Friday, August 14, 2009

Vick Returns

Michael Vick, back in the NFL.

With the Eagles.

I'm still trying to figure this one out and I imagine it will be a good long while before I finally have all of my thoughts in order on this one. All I have on this today is a couple of quick hits:

1. I've already made my feelings known here about the Vick situation generally. Everyone deserves a second chance, certainly Vick in my view given what he did, and I believe that two years and a 32-game suspension (and counting) is more that sufficient punishment for his disgusting behavior. That said, I am still having a hard time accepting that he will be playing for my lifelong team, the Eagles. But hey, at least he won't have to deal with those rabid Philly fans as hostiles on the road at the Linc!

2. Although Vick's salary is $1.6 million for the 2009 season, the Eagles have an option for 2010 as well. At a much loftier $5.2 million. That is a lot of money, especially for a guy who hasn't stepped foot on a football field or even in an NFL workout or practice facility in over two years. There's just no way you pay that kind of money to someone who you aren't even thinking about being your quarterback.

3. There are probably lots of ways to use a guy of Vick's athleticism other than as purely an every-down starting quarterback. He could be the QB on 3rd-and-long and other special situations. He could play in the increasingly popular wildcat formation, should the Eagles elect to start running plays from that setup. More intriguing to me, I could see Vick playing a more "slash" type of role, where he can line up at times as a runningback, or even a wide receiver. If Vick shows even half the raw athleticism that he did years ago as the Falcons' quarterback, he should be able to contribute very meaningfully in that role.

4. According to Andy Reid, Tony Dungy, Mike Vick and even Eagles QB Donovan McNabb himself, McNabb played a significant role in helping this decision to happen. I still cannot get my head around that. I mean, of all the quarterbacks in the entire NFL, D-Mac might very possibly be the most insecure, most emotionally fragile, of all of them. The guy barfs during the superbowl, he cries weekly about TO, and he gets really pissy every time the fans clamor for him to go to the bench after he sucks it up royally for a few weeks. And now this guy is affirmatively approaching his coach and arguing to bring in one of the few guys in the league who plays McNabb's same position and who is arguably even more athletic than McNabb himself? For almost $7 million over two years?

I swear, something does not quite add up here.

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3 Comments:

Blogger Bayne_S said...

1) Vick is more athletic but less accurate than McNabb.

2) In general fans love backup QBs, clamor for back up QBs to get in games. Vick will be an exception unless McNabb really sucks.

3) McNabb is 50/50 to complete season anyway

6:46 AM  
Blogger Riggstad said...

Vick is going to HAVE to produce to be worth 5.2 next year. What the 1.6 with the option tells me is that they are giving him a chance as a favor to someone.

McNabb lobbying for this guy is a very suspect thing. I agree with you, but I also think that Vick will never ever take one snap from under center.

you might see some sort of trick plays but I still think this is done as a favor to several different people. The NFL has to be one.

I just think Goodall wanted to avoid a lengthy lawsuit from the players union.

I had no idea until today of what he actually did. I seriously never looked at the transcripts, nor did I listen to any of the broadcasts about his deeds in the case. I always assumed he was just the money guy and having some fun being this organized head or something.

But after being directed to some links of the transcripts... I am aghast.

I drove over to Gladwyne tonight to visit the inlaws. This is the same neighborhood where Laurie and Reid Live.

I saw no less than three Eagles banners up in lawns with the 'ole red circle and slash through it with signs underneath stating... Stop puppy mills.

That area is notorious for it's supporters of pets. It certainly is not going to be easy for the Eagles.

The Birds better hope they win every single game man, cause it will get ugly.

9:02 AM  
Blogger Mike Watkins said...

I don't know why they would be willing to tarnish the team image with Vick. His interview on 60 minutes was awful. He literally shot, hung, drowned, electrocuted and body slammed the dogs. Was one way of killing them not enough?

2:23 AM  

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