What Would Buddy Do?
Two months later, Bracegate finally over
Posted on September 27th, 2007 at 7:43 am by Cheesesteak Hoagie

a braceless yellow DunavinAnd who said that the Bracegate line of questioning from this summer was just blathermonkey rubbish?

(Besides me, of course.)

Days after obliterating the Detroit Lions’ secondary and throwing (literally) a perfect game in a 56-21 win, Donovan McNabb admitted that yes, he had shed his pesky knee brace, and yes, he did feel better without it:

(Read the rest of this story.)

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This reporter suggested ‘Bracegate’ but was howled down at the press club
Posted on July 30th, 2007 at 9:43 pm by Cheesesteak Hoagie

McNabb refuses to name day day or hour that he will stop wearing braceIn case you were keeping track, a few more stories about Donovan McNabb’s knee brace, and details that highlight the subtle differences in the way that McNabb and Andy Reid addressed this extremely controversial topic.

Who knows where it all may lead!

Links:
Braced for return [NJ.com]
McNabb, Reid view brace differently [Philly Daily News]

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On Day 2 of camp, McNabb subplot already boring
Posted on July 29th, 2007 at 11:33 am by Cheesesteak Hoagie

Say hi, DunavinApproximately two weeks before the first preseason game and six weeks before the start of the regular season, I’m already bored with the coverage of Donovan McNabb in the Philly press.

Yes, he’s coming back from a big knee injury, his third injury in five years. Yes, the Eagles drafted Kevin Kolb. Yes, Donovan turned 30 last November.

Got it.

In their all-encompassing efforts to invent imaginary controversies, the local blathermonkeys subjected McNabb to extensive questioning in re: whether he plans to wear a knee brace all season (yawn), whether the brace was a security blanket like Andy Reid said (double-yawn), and if he thought this was a make-or-break year because of the arrival of Kevin Kolb. The overriding agenda in all of those questions is getting 5 to say something that indicates (a) his knee isn’t well, (b) he and Andy Reid aren’t getting along, and (c) it might be time for Donovan to leave Philly.

Again, it’s Day 2 of camp. There are plenty of interesting stories in camp (like a bunch of new starters on the defensive line, whether Kevin Curtis can play, the possible emergence of Jeremy Bloom, how Spikes fits in, and whether Trotter can keep his starting job), but all these guys want to do is hassle 5 (about a freakin knee brace!).

Ugh. At a certain level, I can’t believe that McNabb doesn’t just stand up in protest and chuck a bottle of Gatorade at these clowns. He’s a more patient man than I.

(All that said, I firmly believe that the knee is an issue, that McNabb is not on the same page with Andy Reid, and that this is definitely a make-or-break year for Donovan. But that’s all fine — all of those things add up to Donovan playing his little heart out and trying to win. It’s all about properly aligned incentives.)

Links:
McNabb to start camp with brace on right knee [Philly.com]
McNabb says knee brace may stay on all season [Philly.com]

Posted in Bracegate, Blathermonkeys, Dunavin | 34 Comments