(“Coloured” written by an Anonymous pupil of King Edward VI School, Birmingham, UK; found in The Children’s book of poems, prayers and meditations ed. Liz Attenborough, Element Books, 1989)

The phrase “wild card” was designed to denote the X factor in a situation that is perceived to have a certain outcome.

In pro football, the wild card has symbolized excitement and reaped rewards; the team on a roll parlaying their walk with destiny into a run for the ultimate team prize.

Since the age of six, my colors of choice have been the Kelly Green, Silver & White of the Philadelphia Eagles; and they were champions when I walked in the door, having beaten Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers 17-13.

To this day those Eagles were the only team to beat a Lombardi – coached team in a National Football League championship game and this year will recognize the 50^th anniversary of that feat.

I have enjoyed watching Pete Retzlaff, Tim Brown, Tom “Wild Man” Woodeshick, Chuck Bednarik, Ted Dean, Clarence Peaks, Tommy McDonald and my cousin, number #24, Nate Ramsey, a mainstay of the Eagles’ defense in the 1960s.

From Eric Allen to Don Zimmerman, I have been there for the highs and the lows; and like all true fans, remained so win, lose or draw.

When the final whistle was sounded in the 34 -14 ass whuppin’ the Dallas Cowboys laid on the Eagles in the playoffs, the drums immediately began to beat for the ouster of quarterback Donovan McNabb. Headlines like “McNabb came up small” “Fair or not, McNabb to be judged heavily” and “Time for McNabb to move on” were slapped down faster than it takes to order a cheese steak at Pat’s.

What’s Love Got to Do With It?

In those 50 years, the line at quarterback for the “Iggles” has been fragile for long stretches of time. When stable, however, the rewards were worth the wait: Sonny Jurgensen, Roman Gabriel, Ron Jaworski, Randall Cunningham and Donovan McNabb.

The last 11 of those 50 years have been in McNabb’s hands, and as much as the mainstream media desires to depict him as anything but an elite quarterback, facts have never gotten in the way of what McNabb has accomplished – in spite of all the poison sent his way.

Here are the facts: since being booed on Draft Day in 1999, McNabb has emerged as the Eagles all-time passing leader (32,873 yards and counting, a 216 -100 TD to INT ratio, 93 – 50 – 1 as regular season starter, 9-7 in playoffs).  Of the 22 playoff appearances ever earned by the Eagles franchise, eight of them (almost 40%) have been with McNabb under center, more than any other Philly QB.

McNabb is a five time Pro Bowl selection, and NFC Offensive Player of the Year (2004).

Over the entire history of the league, McNabb was the first quarterback to ever throw for 30 touchdowns and less than 10 interceptions in a season; so much for questions of ball security, accuracy and passing percentage.

Of the 11 Division Championships throughout the Eagles history, five were with McNabb as their field general, more than any other. Think Norm van Brocklin, Jaworski or Cunningham, and you’re not even close.

Of the three conference championships, McNabb has one, along with Jaworski and the tandem of van Brocklin/Jurgensen.

And of their two Super Bowl appearances, McNabb has one (SB XXXIX).

When the Eagles 75^th Anniversary All-Time Team was presented, the player under center on that team was not van Brocklin, Jurgensen, Jaworski or Cunningham – it was Donovan Jamal McNabb.

Compare the stability and level of excellence served to spoiled Eagles fans to other teams in the league, and you will find maybe four or five teams who have had the luxury of similar stability. In the rough-and-tumble NFC Beast, the Eagles, under McNabb, have more Division Championships in the past decade than the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys or laughable Washington.

Once you get past Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Brett Favre, McNabb, along with Ben Roethlisberger and Phillip Rivers is one of the league’s elite passers. Consider that in the same time frame, he has had only one All-Pro receiver (Terrell Owens) to work with (for one season!) puts more iron in the argument of McNabb’s being a franchise, and yes, a Hall of Fame quarterback.

Manning (with Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne & Dallas Clark, all long term and multiple selections) Brady (with Randy Moss & Wes Welker, long term, multiple selections) and Favre (Donald Driver, Antonio Freeman & Greg Jennings, long term, multiple selections while with Green Bay) by hook, crook, free agency or Draft, have clearly been blessed with better talent in which to achieve their respective goals.

Yet in spite of this, the desire to give McNabb the hook and have him go elsewhere seems predicated by the color of his skin rather than the content of his results on and off the field of play.

Why do I say this? As I casually scanned the headlines of all the weekend’s Wild Card results, none of those I saw implied that Brady had choked when the Baltimore Ravens put a beat down on the New England Patriots’ ass; or that Carson Palmer was an overrated choke artist after the 24-14 loss to the New York Jets.

Kurt Warner and Aaron Rodgers were both praised for their performances in the 51-45 shootout in the desert, but only McNabb was the designated target in the ignominious defeat by Dallas.

