Athletes try to navigate tangled Web

But Burg points out that McNabb does not obsess over how he is perceived. "To quote something Andy Reid once said, 'Donovan was wired to play in Philadelphia,' " says Burg. "Only a certain type of person can handle what goes on here. And there is more of it than ever. I am always surprised when former athletes say, 'We handled it differently when I played.' But a lot has changed even since Donovan got here, and there will continue to be change from Donovan to whoever follows him as quarterback."

Though the Internet has provided McNabb and others a portal to build a connection with fans, there will never be the relationship that existed between the player and fan in the old days, when the player could walk down the street undisturbed and the fan could looked upon him as just another member of the community. Money changed that long before technology did. But McNabb is accessible to the degree that he can be, just as long as the fans are not rude and hold off asking for autographs while he is having dinner.

And then there is: Do not call your friend while you are standing in line for an autograph and ask McNabb to say hello.

McNabb chuckles and says, "I do not grab cell phones." *