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Sunday, December 03, 2000

Compiled by Ed Bouchette

Donovan McNabb is popular in Philadelphia, but apparently not so much with the ladies.

McNabb, the Eagles' quarterback, was the subject of a Philadelphia Daily News story in which a reporter was sent on the street to ask women to rate McNabb's sex appeal.

Nearly 70 percent rated McNabb as average, below average or having OK looks.

Apparently McNabb won't be stealing any Playboy Playmate girlfriends from other NFL quarterbacks.

A sampling:

Michelle Yarborough, 18, an employee at a clothing store: "He's not cute, he's not attractive. If he tried to talk to me, I wouldn't respond."

Josie Rivera, 21, manager of the same clothing store: "He's not Ricky Martin, that's for sure."

Can't sing, but you should see him dance on the football field.

Tough times

In the fast-turning world of the NFL, where the St. Louis Rams are chumps one season and champs the next, arranging schedules to help the lower teams does not always help.

Take the Chicago Bears, for instance. They played a so-called cushy last-place schedule for the third consecutive year, but it ended up being one of the toughest in the league.

Who thought Philadelphia and New Orleans would have a renaissance? Eleven of the Bears' 12 opponents have winning records. Their foes' combined record of 85-48 is good for a .640 winning percentage.

Foggy Falcons

Atlanta, one of those teams who went from chumps to champs to chumps in a three-season span, won't continue in that order because they are 3-10, the worst record in the NFC.

Falcons cornerback Ray Buchanan says things are as bleak in Atlanta as you might think.

"It's real foggy right now. You can't hardly see. The ship has sunk. I've got my scuba equipment trying to keep my head above water."

Falcons attendance, rarely good, has been poor and an small crowd is expected when they play the Seattle Seahawks (4-8) in Atlanta today.

"Well, it might just be family," Buchanan said. "So I don't know how many people Seattle's got that have got family up here in Atlanta, but it might just be family out there in the stands. So I mean you might be able to hear my mama screaming.

"There's plenty of good seats. So if you got a ticket that you bought all the way up the third level, you might be able to sit in the front row."

Quick slants

The New York Giants are 7-0 when they score first and 25-5 under Coach Jim Fassell when they score first. The Giants, who play at Washington today, haven't scored first against the Redskins in the past four games.

The Chicago Bears have won only 20 games in the past 16 seasons after Dec. 1, including six playoff losses in eight games. Yet, they want a new outdoor stadium and not a dome.

The Cardinals (3-9) and Bengals (2-10) play today and their combined five victories still would not put them in playoff contention. They have the two worst records in the past 10 years. Arizona quarterback Dave Brown wasn't sure he'd watch this one on TV if he had a choice. "I'm sure there are other ones out there more intriguing."

The Los Angeles Raiders of 1983 allowed more points, 338, than any team that went on to win the Super Bowl. The defending champions St. Louis Rams have yielded 367, on pace for 489.

But then, the Rams average 452.3 yards on offense, which would snap Miami's record of 435.5 in 1984.