Sports Columnists

By BirdMahn

January 21, 2007 10:40 PM | Link to this

Jeffie Boy, you continue to be the biggest Falcons hater on the planet. Your dribble gets really tiring.

By toocoldscorpio

January 21, 2007 10:49 PM | Link to this

Yeah the falcons made a mistake in not hiring Lovie Smith. Will this paper and this writer in particular admit you made a mistake in rushing to judgement of Mike Vick concernig the airport incident. You oviously had no real facts to go on. Everyone just assume the young man was guilty. I think we the reading public have a right to expect more from our news paper.

By lucky medena

January 21, 2007 10:55 PM | Link to this

Jeff,

Will you publicly apologize to Michael Vick now that reports are saying he will be exonerated of any wrongdoing at Miami airport?

A few days ago you were fanning the flames of discontent. Now, you must perform your journalistic duty to retract every statement you made about this incident.

You should be disgraced that you condemned a man without first digging for the truth.

By Fans with $hit for brains and sport writers

January 21, 2007 11:00 PM | Link to this

Jeff Schultz you need to apologize to mike Vick. you said Vick must go because you did not have the facts. you need to be fired. you tried to destroy Mike Vick . All because you did not do your job. you single handed cause vick a lot of pain. You are a @ss hole! you have egg all over your face!

By Mr C.

January 21, 2007 11:01 PM | Link to this

If Vick is exonerated from the airport incident, I hope he asks for a trade. Atlanta doesn’t deserve him. You and 75% of ur readers cruified him and stated that he needs to go or be traded. That’s passing judgement without any fact.

Lets see the state of falcons football in 3 yrs. We might be lucky if we see them on TV cos they will be blacked out. If AJC wants 500 responses from the worst sports fan in the country, lets make Mike Vick the quintessene of what’s bad with falcons football. Lets ignore the problems of the offensive line, safety, and secondary position.

By jimmy

January 21, 2007 11:05 PM | Link to this

nice call on vick there shultzie

By believe in #7

January 21, 2007 11:07 PM | Link to this

Jeff you did mike wrong and won’t own up to your hate for mike Vick. I would never talk to you if I was Vick for all the pain you and i mean you cause that man.

By Rico Suave

January 21, 2007 11:10 PM | Link to this

Yet another attempt to hate on the Falcons for doing something or not doing something……yeah we made a mistake with Mora over Lovie Smith…..

But speaking of mistakes, when is your retraction/apology to Mike Vick article coming out since it was determined that nothing illegal was in that bottle……..c’mon Schultz, MAN UP!

By GHunt

January 21, 2007 11:10 PM | Link to this

Thanks Jeff for telling the troth. Rich McKay, as GM, has blown more opportunities than Billy Knight with the Hawks. At least the Hawks’ owners knew that they were trading away players in order to down size payroll.

Arthur Blank was spending big bucks to bring a winner to Atlanta. Mckay blew the Lovie Smith choice and his draft picks and free agents signings have been highly questionable. How long before Mr. Blank open his eyes to see he is getting poor advice from his GM.

By Najeh Davenpoop

January 21, 2007 11:25 PM | Link to this

An uneasy feeling in my gut tells me that in three years, Bobby Petrino will be on the chopping block while Ken Whisenhunt’s Arizona Cardinals are in the Super Bowl.

By scott

January 21, 2007 11:26 PM | Link to this

I can not wait for your column reporting the FACTS about the Mike Vick situation. How about a column titled,”Jeff Schultz needs to go”. Of course once there are too many post vindicating Mike Vick we will see the AJC’s classic line,”entries for this topic is now closed”.

By Najeh Davenpoop

January 21, 2007 11:26 PM | Link to this

And like Mr. C says, if I’m Vick right now, I’m demanding a trade. Something tells me most Falcons fans would rather see Matt Schaub quarterbacking a 3-13 team year after year anyway.

By keeping it real

January 21, 2007 11:29 PM | Link to this

Go Lovie great job. You are in the right place. The red necks and dumb @ss sports writer would have dogged him out. Hank Arron went though a lot of pain here. Jeff Schultz you Dogged Vick out and the wimp you are class less sports writer. You need to ask Vick for forgiveness. Read all the hate that was written on the blog you wrote all because you did not do you job. you talk about how bad vick was doing his job now look at you. You need to reap what you have sow en. an eye for an eye!

By Datruth

January 21, 2007 11:32 PM | Link to this

yeah, but I’d rather have Rex Grossman than Ron Mexico.

By pdawg

January 21, 2007 11:35 PM | Link to this

Now you need to apologize to Vick. You just jumped on the story and wrote all kinds of stuff without having any facts. I hope Vick asks for a trade.

By Kevin

January 21, 2007 11:35 PM | Link to this

You should be terminated for stirring the seeds of discontent on one Mr. Michael Vick. Perhaps your next line of work should be in the judicial field. You are one serious idiot. Thats a fact.

By Cap

January 21, 2007 11:37 PM | Link to this

Let’s see…Lovie Smith is going to the Super Bowl with the worst QB in the league and beat a team that beat the Falcons twice in the regular season to get there. I wonder if Michael Vick could QB the Bears? Gee, I don’t know, Vick’s average total offense outpaced the Bears QB and leading rusher combined. What do you think? Oh no, I forgot, Vick is the bane of Atlanta’s existence for flipping off hillbillies and uncle toms and carrying compartmental non-weed through airports. Atlanta needs to get a clue and recognize that it is getting passed by, by teams with inferior talent due to poor mismanagement and the ultimate fairweather friend fanbase. Who would want to come play for or coach the Falcons except for a college coach and starters who were drafted to come here? Everything was great when the Falcons started off 6-1 and 5-2 for the past two seasons but when the wheels fell off the same players that were responsible (mainly Vick but also D-Hall) for the fast starts all of a sudden couldn’t play anymore. Yeah…sure…for two straight years Vick developed mid-season football amnesia. Must be all the non-weed and middle-finger carpal tunnel syndrome. Or maybe it is because the Falcons haven’t really done anything to improve the team since they drafted Vick and Crumpler except get Vick hurt to draft their only other pro bowl caliber player D-Hall. So here’s the pattern folks, Vick creams defenses for seven games until the league realize he is the only player worth defending, so every defense spies him with their best player and even when Vick manages to get the ball off, his receivers do not come back to the ball and definitely don’t make plays…that formula equates to losses! And after all the $&!# that ATL fans give Vick, Hall, and sometimes even Crumpler, don’t be surprised if Vick, Crumpler, and Hall bail at the first chance they get and the Georgia Dome will be half empty watching Schaub throw non-completions to the Falcons non-receivers.

