You'd think a player with over a decade of experience in the NFL dealing with the media would have a more critical ear when it comes to the media quoting a player... You'd think a player who has so often through the years seen his words twisted by members of the media to seem like more than they are would notice when he sees them doing it to someone else. You'd think that... but in the case of Donovan McNabb, you'd be wrong. When asked about the recent comments from Desean Jackson, rather than stopping to think about whether they really meant what the media was implying... McNabb instead lashed out DeSean Jackson and fell right into the trap that was set for him.
For those that haven't been following the "controversy," DeSean Jackson was the subject of a cover story in The Sporting News. The headline read "Missing McNabb? Eagles TD maker Desean Jackson says: 'I don't think we lost anything.'" Jackson also said in the article that he was "very happy" with the trade. Another quote, by the way which was lifted from the middle of a sentence which actually gave it context. In case you're wondering, after the jump is what DeSean Jackson actually said to the magazine and how the exact same thing happened to McNabb himself just months ago.
SN: When you said of the McNabb trade that "it was time for a change," what exactly did you mean by that?
Jackson: I'm not here in charge of the front office. I'm here to handle what I can do - play football, run routes, catch the football to the best of my ability. It was nothing against Mr. McNabb; it's just that I'm very confident in what we have here now, with Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick. Basically, I was just very happy with the decision that was made, and I'm not the guy in charge of making the decisions, I can't do anything but go with it.
SN: When you say happy are you simply choosing to have a good attitude or are you being more analytical?
Jackson: I'm just looking forward at our future. Playing with Kolb last year, I know what he's capable of doing; I see his playmaking ability and leadership. It's nothing necessarily against McNabb. We have great times here in Philly my first two years. I think without Donovan being here, probably half the things I did on the field - I'm not going to say that wouldn't have happened, but he gave me a better chance to be successful.
The article was only available in print and not online, which proved to be an insurmountable barrier for a surprisingly large amount of national media members. Rather than going to the store to get a copy of The Sporting News and reading the article, members of the media instead decided to run to McNabb with the half quote that the magazine had emailed out for publicity. McNabb accepted the quote as gospel and hit back at Jackson.
"It's so wild when people get to talking when you're not there, but when you're there everybody loves you," McNabb told the AP. "So I guess people will go deeper into it than I will. I'm a Redskin, no longer an Eagle. I had 11 great years, and I'm moving on with my life, so whoever may say things when I'm gone, more power to them, but it's not making you look like a bigger man."