“McNabb, baby, what have you done for me lately?”
- Andy Reid’s deep-down, inner thoughts on NFL Draft Day

Kevin Kolb is a home-wrecker by no fault of his own.

It was the Philadelphia Eagles who chose the University of Houston star as their first pick of the 2007 Draft (36th pick overall) after all – not the reverse.

Andy Reid & Co. are the ones who orchestrated the current Philly soap opera, deciding 2007 be the year to light the largest fire ever under their oft-injured quarterback and team leader.

And down the road, when the thick Philly smoke clears, and Donovan McNabb is wearing number 5 as the starter elsewhere, blame/credit will also be wisely handed to “NFL Home-Wrecker of the Decade,” Terrell Owens, the man who originally pulled the rug from under Donovan McNabb during his reign as empire of the Philadelphia Eagles.

But that was just a case of T.O. being T.O, right?

In 2004, when McNabb put up career numbers – 31 passing touchdowns to just 8 interceptions – he was largely assisted by the Eagles taking a step out of their normal off-season routine and making a play for a big-name free agent, star wide receiver and known bad seed, Terrell Owens.

So long as the ball stayed in number 81’s hands, the Eagles flew high without problems. Once Owens was sidelined in Week 15 with a broken leg, he found time for the blame game routine he became famous for in San Francisco. Following his return from injury, Owens placed blame for the Eagles’ Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots solely on McNabb. And for the months following, the “real T.O.� stood up and spoke out.

With the assistance of his talking puppet and agent, Drew Rosenhaus, Owens campaigned to be the highest-paid receiver in the game. Coming off a career year – 77 receptions, 1200 yards and 14 touchdowns – his demand seemed warranted. Why should a top-tier player get paid low-to-middle-tier dollars and cents? Cue the predictable Philly front office response of a quick “No,� and then Owens’ gloves came off completely, and his predictable tantrum began.

Instead of calling out the Eagles front office, Owens set his sights on McNabb, Philly’s golden boy, clubhouse leader and, consequently, most vulnerable player considering the onus placed on quarterbacks following a big-game win or loss.

Along with blaming McNabb for the Eagles’ Super Bowl loss, Owens claimed his quarterback should have stepped in and forced the Eagles organization to re-work his contract. Forget the fact the QB/WR duo went from BFF (best friends forever) to MHT (most hated teammates) because of Owens’ own mouth. If McNabb was so great a leader, he would look past personal differences and step up for an ungrateful teammate in need, right? Get. Real. The Eagles have never been known to give in to contract demands, especially to players who constantly rattle cages in the locker room. That was no exception.

Teammates picked sides for and against McNabb and, for the first time since he was booed at the NFL Draft in 1999 (fans wanted Ricky Williams instead and, well, you know how that one ends – in a cloud of Mary Jane smoke), the former Syracuse star found himself having to defend his abilities.

As it goes, Owens never received a new contract but made plenty of noise until the Eagles ousted him in 2005. He joined Dallas as a free agent while McNabb stuck around and attempted to clean up the mess Owens started. After playing in only 9 and 10 games in 2005 and 2006 (respectively), the divide in the locker room and front office remained. When the Eagles selected Kolb as their first pick of the 2007 NFL Draft, their depleting faith in McNabb as their future leader became as clear as ever.

Reid’s drafting of Kolb make the team’s message loud and clear: it’s now or never for number 5. Simply put, Kolb is waiting in the wings for McNabb to fail.

If McNabb so much as breaks a fingernail, he might as well find himself a new home; a damn shame considering that when healthy, McNabb is one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL.

Since joining the league in 1999 as the 2nd overall pick, McNabb has thrown for 152 touchdowns to just 72 interceptions. He has also rushed for 24 career touchdowns, made the Pro Bowl five times (2000-2004), led his team the NFC Championship four of those consecutive years (2001-2004) and led the Eagles to the Super Bowl in 2004, the 3rd African-American quarterback ever, along with Doug Williams (1987) and Steve McNair (1999). All without having a consistent go-to receiver year-to-year

Assuming McNabb stays healthy and manages to lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl in 2008 after a career year, he would receive little-to-no credit. Even if McNabb wins in Philly, he can’t really win in Philly.

Critics will say the Eagles’ success came from those crafty geniuses in the front office “doing what’s best for the team� on that fateful day back in April. You know, pick #36, the absolute missing piece the team needed to spark the Birds into getting over that mountainous Super Bowl hump.

They may even deem it Kevin Kolb’s very own Super Bowl victory. He may just win MVP, no matter how clean his jersey.

So maybe it’s best McNabb quietly go about this season as he has gone about every one since he joined the league – as a professional, smiling through harsh critiques from all walks of life. Looking at his career numbers alone, there is no doubt of McNabb’s talent (outside of the T.O. circle, anyway). But within the walls of the Eagles organization, he will never be full appreciated.

The Indianapolis Colts committed to providing their franchise quarterback, Peyton Manning, with two go-to receivers, Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. After much work, Manning and the Colts won last year’s Super Bowl title. Coincidence?

Right now, the Eagles are a two-man show. If McNabb can’t make a play happen, he can defer to Brian Westbrook, running-back and offensive playmaker extraordinaire. But other than that, it’s a toss-up.

His name is tarnished within the Philly locker room walls. And especially within the Eagles front office War Room. And somewhere in a bathroom stall within the Eagles locker room “D5 sucks� is written in Sharpie.

It’s time for McNabb to move on and plan his own future starting right now. Maybe Chicago (McNabb’s hometown) or New York (surely Eli Manning cannot handle the pressure).

Whatever the case, he needs to get a move on. The Eagles already have a jump-start on planning theirs.