Vick Officially Cleared ?

by Joseph Birmingham

Thursday August 5, 2010 

Today it was reported that Eagles owner Jeff Lurie cleared Michael Vick,  stating that he made an error in judgement being there in an effort to appease certain members of his family and people from his old neighborhood-meaning, his dogfighting ring cronys-but that he was not DIRECTLY involved with any wrongdoing personally in regards to the shooting. 

Huh ?

I responded to this interview much in the same way I responded to the Eagles acquisition of the historically troubled quarterback in the first place. 

Any time I post in opposition to Vick, I get comments about the man having served his time and giving him another chance.  I responded then as I do now; If any of us were to repeatedly be involved in legal troubles of any nature, the world would not respond so kindly to our re-introduction as is any athlete or celebrity accustomed.

The Eagles have a strong young quarterback with limited experience in Kerry Kolb.  He can carry the franchise the next 5-10 years and possibly do great things, especially if the recieving corps is reinforced.  They need a proven veteran who is an asset to the team, in both action and attitude. They need someone who can step in if things get out of control, or Kolb were to get injured (always a possibility for starting quarterbacks in the NFL)

They don’t need Vick.   They don’t need the drama.    

They can do without his 68 yards passing, his 95 yards rushing, his 3 touchdowns, all at a bargain NFL ticket of  1.6 million.  This year he is making 5.2 million.  That we know of.  That’s more than $1,700,000 per touchdown.  Or $31,901 per yard.  Or $4 more a ticket you and me and everyone has to pay to see him play.  And he is hardly ever a factor, even when on the field.  

I don’t see him as ever being a factor and, based on his first year’s performance in Philly, I don’t see why Lurie relaxed his zero tolerance policy, which would of course NOT include looking the other way at any player being present at the scene of a shooting, to make an exception for Vick of all people.

It is sad.   The NFL allowed him to return to play after his incarceration.  Tony Dungy stood up for him. McNabb and Reid lobbied to get him on the roster.  Now Lurie is standing up for him.  What more does our young superstar desire ?   Why is it he can’t stay away from people who break laws and cause trouble  ?  He knows he is a celebrity so I would think he would be ultra careful. 

I will be rooting for Kolb to be strong out of training camp and eliminate any need to have further Vick discussion.  Let’s have him “star” in 50 snaps that gain a total of 200 yards for the season and pay him 3 times as much this year. 

Allegations regarding Michael Vick since he was drafted in 2001:

  • His father, Michael Boddie, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that in 2001, Vick was staging dogfights in the garage of the family’s home, kept fighting dogs in the family’s backyard, including injured ones which the father nursed back to health. 
  • In early 2004, two men were arrested in Virginia for distributing marijuana. The truck they were driving was registered to Vick. 
  • On October 10, 2004, Vick and his posse were at Atlanta’s Hartsfield International on their way to board a flight. A security camera caught 2 members of the Vick party stealing an expensive-appearing watch which belonged to Alvin Spencer.  Spencer filed a police report.  Although Vick representatives declined to make him available for an Atlanta police inquiry, six days later Spencer got the watch back from them.
  • In March 2005, Sonya Elliott filed a civil lawsuit against Vick alleging she contracted genital herpes from him in the autumn of 2002 and that he failed to inform her that he had the disease. 
  • November 26, 2006, After a loss to the Saints, in apparent reaction to fans booing, Vick flashed the double bird, was fined $10,000 by the NFL and agreed to donate another $10,000 to charity. 
  • January 17, 2007 – Vick surrendered a water bottle which had a hidden compartment to security personnel at Miami Internastional Airport. Vick was cleared of any wrongdoing
    • Filed Under Eagles

    Comments

    2 Responses to “Vick Officially Cleared ?”

    1. JackCrawford on August 25th, 2010 6:05 pm

      LET VICK PLAY BALL AND IF YOU DO YUO WILL BE PLEASENTLY SUPRISED!!HE HAS ALOT LEFT IN THE TANK!! FOR ALL YOU NONBELIEVERS. SHUT UP!!@!

    2. joseph birmingham on August 25th, 2010 7:32 pm

      Way to go. Three misspelled words in two sentences. I am convinced and will shut up now !!

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