Sadly, McNabb’s standing affects the other Black quarterbacks in the league as well. It doesn’t matter if Jacksonville’s David Garrard once led the league in passing efficiency and TD/INT ratio; Tim Tebow has all but been signed if you believe the squeaking of The Mouse (ESPIN).

It also doesn’t matter that Tennessee Titans fans got screwed out of a playoff appearance (and who knows what else?) because head coach Jeff Fisher looked to jerk Vince Young by keeping him on the bench in a 0-6 start. Since Young finished the season 8-2 as a starter (26-13 career; far superior to draft alums Jay Cutler and that lame-ass Matt Leinart) had Young been in the lineup and won even two games, the whole playoff landscape is changed.

Seneca Wallace & Michael Vick struggle to avoid being thrown into the Wildcat Ghetto of “athletic” quarterbacks (you know, those Niggers can really run!) Brad Smith gets discovered (finally), Pat White gets noise from the “experts” implying he was drafted too high, and Dennis Dixon shows flashes of ability.

Jason Campbell gets similarly jerked by his now former head coach and is once again thrown into uncertainty with Mike Shanahan’s ascension to head man in Washington; while JaMarcus Russell’s survival may depend on Al Davis’ faith in his becoming a star player (if only Davis had shown this kind of loyalty to Eldridge Dickey!)

So, Rush Limbaugh’s bullshit notwithstanding, McNabb’s fortunes course throughout the rest of the league; and if Philly fans are so quick to let this go, they may well regret what they wished for.

After all – Hall of Fame quarterbacks come in every color.

michaelingram@blackathlete.com

mike@footballreprtersonline.com

After winning three straight, then losing three in a row, the Baltimore Ravens needed a good win and a solid all-round game to get back on track, particularly from a usually good defense which had often underperformed this season. The Ravens got both. The good victory was a 30-7 rout of previously unbeaten Denver. The solid performance was in allowing just 200 yards of total offense, stopping the Broncos running game (held to just 66 yards) and passing attack (just 134 yards) very well. Offensively, Joe Flacco only threw for 175 yards, but he was a very accurate 20-25 including a fourth quarter touchdown pass which put the game out of reach at 23-7, as the Ravens scored 24 points in the second half to pull away after leading by a slim 6-0 margin at halftime.

#4:  McNABB MAKES MOST OF GIANTS’ MISCUES

The Giants, for the third straight week, played careless, unfocused football, and Eagles’ quarterback Donovan McNabb made them pay before the Giants could even blink. After the Eagles were already up 7-0 less than two minutes into the game, McNabb needed just two passes after a Giants’ turnover to throw a 17-yard touchdown pass for a 13-0 Philadelphia lead just 3:45 into the game. After New York made it a game at 16-7, with under two minutes left in the half, McNabb again struck like lightning with two touchdown passes in the final 98 seconds of the half to break the game open, 30-7, by halftime. Starting at the Eagles’ 54-yard line after a good kickoff return, McNabb needed just one play, a 54-yard touchdown pass to DeSean Jackson, for a 23-7 Eagles lead with 1:38 left in the half. After another Giants’ turnover, McNabb needed only two plays –- a 20-yard completion followed by a 23-yard touchdown pass –- to give the Eagles that 30-7 lead, 46 seconds before halftime.

#3:  FAVRE’s HAPPY HOMECOMING

He already had beaten his former team once this season, with 3 touchdown passes, and returning home to Lambeau Field for the first time as a visiting player, Brett Favre helped his Minnesota Vikings complete the sweep of the Green Bay Packers. Favre was a rather pedestrian 17 of 28 for 244 yards, but he didn’t throw an interception, and he tossed four touchdown passes –- three in the second half, two in the fourth quarter –- to help the Vikings take a 24-3 lead and then hold off the Packers and Favre’s Green Bay successor, Aaron Rodgers (who had three touchdown passes of his own, all in the second half), 38-26, to help the Vikings take a commanding lead in the NFC North.

#2:  MOATS RUNS AROUND BUFFALO

Houston statistically dominated its game in Buffalo. The Texans had nearly twice the time of possession (39:08–20:52),

almost three times as many first downs (24-9), and more than double the yardage (439-204) as the Bills. Yet, for the second week in a row, the Bills were poised to win even after being outplayed. That is, until RB Ryan Moats took over in the fourth quarter, with three touchdowns to help Houston turn a 10-9 deficit into a 31-10 win with a 22-0 fourth quarter. Moats finished the game with 23 rushes on 126 yards and the 3 TD’s… special note on this game: rookie safety Jarius Byrd’s two interceptions made him the first player since San Francisco’s Dave Baker in 1960 to have two or more interceptions in three straight games.

