Game Chat: Victorino Finally Gets Some Rest as Kendrick Looks to Build On CGSO
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On Michael Vick, Andy Reid, the Eagles, and Second Chances
Michael Vick is a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. Even now, a day after the shocking news broke, it's still a bit surreal. The last time there's been this kind of buzz in the Philadelphia community revolving around sports, the Phillies had just won the World Series. The Eagles signing Michael Vick is a divisive move of epic proportions in this town.
In my opinion, this has football implications and it has human implications. The former is much easier to argue and debate with clear facts and statistics. The latter, on the other hand, is about as easy to agree on as whether to go to Pat's or Geno's. People simply aren't going to see eye to eye no matter what. And then you have vegetarians to make it even more complicated.
As I mentioned before, I think the Inquirer's Gonzo handled the morality aspect of this situation pretty well. I don't know Michael Vick, I've never met him. A court judged him. That's not really my place, but I do believe what he did was horrific. The facts are clear: Michael Vick committed horrible crimes against animals and he's been sent to prison for it. He's served his time. Those are the facts. Now whether you believe he should be allowed back into the NFL and more specifically allowed to play for our Eagles is another story entirely.
"This is America. We do make mistakes, and in this situation he has a chance to prove he is doing the right things and I think the fans will be excited for him as long as he continues to do them. He's been proactive, speaking all over the country and working with the Humane Society," Andy Reid said. Personally, I'm buying in to what Andy is saying and is sincere in his beliefs that people deserve a second chance.
In all of Andy's ten year tenure as Eagles head coach, I can't recall him speaking with such candor as he did last night. He opened up about being able to relate to Vick's struggles because of what he's gone through with his two sons and their own legal issues. Reid seemed truly genuine in wanting to not only help Vick become a better football player but also a better man. And the Humane Society fact should not go unnoticed. If this situation is going to work out well for all sides, Mike Vick is going to have to turn into a role model in leading the charge against animal cruelty.
Wayne Pacelle, president and chief executive of the Humane Society, told this to the L.A. Times about the potential impact in Philadelphia, "It's a city we've been looking at very closely because it has a major dogfighting problem. So Vick's landing there has the potential to turn around the issue. This gives us a big boost."
A negative could be turned into a positive. Only the future will show us if that's really going to happen. Call me an optimist, but I'd like to believe it's possible.
Vick On The Football Field
Then there's the whole issue of why in the world the Eagles would bring in Vick? At the presser last night, Reid repeatedly said Vick is a quarterback -- "not a utility player," as Donovan put it. Well did the Eagles really need a backup quarterback that desperately? Was the Vick backlash worth the risk for just a backup quarterback? And a backup quarterback who hasn't played football in two years at that? I'd say no.
Clearly the Eagles must have ulterior motives here. Andy and Donovan tore down the notion of a Wildcat offense but that seems to be the only way this move would make any sense. While they both tore it down, they also both kind of acknowledged it -- Andy with his "I can't give you all my secrets" comments and Donovan with his insane notion of McNabb actually moving to receiver for 5 out of the 70 plays a game while Vick takes over QB. The possibility of mixing in Vick here and there has to have Big Red itching at the possibility of all that chicanery. And speed. Westbrook, DeSean, Maclin, McCoy, Curtis, and now Vick. What an abundance of speed.
Will Vick be a distraction? Obviously, yes. But how much? He won't be able to play in the next two preseason games and then he has to sit out something like the first six regular season games. Which means he won't be as big of a distraction as if he were on the field in week one. And what about this angle: could this actually lighten the pressure load on Donovan and allow him to play better? It's possible.
Do I love the move? No, not really. Do I hate it? No, not really. But the more I think about it, the more exciting the prospect of mixing Michael Vick into the offense a few plays a game becomes. I'm willing to give the guy a second chance at least until he does something stupid once again.
Two of the most exciting football games I've ever been to in person involved number seven. The first was way back in 2000 when a young Vick ran for three touchdowns and 210 yard rushing against my beloved Boston College Eagles. (Check out the third TD in this video, sickness.) The second being the Eagles one and only NFC Championship victory back in the 2004 season when the Birds shut Vick down. But boy was he scary.
That said, it certainly is shocking the Eagles were the ones to stick their neck out for this guy. It's still hard to believe. I just hope it doesn't totally blow up in our faces.
If Vick can get into football shape and look anything like his former self, there's no denying he could be an electrifying addition to this offense. That is if Andy succumbs to the Wildcat.
Wild. Cat.
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