AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2006 > September > 19 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USMuch ground to cover
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
See Michael run. See Michael run and run and run. See Warrick run. See Jerious run.
I went to a Falcons game the other day and a track meet broke out. The Falcons offense gained 382 yards, only 76 by air, which would naturally bring to mind all the jawing that came up as last season wound down to a sorry end. Should Michael Vick continue to be a freelance quarterback, or should he become like those old high top-shoes quarterbacks who dropped back, surveyed the field and delivered the pitch? Which would be like restricting Andruw Jones to bunting.
In a sense, Michael Vick is public property, belonging to anyone who owns a slice of Atlanta. And a richly rewarded piece of property he is. (What was it, $130 million that Arthur Blank budgeted him for? I have trouble following these sporting investments of people like Arthur Blank and George Steinbrenner.) Anyway, every citizen with a ticket to the Dome, and thousands without, feels it’s his/her right and privilege to an opinion about whether Vick should confine himself to the passing game and run only when desperate. Or otherwise.
In the final stages of the season past, his running dwindled down to a precious few yards. In fact, in the last game against Carolina, he had only one carry, and whatever it was, it was for zero yards. Now, is this a switch-a-roo? When Mike wants to, Mike runs. “It all depends on Mike,” the headline said.
It’s stuff lifted from college playbooks. Nothing fancy. Nothing new. Vick and Dunn line up in shotgun formation, Vick takes the snap, he gives it to Dunn, then takes it back and takes off, or leaves it in Dunn’s hands. The old fake-a-roo. Vick accumulated most of his yardage against Tampa Bay off that fake, and only one time did the defense nail him. Ronde Barber waited in place for him and threw him for a loss, but the next time Vick ran it again, they bit and he turned in another gain.
Fourteen times Vick kept it and hoofed it for 127 yards, beginning with the first play from scrimmage. Somehow, it seemed he was running for a lot more than that, but, of course, he’s not always moving forward. He’s in and out of traffic like a sports car darting between 18-wheelers. He completed 10 passes for just 97 yards. It seemed more than that, but then you factor in those 83 penalty yards and that cuts into the total.
Then you consider the score. All those yards, 306 on the ground — that breaks a Falcons record that has stood since 1972, before the Buccaneers had even been created. All those yards, you’d think, should have produced more points. Mainly, what it did was give Monte Kiffin, the Bucs’ Einstein of defense, a furrowed brow and a hurting.
“We look at it one play at a time,” Vick said, not necessarily contributing to the vernacular of sport. “It just shows you we can do it all [when you confuse a Monte Kiffin that bad].”
Having delivered his edict, Vick stepped away from the podium and was embraced by Blank, who is an affectionate boss. So, too, did Dunn get a hug after his appearance. You will see an awful lot of the owner in Falcons pictures, gathering up television time. This is along the order of Jerry Jones, which is contra to the man who preceded him as owner of the Cowboys. Clint Murchison, who could have bought and sold Jones, was a background guy. Rarely ever in camera range. Tex Schramm and Tom Landry were the faces of the Cowboys of those times.
The Falcons’ new uniforms? Well, I’ve seen worse, that undocumented shade of Oregon green, for instance. Most addling because the Tampa Bay players in white looked like the home team and I kept confusing numbers. And why all the talk about a new stadium, by the way? It boggles me. I consider the Georgia Dome the “new” stadium. There are surely no better sight lines in the NFL, and especially the view from the press box. Try that thing in St. Louis or Detroit. Since I don’t expect to be around for the next new one, that’s for another generation.
Permalink | Comments (11) | Post your comment | Categories: Falcons / NFL, Furman Bisher
Comments
By Brian
September 19, 2006 06:47 PM | Link to this
Hey Mr. Bisher, those are not the Falcons “new” uniforms. They wear them once or twice every year. When was the last time you actually saw them play before this? :)
By ga_tech_92@yahoo.com
September 19, 2006 07:22 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the nice read, Mr.Bisher.
By Keith S.
September 19, 2006 09:41 PM | Link to this
Furman Bisher is the one AJC sports columnist who doesn’t act like he’s writing to the chat room. I agree with “Tech 92”……Nice job, Mr. Bisher.
By ctim
September 19, 2006 11:02 PM | Link to this
All you Mike Vick hates can go take a chill pill. I could care less if he never throws for 300 yds. Or 200. Have the Falcons ever lost a game when they rushed for over 200 yds, or more than 40 carries? I say unlikely, if ever. That’s the key stat. The defense is at its best when the run games is chewing up the clock and the opposition. So all of you “purists” who love passing, go follow the Colts, or maybe you can bring back Jeff George. But for those who want to see the Birds in the Super Bowl again, go no 7 and 28!
By thedream
September 20, 2006 12:19 AM | Link to this
great article, well written! Good just Mr. Bisher!
By Dave Williams
September 20, 2006 08:28 AM | Link to this
Mr. Bisher is, quite simply, the finest sportswriter there ever has been.
By BirdDawg
September 20, 2006 09:27 AM | Link to this
Mr. Bisher,
It is my hope that you are around for the next stadium.
You have to admit, that football played in Georgia should be played outside.
Let’s keep the Dome for the SEC Championship, the Peach Bowl, the NCAA Final Four, the High School Games, the Black College Marching Band Competition, concerts, and all of the rest of the great conventions that come to Atlanta.
But lets build an outdoor stadium. A stadium with no roof. Not a removable roof, or whatever. Like the Dawgs play at Sanford, the Falcons should play in Atlanta. Under the sun, moon, and stars. In the elements. A beautiful crown jewel of football.
Mr. Bisher, may you live to be 200, because the day that you no longer write for this paper, is the day this paper becomes totally irelevant for me. Carter Strickland and Terence Moore are doing their damndest to do that now, but as long as you’re still here, then I’ll still read this rag.
Keep the faith.
By RA
September 20, 2006 01:11 PM | Link to this
Mr. Bisher,
I for one pray that you stick around for a long time to come because you offer the AJC reader something that you collegues don’t, balance. Trust me, we want you around!
By GADAWG
September 20, 2006 03:08 PM | Link to this
This is for ctim:
A football “purist” would actually prefer the run over the pass. I’m not for sure I read on blog on here that came close to sounding like it hated Vick.
My guess is that you are one of those “hanger-ons” of Vick’s that is afraid your gravy train is going to leave the station.
By D-Man
September 20, 2006 08:44 PM | Link to this
Yeaahhh, the D-man sends a big shout out to the FISH MAN…You keep on, keeping on baby…The D-Man says you’ll be around for a long long time…I expect at least another 200 commentaries from you…Yeaaahhh. Peace. D-man out.
By Kendall
September 20, 2006 11:59 PM | Link to this
A pleasure to read as always. It is a pity that sportswriters of my generation can’t do justice to our pastimes. I guess they are too busy attending driveway press conferences in the suburbs.