casting excellence, and the other candidates are Gary C

PHILADELPHIA -- Donovan McNabbs voice cracked and his eyes watered when he stood at the podium to give his retirement speech. Famously booed when he was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999, McNabb couldnt hide the tears when he called it quits 14 years later. The six-time Pro Bowl quarterback was back in Philadelphia on Monday to make it official, three years after he was traded from the Eagles and 21 months after taking his final snap in the NFL. "Special day," McNabb said. "Im not one for emotion, but this is pretty tough." Before McNabb even took the stage, team owner Jeffrey Lurie revealed that his No. 5 will be retired on Sept. 19. "The No. 5 has become synonymous with one of the greatest eras of Eagles football," Lurie said. "And ensuring that no one else will ever wear Donovans number, we honour one of the greatest playmakers to ever wear an Eagles uniform." McNabb will be inducted into the teams Hall of Fame and have his jersey retired on Sept. 19 when the Eagles play the Kansas City Chiefs on a Thursday night. Former Eagles coach Andy Reid, who drafted McNabb with the No. 2 overall pick in 1999, now coaches the Chiefs. "To be mentioned with the likes of Reggie White, Jerome Brown, Chuck Bednarik, Tommy McDonald, Brian Dawkins and all the other players who have paved the way for me, for my former teammates and for the current players, its truly an honour," McNabb said about becoming the ninth player in franchise history to have his number retired. Dawkins received the honour last year when his No. 20 was put on the shelf. Dawkins along with Brian Westbrook were among numerous former teammates and current Eagles in attendance for his ceremony. "It was a pleasure going to war with you," Dawkins told McNabb. "It was a pleasure going out and playing the game the way we that we played it because we enjoyed doing it and we did it at a high level for so long. I appreciate the way you played, the man that you are and I thank you. Its a pleasure to call you a friend. I love you, brother. Thank you." McNabb led the Eagles to five NFC championship games and one Super Bowl in 11 seasons in Philadelphia. But he failed to lead the team to its first NFL championship since 1960, and some hold that against him. "I apologized to the fans because that was my goal. I feel like I let them down," McNabb said. McNabb was a polarizing personality in Philadelphia from the day a busload of fans went to New York and booed him after he was chosen as the No. 2 overall pick. He was criticized heavily his final year with the Eagles and even more since his trade to Washington in 2010. But 30,000 fans who attended Sundays practice at Lincoln Financial Field gave McNabb the loudest ovation on Alumni Day. "They truly appreciate the effort I gave," McNabb said. McNabb is the teams all-time leader in pass attempts (4,746), completions (2,801), yards (32,873) and touchdowns (216). He led the Eagles to 100 wins, including nine in the playoffs. McNabb was one of four players in NFL history to have 30,000 yards passing, 200 TDs passing, 3,000 yards rushing yards and 20 TDs rushing, joining Hall of Famers John Elway, Fran Tarkenton and Steve Young. "His unique ability to make plays through the air and with his legs made him one of the most dynamic players this city has ever seen," Lurie said. "Donovan was the face and the focal point of so many of our great Eagles teams and he helped make this franchise a contender each and every year that he was here." McNabb played through pain often and once threw four touchdown passes in a game against Arizona after breaking his ankle on the first series. He missed the rest of the regular season that year, but returned for the playoffs. "There has never been a player tougher," Lurie said. "He didnt go around talking about how tough he was, but all of us remember that Arizona game in just one instance. Never one to complain and never one to talk about his injuries, he was a warrior." The 36-year-old McNabb started 13 games for the Redskins in 2010 after the trade, and six for Minnesota the following year. He then shifted into working in radio and television. McNabbs wife and four children joined him at the ceremony, which began with a video of his career in Philadelphia. Ironically, it didnt appear to include any passes thrown to Terrell Owens. McNabb teamed with Owens to lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl in 2004, but they feuded the following year and T.O. was kicked off the team. McNabb singled out many of his former teammates, including offensive linemen, running backs and fullbacks. He didnt mention any receivers, however. He saved his final words for Reid. "Last but not least, I want to thank Big Red for taking the chance and sticking with me in 99," McNabb said. "Eleven great years. Well forever be linked to together. But thats one of the things where I can honestly say, I love him. "We made history, big fella."Ernie Stautner Jersey . -- Edmontons Val Sweeting is two wins away from a trip to Winnipeg to play in Canadas Road of the Rings in December. Mike Wagner Jersey . