AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > January > 23
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Parcells unfairly blamed in Dallas
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH: Bill Parcells bears the brunt of the Dallas Cowboys’ blowout, just as Peyton Manning was blamed for the Indianapolis Colts falling short in the AFC divisional playoffs a year ago. Unfair in both cases. Manning delivered the Colts to the perfect position for a tying field goal. Mike Vanderjagt, the NFL’s most accurate, missed it. The Cowboys had the ball poised for the winning kick in these playoffs, but Tony Romo fumbled the snap, tried to run the ball in and fell a foot short. Neither had a hand on the ball, but both Parcells and Manning were saddled with the losses. … And whatever became of Jackie Smith (you know, the Cowboys’ touchdown dropper)?
— So, the substance in Michael Vick’s water bottle is said to be unidentified, but surely it can’t be “unknown.” It’s not joy weed, they say, but it surely has to be something. Then what? Dirt? Rust? If it were a bottle of innocence, why was Vick so insistent at keeping it in hand? Maybe he needs a baby sitter after all. He attracts trouble like a magnet, and it must have Arthur Blank chewing his nails.
— Jimmie Johnson (the race car driver, not the football coach turned TV performer) collected $8.9 million driving NASCAR races last year. Look, Richard Petty had to race 13 years before his earnings came to $1 million.
— Seve Ballesteros has committed to the Champions Tour once he turns 50, just after the Masters. He’ll play a few PGA Tour events before the Masters, they say, but you wonder how far his senior career will last if his game is as ragged as it was since he last put it on display.
— Cris Collinsworth’s view on Tiki Barber’s retirement, as one who went the same route: “He wants to go into television, and I can tell him, it’s not as exciting as what he’s doing right now.”
— Tiger Woods will pick up where he left off on the PGA Tour this week, and the story line will be: his streak of six straight victories. On the U.S. tour, yes, but he was beaten twice in tournaments in Asia.
— It was nerve-racking to watch Arnold Palmer joining up with Muhammad Ali for the coin toss at the Orange Bowl. Arnie represented Wake Forest, Ali his hometown University of Louisville. They shook hands and Arnie smiled through it, but I’m not certain that Ali was sure what was taking place, suffering as he is from Parkinson’s disease.
— The price of stadium naming is going up, and the Jacksonville Jaguars’ home is one on which the price is expected to get a big bump-up. The Jaguars signed on for $640,000 a season with Alltel in 1997. Now an expert in the field expects the price to be no lower than $4 million a year, which the Jags will share with the city. Alltel isn’t expected to renew. Here in Atlanta, you wonder how long it will be before Blank will want to add a partner’s name to the Georgia Dome.
— Give you an idea of just how small Bobby Petrino’s alma mater is: The men’s soccer and tennis coach at Carroll College (in Montana) is also the sports information director.
— Hooray for Glynn County: Both Golf Digest and Travel & Leisure magazines rate Sea Island the top golfing destination in the country. Palmetto Bluff, in South Carolina, comes in second, Kiawah Island fifth.
— Stan Musial turned 86 in November, and his daughter, reporting on his state of life, said: “He has health issues. Maybe he slid into third base too many times. Now he wishes he’d hit more home runs.” … Selah.
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Falcons silent amid murky Vick case
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
When you go from incident to police report to public condemnation to information blackout to a statement saying, “Nothing to see here, move along” in roughly seven minutes, there are bound to be lingering questions. The nature and number of those questions might depend on your affinity for conspiracy theories.
For me, Michael Vick AquaGate boils down to two possibilities: Either he was guilty of carrying a fake water bottle with traces of marijuana on it and what followed was some sort of expert NFL disinformation campaign. Or, Vick was completely innocent in this matter, has been unjustly vilified — and therefore should be upset about being hung out to dry by his employer.
Let’s restate one fact because it deserves to be restated: Vick has been cleared.
End of story.
Well, not really.
This has been the strangest of cases, if for no other reason than a man has been exonerated before he ever publicly declared his innocence. That’s not something you see every day, if ever.
There is nothing worse in this country than someone being unjustly accused of something. I would tell Vick that I really believe that, assuming I could find him.
