AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2005 > November > 10 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USVick not so different from a young Favre
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
The Falcons have had two defining trades in the franchise history.
Brett Favre wrecked it. Michael Vick is starting to make up for it.
Vick hasn’t won a Super Bowl yet. He doesn’t have Favre’s Hall of Fame credentials yet. Largely because he’s viewed as some alien life form that the NFL hadn’t seen before, he’s certainly not as widely revered as Favre, despite a 68.6 winning percentage and coming within one game of the Super Bowl in only his second postseason.
But it’s with some irony that Favre and Vick will meet again Sunday for likely the final time.
Green Bay is 1-7. Favre is on pace to throw more interceptions than at any point in his career (he has 14 in eight games) and it seems unlikely he can rationalize it’s worth coming back for another year of Packer misery.
The Falcons are 6-2. Vick is coming off an I’ve-got-your-efficiency-rating-right-here performance against Miami, and the franchise is set up for the future.
Three years ago, we could see both coming. Three years ago in Green Bay is when it all turned. The Packers had never lost a playoff game at Lambeau Field. Vick had never started a playoff game. But he threw a touchdown pass, ran for 64 yards and the Falcons buried the Packers 27-7.
Favre was intercepted twice, sacked twice.
Vick: zero, zero.
After that game, the two quarterbacks spoke, and it’s a conversation Vick hasn’t forgotten. “He told me that I was going to be a great player in this league and that I was going to have a great career,� Vick said Thursday through a team spokesman. “That meant a lot to me, a 22-year-old quarterback, hearing those kinds of comments from a guy who had won the MVP award three times and a guy who had won a Super Bowl.�
It has been an interesting season for Vick. He has evolved from a nightly SportsCenter highlight into a polarizing figure with the public. Depending on what side you’re on, he’s either a player to embrace with awe or an abomination for all that is holy about the quarterback position, so help me Peyton Manning.
Favre would be the first to tell you he often ran around and did stupid things in his career. Of course, he usually came through in the clutch and he won. So people just looked at the stupid stuff with amusement.
Vick runs around and sometimes misreads a defense or misfires with his arm. Of course, he usually comes through in the clutch and he wins. For whatever reason, not everybody views his flaws with amusement.
After the Miami game, Vick sounded off. You know what? He had a right to. Maybe it didn’t come out the right way. Maybe he went a little over the line. But if ever an athlete deserved a platform to vent after completing 22 of 31 attempts, it was Vick.
“I knew he needed to get that off his chest,� tight end Alge Crumpler said. “He had a point to prove and he proved it, and he damn sure looked good doing it. But he’s not just going to cater to what other people want. I know that the thing Mike cares most about is winning, and he does that.
“If you go back since he’s been here, when the game is on the line, Mike usually comes through, no matter what his stats are. He loves those situations. He shines better than anybody else on the field when the pressure’s on.�
Used to say that about Favre.
Vick admitted this week he was motivated by the criticism of his passing skills. Asked about perceptions of his style, he said, “I don’t know — whatever they want to say. Whatever they want to perceive me as. Running quarterback, just a runner — it doesn’t matter. [I’m] a winner.â€?
When quizzed about far-fetched suggestions of Terrell Owens joining the Falcons, he said, “I could play with anybody. It’s all if they could play with me.�
Because Owens would have to understand, as Vick said: “This is my team.�
It is his team. If that wasn’t clear before that night in Green Bay three years ago, it was after. It doesn’t matter how Vick makes it go. As long as he makes it go.
Permalink | Comments (23) | Categories: Falcons / NFL, Jeff Schultz, Jeff Schultz
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By A-Town's Finest
November 11, 2005 01:45 AM | Link to this
Two thumbs UP!!!!!!!!
By Birdbrain
November 11, 2005 05:07 AM | Link to this
Another Fantastic Voyage for Jeff, as he tranverses Vick’s colon with his eyes wide shut.Careful Jeff, even you comedian types have a deep seeded desire to be taken seriously. Hero worship is such a fragile thing.
By gapeach
November 11, 2005 08:18 AM | Link to this
Once again Jeff, you are right on point!