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. http://www.cheapsteelersjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-rocky-bleier-jersey . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. Stitched Antonio Brown Jersey . The lawyers filed a 33-page amended complaint Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan, expanding on the suit originally filed Oct. 3 in New York Supreme Court. Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz last week refused to compel Selig to testify in the grievance, and Rodriguez then walked out of the hearing without testifying. Mike Webster Jersey . Aduriz headed home Markel Susaetas cross in the sixth minute to open the scoring at San Mames Stadium. He bettered that with a long-range blast that went in off the goal frame in the 18th, and converted a penalty in the 72nd after Diego Mainz was sent off for fouling Aduriz with only the goalkeeper to beat.A look at whats happening today at the baseball winter meetings in Oxon Hill, Maryland:---CLOSE ITThe World Series champion Cubs are hoping to finish off a deal for closer Wade Davis in a trade that would send outfielder Jorge Soler to Kansas City. Davis has been dominant for the last three years and would inherit the role left open when Aroldis Chapman became a free agent.Davis has especially excelled in postseason play, and helped the Royals win the 2015 crown. In those 27 1/3 innings as a reliever, he has a 0.33 ERA -- one earned run in 27 1/3 innings, with 39 strikeouts.He spent time on the disabled with a forearm injury last season and was limited to 43 1/3 innings, but returned to pitch in September.NATS TARGETING MCCUTCHENLooking to make a splash, the hometown Washington Nationals struck out on trying to acquire ace Chris Sale when the Chicago White Sox instead sent him to the Boston Red Sox. Given the price of the return, its not shocking that Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo couldnt match because Trea Turner wasnt going anywhere.Now the Nationals can turn their focus to outfielder and 2013 NL NVP Andrew McCutchen. Rizzo acknowledged he has been in talks with Pittsburgh Pirates GM Neal Huntington, but the cost could be one or both of Washingtons top prospects: Victor Robles and Lucas Giolito.One things for sure: Rizzo hasnt shied away from a big, win-now trade before.WHITE SOX STILL FOR SALETrading Sale to the Red Sox for a hefty haul of prospects might be just the start of a White Sox fire sale. Center fielder Adam Eaton, starter Jose Quintana and closer David Robertson could all get dealt in the coming days, weeks or months as Chicago goes into full rebuilding mode.You try not to get too far ahead of yourself because obviously weve just done one major deal and try not to look three, four down the line about what its going to look like because were not going to force this thing, GM Rick Hahn said.ddddddddddddGetting third baseman Yoan Moncada, considered the top prospect in baseball, along with pitchers Michael Kopech and Victor Diaz, and outfielder Luis Basabe for Sale was a nice start.HEAR THISLongtime Chicago baseball announcers Ken Harrelson and Pat Hughes are among the eight finalists for the Ford C. Frick Award thats being presented on the last full day of the meetings.The tribute is for broadcasting excellence, and the other candidates are Gary Cohen, Jacques Doucet, Bill King, Mike Krukow, Ned Martin and Dewayne Staats. The winner will be honored at the Hall of Fame this summer.NOT WORTH SAVING?Mark Melancon already cashed in on a $62 million, four-year deal with the San Francisco Giants, and fellow closers Kenley Jansen and Aroldis Chapman will undoubtedly get paid. But in this age of evolving bullpens, Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch doesnt think much of the save stat.The way we compensate saves, its very hard for anybody not to be attracted to that, Hinch said Tuesday. If we played in a nonemotional, noncompensated neutral environment, I think we would flush that stat saves down the toilet. But we dont. There is always going to be a constant pull and tug between players, compensation, manager, analytics, whats the smart thing to do?But by far the smartest thing to do is win the game. That makes people like me happy. ' ' '