The city of Philadelphia never fully appreciated Donovan McNabb. I was there when Eagles fans booed him at the draft. They've criticized everything from McNabb's throwing to his touchdown celebrations. In my 20-plus years of covering the NFL few superstars have been as under-appreciated by its fan base -- in any sport -- as McNabb has been by Eagles fans.

Now, the same could be said for the Eagles organization itself. Andy Reid was supposedly a McNabb proponent. Well, with friends like these...

The Eagles will pay for this ridiculously arrogant trade. They'll pay dearly. McNabb has three to five years left in that 33-year-old body. (He takes beter care of himself than Brett Favre does.) He'll play the Eagles twice a year and he'll crush them. At least, I hope he does. I hope McNabb throws for 400 yards a game when he plays Philadelphia. I hope he eats a cheesesteak every time he scores, too.

Maybe he'll sing that Rocky theme song after a TD pass.

The Eagles think so lowly of McNabb they traded him within the division. They're going to pay for that arrogance.

Football is a business and the Eagles can do what they want but the way Philadelphia -- the team and its fans -- have treated McNabb has stunned even a hardened cynical hard ass like me.

He never got into trouble. He wasn't a jerk like Terrell Owens. He won four straight division titles, went to five conference title games and a Super Bowl. Those were his crimes.

So you got what you wanted, Philly fans. McNabb is gone. You can't blame him for every ill in the world any longer.

Good luck with Kevin KornKolb and Michael Vick.

You're going to to need it.

And when McNabb returns to a Super Bowl without you, Eagles fans, who will you blame then?