If you were Donovan McNabb, what would you have said to Terrell Owens when he was squawking in the first half of the Eagles' dismal effort at Pittsburgh?
Aaron Schatz: "Look, moron, am I supposed to go out there and tackle Bettis? You want me to play linebacker now as well as quarterback? What does this look like, the Patriots?"
Alan Grant: Depends. Am I someone whose actually played in the league, or someone who hasn't? If the former, then I know how this is how some people express themselves in a game founded on violence and emotion. Therefore, I'd probably respond with some variation of "yeah, yeah, whatever, man." But if the latter, I would hold forth with something like, "Listen, Terrell. I'm trying really hard out here, you know? This is really difficult work. I mean, I knew this little honeymoon would eventually come to an end. But I really didn't expect it to end with such acrimony. Now stop it, everyone's watching and it makes me really uncomfortable."
Patrick Hruby: "Dude, just remember: you could be yelling at Kyle Boller right now."
Eric Neel: Sit down and eat your Chunky Soup.
Skip Bayless: McNabb, who has been Owens' biggest PR man so far, was desperately trying to maintain his cool and ignore the guy. McNabb cares most about the team, while Owens cares only about Owens. For the team's sake, the media-savvy McNabb was trying to restrain himself so he wouldn't be caught on camera screaming at Owens and start a media fire that the media would fuel all week. Shrewd move. But at some point when this happens again -- and it will -- McNabb will reach the breaking point and have to tell him -- and I'll delete the scatalogical emphasis -- that "I'm the quarterback and I'm telling you to go sit down and shut up."