By keeping it real

January 21, 2007 11:37 PM | Link to this

Vick I would ask for a trade. Let the red necks have the Falcons. let them have Matt schaub they deserve him!

By JeffD

January 21, 2007 11:41 PM | Link to this

Good point, Najeh. i was thinking the same thing - Whisenhunt will be coaching in the Super Bowl in the very near future. He may even pull a Sean Peyton and lead the Cardinals to the playoffs next season.

By SiriusStuff

January 21, 2007 11:42 PM | Link to this

This blog is on the Falcons and the choice they did not make when they did not hire Lovie. It is not about MV7. That was written days ago. Go respond to that blog. If you have something to say about the current blog here please do.

By Bird Dog

January 21, 2007 11:42 PM | Link to this

The Falcons might have had the Bear’s coach, but what they really need is the Bear’s team. No doubt Lovie Smith is a great coach, but he walked into an already strong defense and the Bears front office has snagged great draft picks on “D” as well. Yeah, I would rather have had Lovie Smith than Jim Mora, but there’s no use crying over spilt milk. That’s like saying “I wish the AJC could have gotten good sports columnists instead of the ones they have”…it’s just ain’t gonna happen.

By Migue Camacho

January 21, 2007 11:43 PM | Link to this

Jim Mora was the right choice at the time, lets be honest the falcons defense is suspect, and the recievers are sub-par,and the secondary is awful, oh by the way your paper owes Vick an apolgy.

By ScrewVickHaters

January 21, 2007 11:44 PM | Link to this

ALL OF YOU RACIST A* VICK HATERS NEED TO GET A LIFE. I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS AMERICA, WHERE YOU ARE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY? TURNS OUT, VICK IS INNOCENT AFTER ALL, YOU RACIST A* WANNA BE’S!!! I’LL BET ANY MONEY THAT RUSH LIMBAUGH IS YOUR IDOL. THAT IS WHY THERE ARE TO AFRICAN-AMERICAN COACHES THAT ARE COACHING THE SUPER BOWL. YOU REBEL FLAG FLYING HYPOCRITES!!!

MOST OF YOU VICK HATERS ARE UPSET THAT A BLACK MAN MAKES MORE MONEY IN ONE SEASON THAN YOU WILL EVER SEE IN YOUR LIFETIME. CALL HIM A THUG OR WHATEVER. JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU PLACE THE WORD RICH IN FRONT OF THAT BIATCH!!!

By Najeh Davenpoop

January 21, 2007 11:45 PM | Link to this

Michael Vick: 75.7 QB rating.

NFC Champion Rex Grossman: 73.9 QB rating.

If Michael Vick’s a coach killer, Lovie Smith must be immortal.

By Cap

January 21, 2007 11:45 PM | Link to this

I’m with Mr. C and Poop. Vick needs to get out of here and let the hillbillies throw each other under the bus instead of him. I just came back from San Fran over the holidays. Of course the world knows that Barry Bonds is a bum but he is pretty much all the Giants have had for quite sometime and is the only reason why the club even has a chance to sniff the playoffs. The Bay Area fans and media aren’t bashing the only player they have that is worth a spit. Vick hasn’t committed anything near the allegations Bonds has committed. So let’s trade Vick for Grossman and the Bears #31 or #32 pick. The Bears aren’t paying anybody on offense so they could afford the trade. And the fans of a real sports city like Chicago can laugh their tails off while Vick is piloting da Bears to a championship and we are watching Schaub and Grossman battle for the honor of being the #8 jersey to be snapped like a twig behind a offensive line that cannot pass block.

By navigator

January 21, 2007 11:46 PM | Link to this

If anyone read my earlier blog about Vick’s problems, I to said we shout wait until he’s charged, and it seems he’s not. Now someone please explain to me why the NFL might put him in a drug rehab program, and the management may yet take action against him, “for drawing negative attention”. Unless this is a white wash, exoneration should mean nobody does anything to MVick.

By JeffD

January 21, 2007 11:47 PM | Link to this

Vick is owed an apology.

However, doesn’t this seem a bit strange? After the incident Vick met with Blank, McKay and Petrino. One would assume Vick told them the bottle didn’t contain marijuana. If that’s the case, why wouldn’t McKay say as much during his Thursday interview?

By Cap

January 21, 2007 11:50 PM | Link to this

Right now, I’m pretty sure Lovie Smith and his white wife (that he was slobbing down after his win in the NFC Championship for all the Southern racists to see on national TV) are glad they didn’t land in redneck central. What would be funny is if Smith didn’t come here because he caught a whiff of the bottom half of the Falcon’s fanbase comprised of hillbillies and said “No thanks”, I think I’ll take a job with a real franchise that has actually had back-to-back winning seasons in their history.

By Cap

January 21, 2007 11:53 PM | Link to this

Jeff, because the powers that be (namely Blank) are willing to throw him under the bus to make themselves look good. They allowed their best player to be tried in the court of public opinion and lost. Vick should take that as his cue and ask to be traded on national TV. Let’s see the look on Blank’s face after that.

By Cap

January 21, 2007 11:54 PM | Link to this

I’m sorry we are talking about Michael Vick, SiriusStuff. Maybe we should be talking about our unproven college coach and our fantastic wide receivers!