#1:  GINN SAVES THE DOLPHINS

The top spot on this week’s list really ought to go to the New York Jets’ defense for allowing just 52 yards rushing and 52 yards passing. So, how DO you lose a game at home in which you score 25 points and hold your opposition to just 104 total yards on the day? Well, when you don’t cover kickoffs well, it can happen. Miami’s Ted Ginn not only blew by the Jets’ kickoff team the entire length of the field once, but he did it twice –- in the same quarter, just 6:44 apart! After the Jets’ Jay Feely kicked a 55-yard field goal to give New York a 6-3 lead, Ted Ginn returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown with 10:10 left in the third quarter. Later in the quarter, after the Jets scored a touchdown to cut the Dolphins’ lead to 17-13, Ginn struck again, going one more yard then before, just for good measure, this time, taking it 101 yards to the house, with 3:26 left in the third quarter, for a 24-13 Dolphins’ lead that they would not relinquish. When he crossed the goal line the second time, Ginn became the first player to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same quarter since Green Bay’s Travis Williams, back in 1967.

Last Sunday we saw some old stock rebound off the market floor and regain new life when quarterback Matt Hasselbeck took the field. Against the Jaguars, the Seahawks quarterback was silky smooth passing for 241 yards and tossing four touchdowns to lead his team to a much needed win.

Hasselbeck played like a savvy and crafty veteran last Sunday completing 60 percent of his passes averaging eight yards per pass and his 35 fantasy points were tops among all quarterbacks last week.

Week Five’s “Mr. En Fuego”

QB-Matt Hasselbeck (Sea)

30 pass attempts, 18 pass completions,

241 yards passing, four touchdowns!!

3 runs, 23 rushing yards.

Aside from your normal weekly studs, when playing with the fantasy football stock market, the key is always finding great value and knowing when to drop dead weight. After five weeks now of gridiron action there are plenty of stocks on the move;

Week five Stock Exchange Notes:

How your fantasy stocks are doing as of last Week…

The Quarterbacks…

Fire (Rising stock): The Texans’ quarterback Matt Schaub is on the move again with his stock on the rise. Last week Schaub complete 70 percent of his passes for 371 yards and tossed two touchdowns.

Fire (Rising stock): The Eagles’ quarterback Donovan McNabb has only played one game in the past several weeks, but his 264-yards passing and three touchdown passes performance last weekend has his stock on the rise.

Ice (falling stock): The Titans’ quarterback Kerry Collins has been off target this season completing just 54 percent of his passes. Collins also has five turnovers in his last three games and passed for only 164 yards and no touchdowns last week.

The Running Backs…

Fire (Rising stock): Last Sunday against a very tough Raven defense, Cedric Benson did where 40 others had failed. He rushed for more than 100 yards, totaling 136 yards on the day.

Fire (Rising stock): The Bronco’s rookie runner Knowshon Moreno had a solid day as the starter last week totaling 124 yards of offense against the Patriots.

Fire (Rising stock): The Giants shifty small running back Ahmad Bradshaw was dynamite a week ago against the Raiders, doing most of his damage in the first half. Last week Bradshaw scampered his way to 110 yards on 11 carries with two touchdowns.

Ice (falling stock): Against the Browns last week, running back Fred Jackson was just a shell of himself. The Bills’ back gained only 30 yards on the ground and added a just a mere 17 yards receiving.

The Wide Receivers…

Fire (Rising stock): Last week no receiver was as hot as the Cowboys Miles Austin. The speedster blew past the Chief’s secondary for 250 receiving yards with two touchdowns.

Fire (Rising stock): Owners were waiting and he finally arrived. Last Sunday Falcons wideout Roddy White exploded for 210 receiving yards and tow scores catapulting his way up our stock charts.

Fire (Rising stock): The Cardinal’s receiver has been up and down a bit this season, but no question last week Larry Fitzgerald was hot. The wideout grabbed five passes for 79 yards, including two touchdowns.

Ice (falling stock): The Bengals receiver Laveranues Coles was held without a catch last week against a shaky Baltimore secondary ranked 26^th against the pass.

Ice (falling stock): The Patriots receiver Julian Edelman had only 15 yards receiving last week; something he’s likely to see reoccur more with the return of Welker.

The Tight Ends…

Fire (Rising stock): The Buccaneer’s tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. blew up for big numbers last Sunday as did his stock. Winslow had a huge game catching nine passes for over 100 yards and scored twice.

Fire (Rising stock): The Texan’s tight end Owen Daniels, after a slight stumble is climbing up the charts again coming off his eight receptions for 94 yards last week.

Ice (falling stock): The Jet’s second year tight end Dustin Keller is not having quite the season most thought. Through five games this season he has just 12 catches, including the infamous donut on Monday night.

