Michael Irvin In Trouble Yet Again

When Michael Irvin made the comment that the Eagles would be a better team with Brett Favre playing quarterback instead of All-Pro QB Donovan McNabb, I joked that Irvin must be back on drugs. Well, now we have some answers. The flamboyant ESPN studio analyst on “Sunday NFL Countdown” was charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia after police searched his vehicle during a traffic stop in Plano, Texas on Friday.

Let us recall the past of the “Playmaker”. In the middle of what many call a Hall of Fame career, Irvin pleaded no contest to felony cocaine possession in 1996. He evaded the big hit by taking a four-year probation and a fine. In the plea the authorities dropped marijuana possession charges. In 1998 he got into a fight and cut a teammate with scissors in the locker room. He had some run around with prostitutes and was known as possibly the biggest trash talker of the 90s. As much as I never liked him, he'll still go down as one of the best and in my eyes a Hall of Famer who helped the Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles in four years.

I’m a numbers guy…and frankly, the “Playmakers” numbers don’t lie. Michael is ninth in NFL history in receptions with 750 and yards 11,904. Those numbers alone should get him enshrined in Canton, especially when other players who have had problems with the law because of drugs are there (Lawrence Taylor).

But here’s my beef. I’d love to know who hires the analysts at ESPN and why they all seem to have a problem with Donovan McNabb? First it was Rush Limbaugh who made his ridiculous comments and now Michael Irvin. Limbaugh had absolutely no business being on the set of a sports show let alone the “world-wide leader in sports” show. And they also hired a wide receiver who had a checkered past and a mouth the size of Texas. As if his bright gold colored suites weren’t obnoxious and blinding enough, he would say the craziest things on the set. Such as sticking up for Terrell Owens during this years mess with the Eagles after he ignited the flame saying the Eagles would be undefeated with Favre instead of McNabb.

Chris Berman and Tom Jackson have forever been two favorites of mine – how do two professionals like themselves enjoy talking football and working with such a guy?
I always follow the creed, “Innocent until proven guilty” – but once this one comes out I’m confident that ESPN will finally make a good decision and let Irvin go. He doesn’t deserve to be in Bristol.