By navigator

January 21, 2007 11:54 PM | Link to this

Cap: I can buy everything you say as the reason Atlanta loses in the second half, except the fans. As good or bad as we are, we don’t play or coach. During the year, I think it was preatty equal between how the fans felt about the coaching and the quarterbacking. You also hit upon the reason the defenses shut down the offense. You said they concentrate on Vick, but that’s exactly what they do. They design defenses to stop him. As a matter of fact the good teams have been designing defenses for years to stop him. The play calling could have improved greatly to go with a new design. Don’t forget however, that MVick said he could be more effective if he didn’t have to rely so much on structured play. He can’t have it both ways, either he can follow a plan or he can’t.

By Ryder

January 21, 2007 11:55 PM | Link to this

Datruth, i’m sure that you would love to have Grossman over Vick because he fits your “kind” of quarterback. Datruth is that I’m sure you’re probably getting ready for your weekly Klan meeting. You’re dismissed.

Guys don’t hold your breath on an apology from these pssant writers. They’re paid to stir things up and then attempt to defend their actions while trying to make the rest of us look dumb for disputing them. I refused to make any comment on Vick on this blog until I heard ALL THE FACTS (note to you racist bstards, wait to hear the whole story first)I hope Vick does ask for a trade. I’m ashamed to tell anyone I’m from Atlanta.

By Cap

January 21, 2007 11:57 PM | Link to this

Lovie Smith wouldn’t have worked out here. He would have been like the coach from “Remember the Titans”. After his first loss the hillbillies and uncle toms would have called for his head and Blank would have caved in and fired him.

By FIRESCHULTZ

January 21, 2007 11:58 PM | Link to this

Jeff Schultz should be fired for his non-substantiated reports and opinnions. When will we see an apology to Mike Vick? YOU CERTAINLY OWE HIM ONE. You are a poor excuse for a journalist.

IS IT REALLY TIME TO LET VICK GO? I THING NOT!!! IT’S TIME TO LET YOU GO!!! THIS IS AMERICA. I ALMOST FORGOT…WE ARE IN THE SOUTH…WHERE IF YOU ARE NOT WHITE, YOU ARE GUILTY UNTIL YOU PROVE YOUR INNOCENCE. SCREW ALL OF YOU REBEL FLAG FLYING COWARDS!!!

By Najeh Davenpoop

January 22, 2007 12:02 AM | Link to this

HAHAHA

Cap, your post at 11:50 PM was priceless. I couldn’t agree more.

By Cap

January 22, 2007 12:02 AM | Link to this

Navigator, I know we don’t play in the games, but I can’t be the only one who remembers the season before the Falcons drafted Vick, the attendance in the Dome was so abysmal that our fearless management sold our home tickets in Tampa Bay and the Buccaneers essentially had a home game in Atlanta. Could you imagine how demoralizing that must be to a team? So imagine you are the QB and you left everything out on the field for the sake of underachieving teammates and then fans booed you off of the field? Then when you got angry and lost your cool the fans, team management, and hometown media threw you under the bus. I can’t say I blame Vick if he doesn’t want to be in Atlanta anymore.

By keeping it real

January 22, 2007 12:05 AM | Link to this

McKay was waiting on the facts.He wanted to be sure. Because the red neck and toms was after Vick head. Atlanta you show what and who you really are. They lynch mike in the press. But in some of you guy heart that alright.Jeff Schultz you did all you could to destory Mike Vick! Mike you did the right thing to keep a tight lip till the facts came out. Something forskin head Jeff Schultz should have done!

By Najeh Davenpoop

January 22, 2007 12:21 AM | Link to this

One other thing — Schultz’s column was idiotic, but he’s definitely not the only yellow journalist who crucified Vick before the facts came out. Vick was guilty of nothing more than being somewhat stupid, trying to take a water bottle on a plane. But if you watched Around the Horn, Pardon the Interruption, or read any of the articles on Sportsline, ESPN.com, or any other major national media outlet, the sentiments echoed were pretty similar to what Schultz was saying. In fact, even today, the yellow journalist extraordinaire Gregg Doyel at sportsline.com wrote a nonsensical article claiming Vick had “jumped off the abyss”, comparing him to Terrell Owens, among others. And I guess a guy like Schultz or Doyel, who make their living off mediocre attempts at humor instead of actual insight on sports, would be more prone to write articles devoid of substance to elicit reactions from people. So before we crucify Schultz, let’s remember that there are plenty of other so-called “journalists” who are just as bad, if not worse than he is.

By Fans with $hit for brains and sport writers

January 22, 2007 12:22 AM | Link to this

ESPN, AJC, FOX Sports, SI, the whole gang was out to destroy Mike Vick. They told the lie. This how the good ole boys do things!

By Najeh Davenpoop

January 22, 2007 12:28 AM | Link to this

And also, the next time Miami’s police department encounters mysterious dark particulates, they would be wise to avoid telling the media what they think those particulates smell like. The speculation of a few airport cops have had a significant negative impact on the reputation of Michael Vick and the Atlanta Falcons, regardless of the end result. I’m sure Arthur Blank ain’t too happy with the Miami PD right about now.

By jroc133

January 22, 2007 12:31 AM | Link to this

I won’t lie when I heard the initial story on Thursday about Bottlegate that I was very disappointed in Mike - but I forgot one important thing: innocent until proven guilty. Now amidst all the initial speculation of the worst (which is the what a biased media does that is so obviously lazy), the reports now are that this was something completely ridiculous. From all the sports talk shows and print journalism assuming the worst, to angry callers and angry bloggers - we ALL owe MV7 an apology. Mike didn’t say a word and now he’s shown maybe he is a lot smarter than what we give him credit for…

Think for a second - outside of the Ron Mexico incident, what has Mike done other than telling a complete moron that he’s number 1 after he tried to singlehandledly carry a team to victory in a game where a p** poor defense gave up a TD on the 3rd snap from scrimmage and another w/ 7 seconds before halftime - both for 76 and 50 yards respectively…

A photograph where he’s holding a BLACK AND MILD cigar is interpreted for weed. A bottle that he threw in the trash was found having a secret compartment w/ residue and smelled like mary jane… Hello, it was recovered from a trash can…

Why is everyone expecting the worst from him? Because he’s making the most money of any player in the NFL and he’s the first black qb to be selected first in the NFL draft. That alone is a huge responsibility for anyone to bear…

So comes the spoils of living a life where everyone will take potshots and make criticisms that are completely baseless and assinine.

