durable and a guy you want with the ball in his hands when the game is on the line.

Is Rush Limbaugh’s opinion on Donovan McNabb debatable? Sure. I think he makes a rather decent point overall. But regardless of whether it is sound football analysis or a correct depiction of the media, the statement itself is not racist. Yet our hypersensitive society can’t take the opinion for what it is and debate it in a rational sense. Instead we are left with reactionary charges of racism and ad hominem attacks. Let’s keep this debate in the sports world. To those in Washington who want to use this as a free shot to bash Rush Limbaugh, shut up and get back to work.