STOCK WATCH

Pure Speculation

With Fred Taylor out indefinitely, it appears the running duties will belong to Sammy Morris. Last Sunday against the Broncos Morris toted the rock 17 times (2^nd highest total of carries in a game this season for a New England running back) for 68 yards. Morris also adds the dimension of a pass receiver with 134 receiving yards this season. With no other runner in the Patriot’s backfield having quite the same success, this could be the Morris show looking ahead.

The Ram’s offense has yet to get anything going this season other than running back Steven Jackson. Last Sunday quarterback Marc Bulger made his return to the field and seemed to click with his number one wideout Donnie Avery. Bulger could be playing for a job as the season goes and Avery could benefit. These two made a few highlights last season for the reel and with a favorable matchup this Sunday, both could be looking to repeat. Avery has big play potential, but we have yet to see it; Sunday could be a good day to be looking.

It doesn’t take a genius to see a big arm with a talented wideout equals great things. In Miami this appears to be the potential with wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. and the team’s newly discovered passer. Quarterback Chad Henne and Ginn Jr. connected on one big play for a 53 yard scoring strike against the Jets. If Henne is as good as he looked Monday night, with still 11 games left on the schedule Ginn Jr. could be hooking up with his field general for several more strikes along the way.

This Week’s “Stock Trends”

Need to know what stocks to play?

Here’s how they are doing;

(thumbs up)

Peyton Manning, QB-Colts

The best of the best, Manning’s stock has been riding a whirlwind; this season he’s thrown 12 touchdowns and passed for over 1,600 yards (329 yards per game) in his five starts this season.

Kyle Orton, QB-Broncos

Over the past several weeks, Orton’s numbers have gradually getting better. In his last two starts Orton has completed 55 passes for 573 yards (286.5 yards per game) and thrown four touchdowns.

Ben Roethlisberger, QB-Steelers

Not normally a big stats guy, the Steeler’s big armed quarterback has been pretty warm over the past several weeks. In his last three starts Big Ben has 886 yards passing, six touchdown throws, and just two picks.

Steven Jackson, RB-Rams

His stock is not great yet, but the Ram’s running back seems to be one of the safest. Despite an inept offense, he’s averaging 108 yards per game of offense (rushing and receiving).

Michael Turner, RB-Falcons

With his three touchdowns last week, Turner is one of the hottest stocks on the market. Turner has now scored in his last three starts and is averaging 86 yards on the ground over the same span.

Hines Ward, WR-Steelers

The All-Pro Receiver has been locked-in and steady the last two weeks with 15 receptions, 198 receiving yards, and a touchdown.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR-Seahawks

The Hawks high priced free agent has been doing his best the past two weeks to earn his keep with 13 receptions for 180 yards, including two touchdowns last week.

Brandon Marshall, WR-Broncos

The 4^th year wideout from Central Florida has been on the move up the charts over the past couple of weeks. Marshall has 17 receptions for 222 yards and four touchdowns in his last three games.

Vernon Davis, TE-Niners

The 4^th year tight end has re-emerged as a playmaker this season, 15 receptions for 190 yards receiving and three touchdowns in his last three games.

Brent Celek, TE-Eagles

This season the Eagle’s tight end has been a steady play and in his last three games he’s caught a total of 20 passes for 266 yards and a score.

Dallas Clark, TE-Colts

Perhaps one of the best stocks on the market today, Clark is averaging eight catches for 73 yards per game in his last three starts.

(thumbs down)

Trent Edwards, QB-Bills

The Bills quarterback is just back stock this season. Even with two talented wideouts like Owens and Evans, Edwards can only muster five touchdowns to six picks. In his last three starts he thrown five picks to just one touchdown and averaged a meager 166 yards per game passing.

Jason Campbell, QB-Redskins

Campbell has regressed in his last two starts completing just 27 passes for a total of 315 yards with three touchdowns and four turnovers.

Larry Johnson, RB-Chiefs

The running back has been receiving a steady diet of carries, but just can find any holes. In his last three games he’s averaging more than 19 carries per game, but just 42 yards on the ground.

Brandon Stokley, WR-Broncos

The Bronco’s slot receiver has been missing in action in his team’s last three games. Stokley has only six catches this season and has gone without a grab in his last three games.

Michael Clayton, WR-Buccaneers

The sixth year receiver has been anything, but reliable this season. Clayton has just 10 grabs and has gone without a catch in two of his five starts this season.

Zach Miller, TE-Raiders

Clearly the team’s best pass receiving option, Miller has just 15 receptions this season stuck on a struggling offense. His 69 yards last week was his best production thus far this season and through the team’s first five games, he has yet to score.

Brandon Pettigrew, TE-Lions

The rookie tight end has yet to record more than four catches in any one game and is averaging a paltry 31 yards receiving per game.

Remember to check back every week for more “Fire & Ice!”