Word slipped out yesterday that Donovan McNabb signed a new contract with the Washington Redskins and the Internet burst into flames condemning the deal.
$78 million for a quarterback who was benched two weeks ago? What?!?!? Anger. Confusion. Derision.
Commentators commented. Pundits pundicized. The masses moaned, especially as the McNabb and the Redskins proceeded to go out and get thrashed by Michael Vick’s Philadelphia Eagles.
The negativity was fine, except no one knew exactly what was in the contract. As it turns out, the details make much more sense: “But if the Redskins cut or trade McNabb after this season, they are liable only for that $3.75 million. In other words: McNabb can’t afford to get too comfortable.”
Members of the media and, as a result, the general public were freaking out for no real reason. Fear-mongering isn’t the right term, but we should all strive to be more level-headed when it comes to immediate analysis. Quick reactions are important, warranted, and essential in the 24-hour news cycle, but they need to be announced with a caveat and a clear head.
For example, Jim Trotter, who had one of the more rational responses, writing “The knee-jerk reaction is to rip the Redskins, but doing so would be reckless and unwarranted — until we see the fine print.”
The fine print emerged on Tuesday morning. With it, sanity was restored (until the next big-news item comes down the ticker and the cycle repeats).