Donovan McNabb is respected by many and so far he is looking like Michael Vick’s biggest backer in the Philadelphia Eagles’ organization.
Speaking to ESPN.com, McNabb said fans can expect to see Vick and himself on the field at the same time.
“I’ll be a receiver. I might be a tight end,” he said with a smile Monday. “You never know where I’ll be.”
Michael Vick is on a campaign to let you know he's sorry.
Here’s a snippet of what he wrote in the entry. Read the rest of this entry »
I thought it would be best to do a video entry on Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles because I haven’t done one in a long time.
I guess a lot of my reaction is to this ESPN story, which provides some solid details of my argument.
Michael Vick runs well on the field. Too bad he can't run away from PETA off of it.
Among the many crazy stories this week, including the signing of Michael Vick to the Philadelphia Eagles, I was pointed back to a 2005 article by the Washington Post about the infamous PETA and its own skeletons.
According to the article, this is an organization that has been under investigation for years as suspected domestic terrorists. No lie. Part of it is the hyper sensitivity of government law enforcement agencies after 9/11 and the other part is PETA is connected/entangled/funded by extreme animal rights groups that will literally bomb your car if you work with testing animals. Forget the fact that no animals are harmed, your car is getting it.
But I’m not surprised by any of this. The fringe animals rights groups have always been so cantankerous and outrageously absurd in the name of their cause, I have dismissed any possibility of reasonableness from them. That includes PETA.
So when the group says in January Vick should get a brain scan for signs he may be a psychopath, I shrug, knowing it’s just ol’ crazy PETA doing its thing. When Vick is released from prison and they accuse him of being at a strip club afterward and not being remorseful of his crimes, I laugh. If I were Vick in that moment, instead of denying being at a strip club, I’d totally admit to it. Because that’s exactly where I’d want to be after two years locked in the pen. No lie.
And then, when Vick finally has a job, after he has pledged to donate his time, money and influence against dogfighting — even to PETA, they issue this statement: Read the rest of this entry »
Rick Pitino's affair is gone into a bizarre zone. So much so, I don't know what to say about it.
First, and most importantly, coach Mike Singletary will plug in Shaun Hill as the team’s starter for the San Francisco 49ers’ first preseason game. It’s an indication, in my mind, that the starting spot is his to lose.
Now, on to the ex-convicts and extra marital affairs.
In unprecedented, but most welcomed, news, Roger Goodell announced a season-long suspension for Donte’ Stallworth.
He had it coming.
I can’t help but think this is karma at work for a guy who literally killed a man while driving drunk and spent 23 days of repentance in soft-core jail. I wrote about the backwards way the justice system was working on this case in June. It was atrocious to mete out a 30-day sentence, however long the probation period.
If you’re scoffing at this, you’re either rich or ignorant. Read the rest of this entry »
Michael Vick's strengths are his speed and athleticism. Will he be able to put his ego aside and embrace a new role?
Dog rapist (no wait, dog murderer) Michael Vick is eligible to play in the NFL by week 6 this season, and there have been two questions being asked – does he deserve it, and will he be any good after two seasons off? The short (and lazy) answers are I don’t know, and he was never any good.
Vick was suspended indefinitely and spent 18 months in prison for running a dog fighting business (enhanced gambling?) to supplement his measly NFL income. Had the league suspended him permanently, I’d be fine with it. It’s not a “right” to play in the NFL. Having done the time for doing the crime, I don’t have a problem with him being reinstated either.
One thing I’m not straddling the fence on is how Vick can be successful in his return. He is not a franchise quarterback. Never was. He’s proven this. I have drafted him way too high on several of my fantasy football teams, and believe me, he’s proven this. His career accuracy (53.8 %) would be much higher if bounce passes were legal.
Vick is a specialty player, a gimmick, a decoy, a playmaker, and the sooner he realizes this, the sooner he can begin carving out a great career in this role. Only his ego can stop him now. Self-evaluation is easier said than done, but the evidence is out there for him to review, and that’s why Vick reads this blog (or should). It’s advantageous to know what you’re good at, what you’re not good at, and how to use your skills properly.
We know what Vick is good at. Running. Fast. That’s not enough to be an NFL quarterback, but it sure as hell is enough to be a valuable player to a championship team. Think Kordell Stewart but faster, and more dog-killy. Reggie Bush : Running Back :: Michael Vick : Quarterback. A team that can creatively use Vick’s superior speed and athleticism will benefit greatly.