By Kim
November 11, 2005 10:21 AM | Link to this
This is a great read!”…an abomination for all that is holy…so help me Peyton Manning” is the funniest statement I’ve read in a very long time. Good job, Jeff.
By Demahl
November 11, 2005 10:23 AM | Link to this
Stop looking for microwave results! Vick is “Good” and will be “Great” one day. Give him time. Would you rather have a Tom Brady, and spend your weekends watching boring, expressionless wins. Or, would you rather enjoy the excitment of a “Great” player in the making? That’s the real question! And steak just doesn’t taste the same when its zapped!
By Randy
November 11, 2005 10:41 AM | Link to this
Get off it Jeff. If not for you, Mark Bradley, and Terrence Moore there would be NO Vick controversy. You’r just trying to split the Bird fans, create SOME type of strife, be it racial or not, and get fans to complain so you can sell newspapers. True fans love the winning, we love what Michael brings to the table. We want him to stay in the pocket more, NOT to stifle him, but to protect him.
NUFF SAID about Michael Vick, just watch the birds, enjoy, and take a DEEP breath every time he gets hit.
By falconchick
November 11, 2005 11:02 AM | Link to this
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE GAME SUNDAY. IT WILL BRING BACK THE MEMORIES OF OUR LAST MEETING WHEN THE FALCONS BEAT A FAVRE THAT WAS AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME. SUNDAY WILL BE INTERESTING WHICH FAVRE WILL SHOW UP?ALTHOUGH THIS MAY BE THE LAST MATCH UP BETWEEN A FAVRE LED GREEN BAY TEAM. THE FALCONS MUST BE CAREFUL HE STILL HAS THE CAPABILITY TO BE EXPLUSIVE.I KNOW THE FALCONS WILL GET THE VICTORY. MY PROJECTED SCORE 27-7 REPEAT GO FALCONS !!!!!!!!
By Mach
November 11, 2005 12:36 PM | Link to this
The Falcons will handle business as usual on Sunday. TJ “Truckett” is back. Roddy White looks to be gaining more confidence with each snap. The defense has been resilient. And Vick did what some thought was impossible for him last week, he won from the pocket. Brett Favre is a Hall of Fame QB, no doubt about it. But he has to come to the Dome and win. And with the way this city has been behind this team, the 12th Man has definitely become a factor.
The Birds take flight once again on Sunday!!!
By stu
November 11, 2005 03:14 PM | Link to this
In the words of the great Rush Limbaugh, “Right on, right on, right on!” That was a great article, right on the money.
By Birdy
November 11, 2005 04:50 PM | Link to this
Birdbrain,
I’ve warned you not to bring your “chunky” soup eating self back into this Falcons paradise spewing your venom.
Mike Vick is the leader of this team. He’s the biggest fan favorite, and a huge contributor to the team’s success.
Deal with it.
U kno who
By larry w.
November 11, 2005 07:03 PM | Link to this
Birdbrain…I’ve noticed that you and a hand full of others on these blogs always have negative responses whenever something positive is written about Vick.(and I’m sure we’ll hear from uno and Scott shortly). It is one thing to dislike a player’s style or abilities, but you seem to have a personal vendetta against Vick. When you get a moment, I would really like to know why you hate the man so much! Just curious.
By don
November 11, 2005 07:36 PM | Link to this
Dont add a W yet, homeboys Brett will be back and will have healthy players. Vick cant carry his jock strap
By DIRRTYBIRD
November 11, 2005 08:06 PM | Link to this
Yeah Birdbrain, What is it about winning that you dislike so much?
By Eli
November 12, 2005 02:46 AM | Link to this
Also in the words of the “great” Rush Limbaugh: “Have you ever noticed how all composite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson?”
Nice choice of reference there, Stu. Maybe next time you can share some wisdom from Jesse Helms, or better yet, Bill O’Reilly.
By Birdbrain
November 12, 2005 04:39 AM | Link to this
We don’t win with vick in so much as we win in spite of him. Any QB with a decent idea of how to manage a game could have the Falcons in the exact same position, without having to pay him 130 million to do so. That would free up money to sign defensive help to replace the horrible Corner/ Safety combo that is one of the worst in the NFL.
