Old Birds: Donovan McNabb Gets Own Radio Show, Brian Westbook is Experiencing Memory Loss
Made it!
Some members of the greatest Eagles team ever are in the news today… no, I’m not talking about Freddie Mitchell’s potential jail time or Terrell Owens’ latest attempt at taking his own life. I’m talking about the quarterback and the running back.
First up, Five.
Donovan McNabb will co-host a drive-time radio show on the newish NBC Sports Radio with fellow former NFL quarterback Mark Malone. The show will air from 3-7 p.m. on weekdays and will be available in up to 249 markets, apparently not including Philadelphia (according to the NBC Sports website, only NSR updates are available in Philly, on 1490 WBCB).
McNabb, who doesn’t even know all the rules to football, will be talking about other sports, too:
"NBC has given me a platform to continue to expand in broadcasting," McNabb told USA TODAY Sports on Thursday. "And with radio, you don't want to be stuck just talking NFL. We'll talk baseball, basketball, the Olympics, current events. We're also fans."
Working a four-hour radio show will arguably be harder than doing many TV studio shows, where analysts often just need to offer up a few soundbites on prearranged topics. But McNabb doesn't seem worried: "It's part of getting into the business. Not everything is going to be easy, or a cakewalk. But I don't shy away from work — I played the quarterback position."
The news for Brian Westbrook isn’t so good.
Speaking at a concussion symposiaum at Villanova yesterday, the Villanova great said that he’s already experiencing memory loss:
Only 33, Brian Westbrook already suffers from short-term memory loss. He can't remember names, recall facts or retain new material moments after he's told them. Westbrook can trace his health problems to at least a pair of concussions suffered during a shortened nine-year career.
Westbrook, former Philadelphia Flyers captain Keith Primeau, five-time MLS All-Star Taylor Twellman, former NFL linebacker Jim Nelson, former Green Bay Packers VP Andrew Brandt and other head safety advocates took part in a panel discussion of the "Concussion Conundrum" Friday at Villanova University. The program was part of the Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal Symposium.
Someday, Chris Pronger will be on panels like this one, and that kind of sucks.
H/T to Josh