To sum this all up - Mike, ask for a trade. This city doesn’t deserve YOU…

Want some examples - Deion Sanders (2 SuperBowls), Brett Favre (1 SuperBowl, 3 regular season MVP’s), Andre Rison (1 SuperBowl w/ Brett Favre), David Justice (this guy won the Atlanta Braves one lone World Series w/ a swing of his bat and was exited so fast, I’m still wondering if anyone even remembers what he did…) My point - great players don’t reside in the city of Atlanta.

…they go someplace else…

By Thedream21479

January 22, 2007 12:33 AM | Link to this

I think we ALL owe vick and apology. EVERY single one of US.

By Matt Schaub

January 22, 2007 12:36 AM | Link to this

Vick wasn’t exonerated for the lack of judgement trying to bring a smuggling tool disguised as a bottle of water aboard an airplane..that’s where the REAL problems is…his judgement…both on the field and off it. As far as not hiring Lovie…hindsight is always 100%..had Vick blown out his MCL we would still have Mora and I would be holding up the trophy.

By BirdBob

January 22, 2007 12:38 AM | Link to this

If Jeff Schultz has any decency or self-respect, he will issue a public apology to Michael Vick and admit that he jumped to conclusions and was wrong!!!

By Cap

January 22, 2007 12:43 AM | Link to this

Well, I don’t know how many of you fly out of Miami regularly, but the airport security doesn’t even speak English so it is just idiotic that anyone would take anything coming out of that airport seriously. Also, it is funny how all of the haters came out of the wooodwork to bash Vick as being stupid when he was caught with the bottle. Where are all the haters now? Will all of the talking heads on sports TV retract their statements? Have we reached a nadir in sports commentary when Deion Sanders is the only voice of reason? What happened to all the “black people are stupid” comments? Two black men are going to coach in the Super Bowl for the first time while the haters are not surprisingly silent right now. Nobody is any better based on race, but a large contingency in Atlanta still believes this foolishness. So two Sundays from now when the hillbillies are watching the two “coloreds” coach in the Super Bowl (one of whom could have been our coach and the other kicked our butts regularly as coach of the Buccaneers), will they ask themselves what is their motivation for hating on Vick and wishing that he would be traded away? Probably not. So I don’t want to hear any sad country songs when the Falcons revert back to being the perennial losers they always were before Vick.

By Cap

January 22, 2007 12:46 AM | Link to this

Matt Schaub, I believe hindsight is 20/20 rather than 100%. I think you need to remain on the bench cuz.

By Straight$$$$Homie

January 22, 2007 12:51 AM | Link to this

Dear Mr. Schultz & All other Vick Haters, To Jeff, if you had any class at all, you would’ve already posted the most sincere apology you’ve ever authored. To everyone else, I hope Vick goes Barry Sanders and retires. Pay back whatever the league says he must to the Falcons and gain his freedom. You people are the most unappreciative fans I’ve ever heard. This guy has been getting killed in the media and on the field, for what, his check, hardly. Some of you think it’s all about the $$$$, but to a real player, it’s not. Less than 1 percent of you could even make it through a NFL practice. Start acknowledging the truth and give respect where it’s due…

By Cap

January 22, 2007 12:53 AM | Link to this

And look at Jim Mora. He got fired for wanting to go back to Seattle. Now he’s back in Seattle as a secondary coach. Holmgren, like all of the non-committal great ones will retire within two seasons and who will be his groomed successor as head coach of the Seahawks on a team more talented than the Falcons? I’ll let you draw your own conclusions. I guess Mora won’t have to worry about hillbillies calling for a lynch mob anymore. Sounds like a win/win for Jim Jr.

By KRIS

January 22, 2007 12:53 AM | Link to this

I’m so tired of you Vick fans . If Vick got hurt, you would root against the FaLCONS-that is how insecure you are. Please leave so the real Falcon fans can support the TEAM.

By k-dawg

January 22, 2007 12:53 AM | Link to this

I do not know what’s worse, that you guys think he owes Vick an apology for a crime he did commit but got pushed under the rug, or the accusations of rascism that get thrown at EVERY Vick critic EVER. Who cares if he is african-american? His overall efficiency as a player, regardless of style, is slightly above average. If you take his overall yards from scrimmage, and touchdowns and int/fumbles, he is about the 8th or 9th best quarterback in the league. Not bad, by any means, but not worth the most expensive player in the NFL. Regardless of this, who are you kidding to think that he had nothing in that bottle? The purpose of it is to hide drugs, plain and simple. You know this is true, and you also know he is an idiot for not throwing it away when he was done with the “substance” inside of it. Just buy a new one in Atlanta, mike!!! They are what, like 20 bucks? Or at least either give it to one of your entourage so he can take the blame for you, or just be patient and wait til you get to Atl to get your fix. You guys are being very humorous to think that Mike Vick is innocent of any of the things Jeff has stated. And yes I am not african-american, but i’m only stating this because I am tired of all the atlanta franchises embarrassing us and making it harder to maintain respect for. Stop acting so immature and realize that he is the poster child for young black athletes, and the exceptions to the rule need to step up and regain a higher morale standard.

By BirdBob

January 22, 2007 01:07 AM | Link to this

Klan-dawg, are you saying that the lab tests performed by the Miami PD are inaccurate, and they are covering up for Michael Vick?

By Jesse Jackson King.....

January 22, 2007 01:12 AM | Link to this

HEY JEFF,YOU ARE GONNA GET SUED LIKE A MOFO

PAYBACK IS A MOTHER,LMAO

YOU MIGHT AS WELL CALL THIS THE MICHAEL VICK NEWSPAPER,BECAUSE AFTER HE GETS THRU WITH THE SLANDER DAMAGE,ITS GONNA BE A LOT OF YALL OUT OF A JOB,AND THE DRESS CODE IS GONNA BE A #7 JERSEY,LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!