Use him at running back on sweeps, try him out at receiver, run reverses with him at either position, let him return punts and kicks (I admit this one would probably lead to injury), play him at quarterback in the Wildcat formation, or even let him throw the ball if you’ve got a comfortable lead. The only question is whether Vick will be able to put his ego aside and accept a role like this.
Every dog has its day, so to speak.
Simple question: What does two years in prison, millions in lost salary, promises to volunteer and the PETA cross on his back mean to Roger Gooddell?
Nil, he says. Nil.
“I accept that you are sincere when you say that you want to, and will, turn your life around, and that you intend to be a positive role model for others,” Goodell said in his letter to Vick. “I am prepared to offer you that opportunity. Whether you succeed is entirely in your hands.”
“Needless to say, your margin for error is extremely limited,” the letter said. “I urge you to take full advantage of the resources available to support you and to dedicate yourself to rebuilding your life and your career. If you do this, the NFL will support you.”
Even the letter was condescending. I wonder if the ink smelled like rosemary.
But really, will PETA get off his back? Does he have a real chance with an NFL team? I believe a lot depends on who will go to bat for Vick, being the owners and the players and the NFLPA. Their say carries a lot more clout than just the whims of an animal rights organization.
It wouldn’t hurt if he keeps his mouth shut either. That could go a long way.
ESPN's Erin Andrews at the ESPY awards. (AP file photo)
But not from the New York Post.
We see this thing happen pretty often, especially to celebrities. I wouldn’t call Andrews a celebrity (or any other journalist for that matter), but she’s known as a “pretty face” for the World Wide Leader. But that doesn’t take away from further sensationalizing the story, which is what the Post is accused of. The Post published three photos from the video, after it appeared on the internet in many places.
“While we understand the Post’s decision to cover this as a news story, their running photos obtained in such a fashion went well beyond the boundaries of common decency in the interest of sensationalism,” ESPN senior vice president of communications Chris LaPlaca said in a statement Wednesday night.
In response, ESPN has banned all Post writers from appearing on its network. Ouch.
Talk about bringing the hammer. Not sure how much this hurts because the WWL doesn’t share what kind of contracts it has with writers of news organizations. Are they paid like Mike Wilbon, or are they doing it out of a means to promote themselves and their newspaper’s brand? We really don’t know.
On the other end, ESPN has been taking hits this last week because they would not even mention the Ben Roethlisberger case, in which he’s been accused of raping a hotel employee in Harrah’s. (The thing is, the accuser waited a whole year to just file a civil lawsuit — that’s right, no criminal complaint — against Big Ben, Harrah’s Casino and some of its employees. This was the main cause for ESPN to hesitate.)
While the accusations looked flawed with the absence of a criminal complaint, most observers have noted that it is still newsworthy.
I agree.
The Associated Press had reported on the issue when it arose, getting a quote from NFL commissioner Roger Gooddell and Roethlisberger’s lawyer. So it was very weird to not see ESPN even mention it.
Talk about burying the news. Would Michael Vick, Pacman Jones or Terrell Owens have received such restraint from the WWL? I don’t think so.
So on two different, totally separate fronts, ESPN is caught in these awkward positions to 1) do their journalistic duty as the WWL and 2) protect their own and uphold journalistic integrity.
Batting 1-for-2 when it comes to ethics, isn’t exactly admirable.
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Here’s another good read on Erin Andrews being “pretty” from Viv Bernstein.
Should I blame Dante Stallworth or should I blame the justice system?
Forget the preferential treatment argument you’ve heard ad nauseum. Forget the fact that Michael Vick killed dogs and not people, or was the last to confess to his guilty transgressions, however absurd and sadistic they were.
Donte killed a man. Drunk. He deserves more than 30 days in jail.
I hate writing those words. I really don’t think anything can be worse than compounding the punishment a man has deserved and been sentenced, with some more he doesn’t. But Donte definitely deserves more. Ten years probation seems like pittance for a man running stupidly in the streets. However stupidly.
You know what normal folks do when they see crazy people in the street, they slow down or better yet, stop. What they don’t do? Flash their lights.
I will not apologize for the justice system meting out a punishment that is in accordance with the law and sentencing guidelines. That’s just ridiculous. If anything, it highlights that there are changes needed at the third branch of government.
Now, whose ready to take that battle to congress?
