McNabb & Sheppard Out for the Season PHILADELPHIA -- Now Donovan McNabb is gone from the Philadelphia Eagles, too. The Eagles' star quarterback will have surgery for a sports hernia and is expected to miss the rest of the season, another crushing blow for a team that had hoped to return to the Super Bowl. All-Pro cornerback Lito Sheppard also appears out for the season with a sprained ankle that will require surgery. Monday's announcements came one day after the reigning NFC champions fell to 4-6 with their fourth straight loss. The struggling Eagles also are without star receiver Terrell Owens, who was suspended four games and told not to return to the team on Nov. 7. McNabb didn't play in Sunday's 27-17 loss to the New York Giants after he re-injured his groin while trying to tackle Cowboys safety Roy Williams following an interception last Monday night. Williams returned it 46 yards for a touchdown with 2:43 left to lead Dallas to a 21-20 comeback victory over the Eagles. McNabb had delayed a decision on the surgery to repair the sports hernia that has bothered him all season until he received two opinions that surgery was necessary. Dr. William Meyers recommended that McNabb have surgery now to correct the sports hernia after an examination Thursday morning. Over the weekend, McNabb received a second opinion from Dr. Michael Brunt that confirmed the surgery was needed. McNabb, who has played through injuries most of the season, had hoped rest and treatment would permit him to return to the field in a week or two and delay surgery until after the season. McNabb also had said he was hesitant to opt for the procedure because he's never before undergone surgery. Sheppard was injured in the third quarter against the Giants when he got tangled up with wide receiver Plaxico Burress on an incomplete pass. He was taken off the field in a cart and the Eagles originally announced the ankle was broken. An All-Pro last year, Sheppard had 27 tackles, two interceptions and one sack this season. Mike McMahon started for McNabb against the Giants, and completed 18 of 39 passes for 298 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also ran for a score and helped the offense move the ball against a tough Giants defense that hadn't allowed a TD for 13 quarters. Reid said Monday that McMahon would start for the Eagles on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. Sports hernias are most common among male athletes. A diagnosis sometimes can be tricky because, unlike more common hernias, there is not always a visible bulge in the leg or groin area. And with about 18 different variations, sports hernias can range from torn muscles to frayed muscles to a weakness in the abdominal wall. Sometimes, the symptoms masquerade as a hip joint problem, a groin pull, a strained abdominal muscle or bursitis in the hip.
All I do is Grunt and Groan Hurts me to walk anywhere Went to see my physician Dr. Jones He took my trousers off Told me to cough The doctor said there ain't nothing To discuss He said anyday now I might have to wear a truss Living with a hernia All the time such aggravation Living with a hernia Hurts me bad in a tender location Living with a hernia Have to have an operation Feels so old Now I live with a hernia Too much back pain Good God! Drives me insane Can't bend over Barely crawl Got a bulge in my Intestinal wall Walk real funny Bless my soul Can't play tennis And it's hard to bowl You can't even do the splits now (say it) Better call it quits now Well I'm sick of all this dancing Anyhow Living with a hernia All the time, such irritation Now I live with a hernia Hurts me bad in a tender location Living with a hernia Have to have an operation Well you may not be familiar with the common types Of hernias that you can get So settle down let me clue you in There's incomplete Epigastric Bladder Strangulated Lumbar's hernia Erector's hernia Obstructed Obligual And Direct! Living with a hernia All the time such irritation Living with a hernia Hurts me bad in a tender location Living with a hernia I feel bad!