Using the term “hate”, just because i am critical of a player, is typical of the vick apologists who want to turn any critisism into a “us” v.s. “them” debate, or even worse a racial debate. Niether could be further from the truth. I like vick, i think he is a good kid, he just doesn’t have the consistancy needed to carry us to the big dance.
By larry w.
November 12, 2005 09:56 AM | Link to this
Birdbrain….Thank you for your response. However, I never said anything about race. It’s just that I seem to sense a disdain for Vick in your posts. Almost to the point where it seems personal. A lot of the bloggers criticize Vick, and there is nothing wrong with that. But some of your posts seem to go beyond criticism. Never the less, thanks for your reply.
By Birdy
November 12, 2005 11:28 AM | Link to this
Don’t worry about BirdBrain. I have it on good authority that he does indeed have some deep-seated emotional issues with Vick. We’ve seen his type before…they own all kinds of jerseys and other memorabilia regarding a celebrity, but then tear them to shreds to everyone they can think of. I doubt the guy ever even attends any of the games.
I don’t think he’s racist, just hopelessly embittered. And I know all this by profiling his posts, and the way his typewriter slants its ‘t’ and drops capital ‘A’…
;-) LOL!
By jabbari19
November 12, 2005 01:11 PM | Link to this
come on guys,the man calls himself BirdBrain,what do you expect?
By dirrtybird
November 12, 2005 09:18 PM | Link to this
I hear all of this “Falcons win in spite of Vick” Please document this for me. Last I checked the Falcons winning record is horrible when he doesn’t play and fantastic when he does. Please advise. The way I understand it, you guys just don’t like running the ball, and you would rather lose throwing than have the #1 rushing attack in the league.
By lawton
November 13, 2005 10:17 AM | Link to this
its not vick, its greg knapp and the scheme.
By AtlantaFan
November 13, 2005 11:27 AM | Link to this
Great article Jeff! Right on the money.
On a side note…I for one am sick and tired of the people who keep posting that “this opinion or that opinion” are racially motivated. These folks are obviously the ones with the race issues, reading it into everything they do or whenever they don’t like what somebody writes or says. Seriously folks, these people need some help from a shrink about their racial inferiority/superiority complex, no matter if they’re green or purple. Why can’t we just be color blind and enjoy the players and the game? My recent trip to the Dome showed a fan base of all colors cheering their team in harmony. But there is always somebody who wants to ruin it for those of us who really try to make a difference every day.
That said, BirdBrain’s negative fixation with Vick has all the signs of a village idiot. I mean, come on Dude, you’re not happy with winning? I agree that BB’s criticism’s are outside the norm of the regular guy who would like to see his QB have improvement in a certain area. And to say that “Any QB with a decent idea of how to manage a game could have the Falcons in the exact same position” is preposterous. And the “traverses Vicks colon” comment is telling about someone who doesn’t really understand what being a fan is all about. And at least we finally have a sportswriter in this town who publicly roots his team on and doesn’t crucify players because of what someone else says.
P.S. Does this BirdBrain guy watch the games? My guess is he is a Philly Phan in disguise. As someone else said “get off our blog”.
P.S.S. Our prayers go out to Steve Bartkowski and his family, the Falcon Great and all time passing leader of the Birds. He is a classy Falcon and we pray he will beat this colon cancer. As someone who’s father passed away from this insidious disease, I know from first hand experience what a tough battle Steve is fighting. Some people think colon cancer is 100% treatable if caught early enough. I can tell you that is not always the case. We hope and pray that Steve’s surgery is a success and that a complete recovery is God’s plan.
By Gordon
November 14, 2005 07:14 AM | Link to this
What happened to being a winner Mr Vick Or was that a whiner
By Lisa Simmons
November 14, 2005 01:10 PM | Link to this
Sorry Atlanta fans….Mike Vick is no Brett Favre!! Favre is a true QB…your guy is just a glorified RB in a QB’s jersey. He will never win an MVP trophy let alone three and if he wins a Super Bowl it will be because of the other RB’s on your team. The Packers “D” figured out how to stop Vick, they HIT him!!