GO MIKE VICK…….. SUE THE CONSTITUTION,JEFF SCHULTZ,790 THE ZONE AND CHRIS DUMB ME KNOW,LOL..

GET YOUR MONEY MIKE VICK,THEN,ASK FOR A TRADE.

INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL…LOL….LOL….LOL…LOL…LOL….

By Cap

January 22, 2007 01:12 AM | Link to this

Why is it that all of these “non African-American” Atlantans develop this collective amnesia and cry “reverse racism” every chance they get? I believe it’s for the same reason why there are upscale homes in beautiful, well-manicured neighborhoods in SW Atlanta without a white face to be found. You see blacks all of the time in the Northside, yet no whites along Cascade. Is there a problem with the upper, and upper-middle classes in the Southwest? Oh yeah..I forgot.. they’re black! So with Atlanta’s “storied” history, don’t come in here with this “why am I a racist if I criticize Michael Vick?” crap. You go tell it to someone who doesn’t know Atlanta’s Northside/Southside dirty laundry. Blacks were singing in the street doing the dirty bird when Chandler was QB, but now that Vick is QB whites are ready to blow up the franchise two years removed after the NFC Championship and trade a 26 year old QB with better career numbers than Steve Young at the same age (who accordingly didn’t win a Super Bowl until age 33). You’re actually getting the benefit of the doubt being called a racist. Only a racist or a moron would think Schaub is better than Vick and that Vick is not the undisputed reason why this franchise is even credible. So go pick which one you are. Hater.

By jroc133

January 22, 2007 01:12 AM | Link to this

I wanna know what crime Vick committed since he wasn’t arrested? All the more reason to leave Atlanta…

If the city doesn’t want to support him, he should leave and go somewhere where he can a - get better coaching b - play w/ a better offensive line and c - have a better fanbase…

By Cap

January 22, 2007 01:19 AM | Link to this

So I don’t care if Vick is going through the airport with a gun like Barry Switzer (but isn’t it funny how he completely got off yet we’re still debating Vick’s morals for having a compartment bottle sold in every goofy gift shop from South Beach to Key West?), I kind of dig his 3400 yards of total offense on a team that can’t pass block or catch passes. So if Vick has to go, his replacement better be a bionic Peyton Manning or Jesus Christ to do half as well with this franchise.

By k-dawg

January 22, 2007 01:28 AM | Link to this

no, what i am saying is exactly what they are saying, they have better things to do than book someone on residue. they said that before and after the charges were dropped. but that is not the question, it still means he had the stuff at some point anyways? who are you kidding? you are changing the subject of the bottle’s purpose is to hide weed in the first place. the problem with society now is that drug use is so rampant that it is raionalised as being ok. I’m sorry, but if my son is going to have a poster of any athlete, and want to grow up to be like anyone, then I am going to have to believe this person is upholding a level of morality that is equal to my own. abd what has vick done to earn that? what has he actually shown any of us for us not to believe he is a troubled youth with too much pressure on him and easy access to things he should not have. And with the predicted response of calling me a racist, why not actually prove any of what I am saying is false? All I am saying is he is the highest paid player in the league, which is not his fault, but still the production on the field does not equal the payout. He has brought money to the franchise and city, but being under the microscope comes with that. and he has shown repeatedly that he does not do well in maintaining a postive public image. and if you want to blame it on his lack of o-line or recievers, then let him redo his contract so they can afford to bring the right pieces in. I want him to succeed but more than that, I want him to improve his quality of lifestyle and grow up so the little fans with his jersey do not see that and think its ok… like most kids do now anyways

By k-dawg

January 22, 2007 01:40 AM | Link to this

WHY DOES THIS HAVE TO BE A RACE THING? Ifor one thing, I hated Chandler, he sucked. And two, I do not want another qb unless the front office actually feels that someone can get the team further than Mike. I agree he puts this team on his shoulders, but he still should be accountable for his actions, on and off the field. The only thing keeping him from being the greatest qb ever really is his vision, or lack thereof. maybe its just his height, but i do not believe that. look at jeff garcia and drew brees, both whom are less than 6ft tall. And the last point, which I stated twice above, why do you still think the paper owes Vick an apology? because the charges were dropped? it happens all the time when the crime is not worth the time. but stop forgetting he still had the bottle that is ONLY designed to hide drugs. if he had any substantial amount of pot in that bottle, it probably would have been trafficking, then we would be having this conversation amongst actual dumb rednecks who would have taken the oppurtunity to try to kick mike out. I would much rather see him clean up his act, and lead us to many super bowls.

By Cap

January 22, 2007 01:52 AM | Link to this

Why are you hating? You are not talking about anything tangible like his career yardage, TD-to-INT ratio, or winning percentage. You are talking about how he dresses, him possibly smoking weed, and being a role model for children. Would I want Terry Bradshaw to be a role model for my children? Heck no. He admitted he was a racist until his black teammates defended him in public against being dumb, had mental issues, abused anti-depressants, and was a serial divorcee. Would I want his four Super Bowl rings for the Falcons? Heck yeah! If you want to talk about morals and judgement and cornrows and baggy jeans go to the blog for the BoyScouts. Let’s talk about what kind of team needs to be built around Vick to win a championship. Vick rushed for a thousand yards this season. If he did it smoking weed then maybe his receivers and O-line need to start smoking it too.

