Steve McNair reportedly had been working hard this offseason, but eventually ran out of steam and today decided to retire after 13 years in the league. Long enough to have played for the Houston Oilers.
D-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-amn, Steve; you old!
One possibility that warrants consideration is that Steve retired only because the team made it clear he was going to be cut after June 1 anyway: McMagic, we're going to give you a chance to leave Baltimore under your own terms, unlike those clowns down South who locked you out of the facility, which even though it may have been a smart business decision was undeniably cooooooold-hearted.
McNair's national legacy is tied permanently to the Titans franchise; however, he earned for himself a legacy in Charm City also. He took the '06 team on his shoulders, won games he should not have won (with serious help from the D and also Matt Stover), led Baltimore to a franchise-best record, and then the clock struck midnight before the team had a chance to dance with destiny. Steve McNair's career should have ended after the 15-6 loss to Indianapolis in the playoffs. It was clear then that his talent had faded. I say that not out of disrespect; the truth hurts. So does a decade-plus of getting beaten up by the Ravens defense, which happened frequently when McNair and the Titans were divisional foes with the Ravens (before the creation of the AFC North).
Moving forward in Baltimore, it's time to talk QB. A lot of people like Kyle Boller, but no one loves him, certainly not as a starter. Troy Smith has slightly more fans, and I'm one of them, but mostly the jury is still out. The Falcons need a DT in addition to QB, so if neither Atlanta (#3) nor the Chiefs (#5) draft Boston College QB Matt Ryan, there is a great chance he'll drop to Baltimore at #8, at which point he'll probably get snapped up by Baltimore. Mistake. Mistake. Mistake. Please do not do this. The guy is average at best, and it makes no sense to roll the dice and mortgage five years on a guy who probably is no better than Troy Smith, who IMO earned for himself a shot at the starting job by virtue of his success in limited time last season.
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5 hours ago
4 comments:
How strong are his ties to the Titans? Joining McNair at his press conference were Samari Rolle and Mason.
That's interesting. I had not heard that. I spent the a.m. listening to an interview with Eddie George, who steadfastly said more than once that there were no hard feelings between McNair and the Titans. I actually sort of believed him, but I'm naive and unsophisticated; good times.
God bless him for playing his heart out. I'm glad he's able to walk out on his own terms while he's still physically able to walk. He's my age, and he walks like an old man. Poor guy. Hope he's invested well.
Dew,
I doubt they will take Ryan, even if he is available. Ozzie knows better. I dont think this affects their draft-day strategy at all, as a QB in rounds 2 or 3 was likely the plan all along. I'm pretty disappointed, because I think a healthy McNair gave the Ravens a better chance to win than either Boller or Smith (or a rookie, for sure). Our playoff chances just took a hit, IMO.
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