By TONY FROM LA

January 22, 2007 01:56 AM | Link to this

THIS IS FOR MY SHEET WEARING RACIST BROTHERS IN THE ATL.PLEASE STOP MAKING YOURSELF LOOK STUPID TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.MIKE IS THE BEST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO A BUNCH OF LOSERS LIKE THE ATLANTA SPORTS SCENE.PEOPLE ON THE OUTSIDE PICTURE THE ATL AS A CITY WHERE A WHITE MAN SIT ON HIS FRONT PORCH WITH A BOTTLE OF MOONSHINE,AND A BLACK MAN PICKING COTTON IN THE BACK FIELD.AS FOR HIRING LOVIE SMITH A BLACK GUY MARRIED TO A WHITE WOMAN. LETS GET REAL JEFF SCHULTZ WOULD TAR AND FEATHER THIS GUY.HOW DARE YOU MARRY A GOOD OLD WHITE WOMAN AND BRING A SUPERBOWL TO THIS CITY.WE ARE ABOUT LOSING LOOK AT OUR RECORD. WE DONT CARE ABOUT LOSING ONCE ITS DONE BY A WHITE GUY CARRYING A CONFEDERATE FLAG SINGING THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN ITS ALRIGHT WITH THE ATL.FOR $130 MIKE VICK BETTER MAKE THAT MONEY SHINING A WHITE MAN SHOE TOU KNOW THATS WHAT A WHITE MAN THINK OF A BLACK MAN IN THE ATL. THE ATL MUST REALIZE THE CIVIL WAR IS OVER THE NORTH WON THE WAR AND THE SOUTH SHALL NEVER RISE AGAIN.SO WHEN VICK LEAD ANOTHER TEAM TO THE SUPERBOWL AND SOME WHITE STIFF KEEP YOU IN THE LOTTERY, DONT FORGET YOU CAN ALWAYS GET A GONE WITH THE WIND RERUN ON TBS

By jroc133

January 22, 2007 01:59 AM | Link to this

I can’t believe I’m even responding to this but those bottles aren’t made for mary jane distribution - their used to hide jewelry and valuable possessions…

…and Michael Vick has never tested positive for any illegal substance during the NFL’s drug testing policy. So until he does so, all of this - even regarding the bottlegate and the Black and Mild Cigar he was holding in the photo - is slanderous speculation. When you come w/ something concrete, then judge…

…anything else is stereotyping and we don’t want to do that, do we?

By TONY FROM LA

January 22, 2007 02:02 AM | Link to this

THIS IS FOR MY SHEET WEARING RACIST BROTHERS IN THE ATL.PLEASE STOP MAKING YOURSELF LOOK STUPID TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.MIKE IS THE BEST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO A BUNCH OF LOSERS LIKE THE ATLANTA SPORTS SCENE.PEOPLE ON THE OUTSIDE PICTURE THE ATL AS A CITY WHERE A WHITE MAN SIT ON HIS FRONT PORCH WITH A BOTTLE OF MOONSHINE,AND A BLACK MAN PICKING COTTON IN THE BACK FIELD.AS FOR HIRING LOVIE SMITH A BLACK GUY MARRIED TO A WHITE WOMAN. LETS GET REAL JEFF SCHULTZ WOULD TAR AND FEATHER THIS GUY.HOW DARE YOU MARRY A GOOD OLD WHITE WOMAN AND BRING A SUPERBOWL TO THIS CITY.WE ARE ABOUT LOSING LOOK AT OUR RECORD. WE DONT CARE ABOUT LOSING ONCE ITS DONE BY A WHITE GUY CARRYING A CONFEDERATE FLAG SINGING THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN ITS ALRIGHT WITH THE ATL.FOR $130 MIKE VICK BETTER MAKE THAT MONEY SHINING A WHITE MAN SHOE TOU KNOW THATS WHAT A WHITE MAN THINK OF A BLACK MAN IN THE ATL. THE ATL MUST REALIZE THE CIVIL WAR IS OVER THE NORTH WON THE WAR AND THE SOUTH SHALL NEVER RISE AGAIN.SO WHEN VICK LEAD ANOTHER TEAM TO THE SUPERBOWL AND SOME WHITE STIFF KEEP YOU IN THE LOTTERY, DONT FORGET YOU CAN ALWAYS GET A GONE WITH THE WIND RERUN ON TBS

By Najeh Davenpoop

January 22, 2007 02:02 AM | Link to this

K-dawg, people like you who call for Vick to re-do his contract should have watched the AFC Championship Game today. Peyton Manning earns a yearly salary nearly identical to Vick’s, and yet his team was able to find good enough players to fit around him to make the Colts a Super Bowl team. Tom Brady, on the other hand, signed a less-than-market value contract in order to leave the Patriots more salary cap room. So what do the Patriots do with the extra cap room? They cut the best kicker in NFL history and trade a former Super Bowl MVP and go the rest of the season with $13 million in salary cap room, all while Brady gets to throw to Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney. The Falcons can easily afford to bring the right pieces in — it’s ineptitude on the part of the old coaching staff (and to an extent, the GM) that have kept this team from succeeding.

NFL contracts are non-guaranteed. Odds are Vick won’t see at least 25% of the $130 million in his contract. Vick gets paid about the same annually as Peyton Manning and Donovan McNabb, and less annually than Carson Palmer. And as the Colts, Eagles, and Bengals have proven, it is perfectly possible to assemble a competitive team with a quarterback getting paid a mammoth contract.

By Ronnair

January 22, 2007 02:05 AM | Link to this

Since the beginning of the Atlanta Falcon’s franchise in 1966, they had a measly 8 playoff appearances, which included 3 Division Titles and 1 NFC Conference Championship. By the way, did I mention that out of those 8 playoff appearances Michael Vick was in 2 of them? The Atlanta Falcons franchise is not exactly the Green Bay Packers, the Dallas Cowboys, or the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hell, the Falcon’s playoff appearances match the Cincinnati Bengals for “crying out loud.” Since Michael Vick’s era, there has not been this much excitement and optimism for each season in a long time. Jeff Schultz and the rest of the Michael Vick lynch mob incompetents need to be careful for what they wish for. Remember…Brett Favre!!! By the way, who do you plan on replacing Mike Vick with? Matt Schaub? Remember…Doug Johnson!!! What exactly makes Matt Schaub so great anyway? Is it because of his preseason record? Or, was it when he played against a depleted New England Patriots defense—and still lost? It is amazing to me how the “so-called” Atlanta Falcon’s fans forget that when Michael Vick played under Dan Reeves and Jim Mora Jr. that he only had 1 true losing season, which was last year. It is just as amazing that Michael Vick has won so many games with no great play calling, no wide receivers, no blocking, below average defense, and mediocre running backs. Now…let’s talk about Michael’s latest incident. If Michael Vick had done something so wrong, then why did security at the Miami Airport—this is drug smuggling central station—let him go and say that his case was basically on the “back burner?” Let’s say that Michael Vick leaves and goes to another team and he leads them to the Super Bowl and wins. If this happened, Authur Blanks would look dumber than Mike Tyson popping fire crackers on an Easter Sunday because he thought it was the 4th of July. This would even make a team like the Houston Texans say, “what a stupid franchise… EVEN A CAVEMAN KNOWS NOT TO GET RID OF MICHAEL VICK.”

By Brownthrasher

January 22, 2007 02:24 AM | Link to this

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was not carrying marijuana or another illegal substance at the Miami airport and will be exonerated, league sources told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen on Sunday.
HOW LONG BEFORE YOU APOLOGIZE?????

By Brownthrasher

January 22, 2007 02:36 AM | Link to this

THANK YOU MIKE FOR NOT SAYING A WORD

NOW YOU CAN REALLY GIVE ALL THESE NAYSAYERS THE MIDDLE FINGER **STARTING WITH JEFF AND COMPANY.

By dirrtybird

January 22, 2007 02:43 AM | Link to this

Jeff Schultz,

You owe Mike Vick an apology. After your long tirade about Vick should be traded after the “marijuana” incident. Here’s a good tip for a journalist. DO SOME RESEARCH!!!! WORK WITH THE FACTS!!!! Speculation is for, well, idiots. I’ll be awaiting your apology letter.

By Tom

January 22, 2007 03:26 AM | Link to this

Oh yeah, sure, it is NORMAL to carry water bottles with secret compartments.

Maybe Vick is so stupid he bought a dime bag of oregano.

Even if Bobby Petrino is a genius, the Falcons will still suck with Vick.

By reverend run

January 22, 2007 03:32 AM | Link to this

does anyone else find it more than a tad bit strange that terrence moore and schultz have complained on several occasions this week that petrino and vick are not talking? UMMMMM, guys, it is your job to make them talk. you have been journalists in this town for a very long time. too long if you ask me. but neither one of you is able to get the coach or the qb on the phone and get them to talk? who does that really reflect poorly upon? vick? petrino? schultz? Moore? i say schultz or moore. after all these years, you all should have enough cell numbers and contacts and clout to make these things happen. if you cannot, then you are just telling on your own ineptitude and incompetency and again of course not revealing anything about mike vick or petrino. i have no idea why the media in this town cries so much about players, coaches, and GM being quiet about things. it is the job of the media to make them talk. if they cannot make them talk, that just means the media is weak in this town. they should talk to you because they are afraid of your clout with the fans. if you have no clout with the fans, they will disregard you repeatedly just as they are doing. it should be no surprise since none of you ever seem to express true opinions about anything. you all look to get a reaction out of all of us. the fans do not take any of your columnists seriously as a result. because the fans do not take you seriously, neither do the players, coaches, GMs, and owners and that is why they do not talk with you guys.

crying that you can not get people to talk is like a lawyer crying that he can not get get not guilty verdicts from juries, or salesman crying that no one will buy his goods, or teachers crying that the students will not listen, or a musician crying that no one comes to his concerts, buys his records or that the radio will not play him, and so on and so forth. if these kinds of professionals cried like that, we would all laugh at them and say fire the suckers who are lousy at their jobs.

if you can not get them to talk, that says more about the AJC and their staff and your lack of clout and respect than it does about any of the athletes, coaches, GMs or owners who are not speaking with you.

kind of funny that peter king, chris mortenson, pasquarelli, et al. have more luck beating you guys to the punch with your local teams and breaking news stories such as the exoneration of vick. the national media does not seem to have a problem getting the local sports professionals to speak to them off and on the record, so why does the AJC have such a difficult time that they have to resort to crying and temper tantrums about it all?

SILLY AJC!!!!

very telling that after all your crying about them not speaking, you still do not have enough clout to compel them to talk!!!

By reverend run

January 22, 2007 03:38 AM | Link to this

brees: 1-2 in the playoffs

tomlinson: 0-2 in the playoffs

brees and tomlinson together in 5 years: 0-1 in the playoffs

vick: 2-2 in the playoffs

despite outstanding personal statistical performance by brees and tomlinson, the falcons as a team have derived more success out of that 2001 trade based upon playoff performance than the chargers. all you fantasy geeks can say otherwise but then continue to be hypocrites and continue to state that people who like vick value flash when in reality you are the ones who value flashy stats over better team success and playoff success.

HYPOCRITES SHALL BE EXPOSED!!

SCHULTZ, I AM TIRED OF WAITING FOR YOU TO ACT LIKE A JOURNALIST AND GET SOMEONE ON THE PHONE. I AM ALSO TIRED OF WAITING FOR YOU TO ACT LIKE A GOOD COLUMNIST WITH AN INTELLIGENT WELL THOUGHT OUT OPINION! I AM TIRED OF WAITING FOR YOU TO SAY SOMETHING FUNNY WITH YOUR WEAK ATTEMPTS AT HUMOR!

WE ARE ALL TIRED OF WAITING!

IT IS TIME TO MOVE ON ALREADY DUTCH!!!

FIRE DUTCH SCHULTZ!!!

WE ARE ALL TIRED OF WAITING FOR THE AJC TO FIRE FUDGE SCHULTZ!!

By DFrank

January 22, 2007 04:19 AM | Link to this

Regardless of what happened, adversity reveals the true heart of people. We need to be more concerned with the hearts of man rather than games. Pray for our hearts which are deceitfully wicked. Shalomleka!!

By Chris

January 22, 2007 06:11 AM | Link to this

It amazes me how many people still embrace Michael Vick when it’s clear the guy just doesn’t have that winning edge. You people want Schultz to apologize to Vick? How about Vick apologizing for stealing money while getting progressively worse on the field. Vick is the Allen Iverson of football…he’ll cater to the hip hop demographic but won’t sniff a championship.

By Jim

January 22, 2007 07:10 AM | Link to this

Good try there… but no matter how you try to cover the real problem here in bird town… the title “dirty birds” has never applied more…

Simply put, the problem is not “WHO THE COACH IS?”…. it is who the coach has to play second fiddle to.

The problem is they would have had the “coach killer” even with Lovie and that would have been the kiss of death and negate the positive effect that Lovie would have brought to the Falcons.

“Big Jim” Mora was right and as long as the “coach killer” dictates the team’s direction the results will be the same as with “Lil Jim” …..

….Lovie Smovie it wouldn’t matter….

Hopefully Petrino will not only have the guts to deal with this malignant disease, but the authority to take the action needed.

By mo

January 22, 2007 07:15 AM | Link to this

See???

I told you that to let Mike Vick go or trade him is so stupid it is beyond comparison. Also, since Vick didn’t have any illegal substances, it needs to be reported and spoken about from a columnists perspective. It needs to so said that the rush to judgment was wrong.

And now we are hearing that Mike Vick didn’t defend himself. Who knows if he defended himself or not? Were you in the meeting? Did you think that perhaps Vick wanted the police to exonerate him, like what they just did?

In other words, Vick haters and Vick apologists are like Republicans and Democrats. They can look at the same thing and have two different opinions.

By Jasmine

January 22, 2007 07:30 AM | Link to this

You guys have fired Vick, put him in jail and thrown away the key, called him a thug, suggested he needs mental help and you say all of these things without one “ounce” of evidence. Maybe one day you will believe that Vick has the right to be presumed innocent. You people are disgusting and YOU should be fired. You convicted Vick, you were WRONG about the Bears and WRONG about the Colts. You are pathetic!!!

By the truth

January 22, 2007 07:33 AM | Link to this

Why was Vick so reluctant to part with this water bottle when told to do so? It seems as if he either felt the $15 bottle was too much to part with or there was some other reason. I want to see Mike suceed and beleive the club should trade Shaub while they will get something in return for him.

Vick needs to display character, leadership, and strong decision making skills not because he is black but because he is the leader of this team. The whole team needs to look within and ask themselves are they laying it all out there on the line. Is there something they could do for the betterment of the team. Mikes contract prohibits the solid support cast that could help him get over the hump and be really sucessful.

The people in here really need to get over this racist crap. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and not supporting a man that plays a game for a living does not make you a racist any more than supporting him. Leave color out of it! Be truly good to each other and look out for each other that is what this team needs now more than ever a solid fan base that has their back!

By Jasmine

January 22, 2007 07:37 AM | Link to this

I am a Falcons fan; however, I am so happy Lovie Smith DID NOT get the Coaching job here because of YOU and so many people in Georgia like you! You would have been asking for his resignation and demanding he be fired. You would have treated him like you have unjustly treated Mike Vick. If Mike Vick leaves ATL, he will be embraced and will become better player. Deep down, and not that deep, you hate Mike Vick! You should be fired for trying to condemn this man.

By T-Street

January 22, 2007 08:05 AM | Link to this

I would love have Lovie. But, we have Petrino. Petrino and Vick you should be in you third week working together, going over the offense. Petrino, get on Vick and be honest to him about his work ethic, preparation,leadership skills if they are lacking. Vick you should be picking the coach’s brain. Don’t let the latest incident bother you. I would love to see the Falcons be a serious contender every year and win a Superbowl. Petrino/Vick lets get it right.

By theedge56

January 22, 2007 08:05 AM | Link to this

For every Warrick Dunn there is a Terrel Owens.

For every Cal Ripken there is a John Rocker.

No one color has cornered the market on foolishness, stupidity, racism, or thugery for that matter. We all are capable believe it or not the human being is the most dangerous animal on this planet.

Lastly it is not our place to judge. Keep it clean!

By yancy b

January 22, 2007 08:15 AM | Link to this

Jeff be a man and say oops.Ever heard of innocent till proven guilty? How would you feel if the AJC treated you the way you treated MV? I am disgusted my your lack of integrity.Put your sheet on because you obviously own one.Klansman undercover!

By Zonetha_Regret

January 22, 2007 08:16 AM | Link to this

WHITE TRASH NEWS YOU CAN USE Falcons star Michael Vick will not be charged with wrongdoing after tests indicated that a substance in a water bottle he tried to carry through Miami airport security last week was not illegal, according to a person with knowledge of the situation

By Brownthrasher

January 22, 2007 08:25 AM | Link to this

=Why was Vick so reluctant to part with this water bottle when told to do so? It seems as if he either felt the $15 bottle was too much to part with or there was some other reason.=

Were you there to see that Michael Cick departed with the bottle reluctantly? Were any of you there to see Vick’s reaction? Maybe he felt harrassment as do most of us who go through airports these days. Nobody was there and if you would have read the police report you would have seen that it was specualtion and hearsay. If Vick sneezed today you’d probably say that he was on coke. Nobody hollered for the Falcons to trade Lehr when he FAILED a drug test but just because its VICK you think the WORST. I love the Falcons and I love Michael Vick. Don’t hate the man because he makes the BIG BUCKS. He EARNED his pay and the AJC owes him an apology for their RUSH TO JUDGMENT. I would not talk to any reporters on this staff if I were he or Petrino.

By theedge56

January 22, 2007 08:27 AM | Link to this

Be careful the Miami police have not commented yet or tested the substance. They have not placed a high priority on it either. This is a quote from the Miami Herald “Police have said it could take weeks to decide whether to file charges.”

Dont make the same mistake Shultz did. None of us were there with Starship 7 only he knows at this time.

By YANCY B

January 22, 2007 08:29 AM |