It’s like somebody turned on the lights and everybody scattered. From the time this mess started, nobody — not Vick, not anybody who works for him or anybody he works for — has said, “He’s innocent.” If anything, Falcons president and general manger Rich McKay led everybody to believe just the opposite.
People believe the media needs to apologize to Vick. I’m sorry, but the media reported the incident, the police report and the lack of any denial by anybody involved.
Tell me where this jumped the tracks because I’d love to know.
This started out with Vick looking bad. Given the way the Falcons have handled this, the whole franchise looks bad. They allowed it to become monologue material for Jay Leno and a skit on a Saturday Night Live. And they’re allowing it to linger now.
This started last Wednesday. It ended Monday. Still silence.
Vick still hasn’t said a word.
Bobby Petrino, the new coach, hasn’t said a word.
Arthur Blank, one of the most high-profile and accessible owners in professional sports, has neither said a word nor as much as typed a word on a statement.
McKay hasn’t said a word since, well, at least since he said these words: “… Coach Petrino and I met with Michael this morning and expressed our displeasure. I think Michael is sorry and feels bad that you are standing here.”
And these words: “I will tell you that internally we will deal with this issue.”
And these words: “I think he understands how upset we all are that this situation occurred.”
And these words: “He knows he let a lot of people down.”
I’m sorry. I’m ignorant. But why did McKay and Petrino express displeasure? What was the issue again? Why be upset? How did Vick let people down?
If a man proclaims his innocence, as we presume Vick must have in a closed-door meeting with team officials because, well, he was cleared, why would McKay say those things?
If I’m Michael Vick, and I’ve just been exonerated, shouldn’t I be upset that my team has not retracted any of those comments? Or for that matter, shown much in the way of public support?
Is this the part where I’m supposed to feel like I did something wrong?
I questioned Vick’s leadership last week. I still do. If all this serves as some wake-up call and he evolves into the mature quarterback the Falcons need him to be, it will be for the better.
This is not about pot. It has never been about pot. Even in the worst-case scenario, Vick would’ve been charged with a misdemeanor and fined. End of legal story.
This is about his personal growth and perception, both in the locker room and the public.
The lab report stated: “No drugs found.” It never indicated what was found. It never indicated why the testing was done so quickly when an official had said it would take months. By the way, why did Vick need a secret water bottle again?
So many questions.
So much silence.
Seems like a strange way to celebrate innocence.
(Editor’s Note: Please return to ajc.com starting at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday to comment on this column.)
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Squash the Randy Moss talk
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
THE TUESDAY COUNTDOWN…
10: I don’t know if Michael Vick eventually will be traded or not. (This year, likely not.) I do know that if he is ever traded, it won’t be in a deal that brings Randy Moss to Atlanta (the Internet rumor of the day). So let’s just douse that one now, shall we?
9: Last note on Vick because I’ll have a column posted on this subject later (cross-promotion). It’s the first time in history I’ve ever seen a lab test exonerate somebody before he (or a representative) claimed innocence.
8: OK, not quite the last note. The fake water bottle got me wondering about other similar products with secret compartments on the market, specifically: a Nacho Cheese Doritos bag. I mean, it seems to me that if you’re going to hide a mysterious substance in something, what better place than in something representing the only munchie endorsed by “Norml.” Makes for easy packing to the next outdoor concert. Alas: the closest available product is a fake can of sour cream and onion Pringles. (Not bad.)
7: I absolutely am not making this up. Walking down Michigan Ave. in Chicago Saturday, a homeless guy asked me for money, then added this: “Unless you’re a Saints’ fan — then your money’s no good here.”
6: The only difference between Josh Smith’s middle finger salute to fans and Vick’s similar action is Smith did it during a road game - because, like, what’s the point in flipping off an empty section at Philips Arena?
5: Now if we can just get a Thrasher, a Brave and, I dunno, a Bulldog to simultaneously give the finger with Smith and Vick, the Atlanta Sports Council can put together a “High Five” billboard off the interstate to greet visitors.
4: Paul McCartney will reportedly pay Heather Mills $63 million and give her two homes valued at $20 million as part of their divorce settlement. Ringo has contested the agreement, based on the fact Paul didn’t give him even half that when the Beatles broke up.
3: ESPN now has two “reality shows” that basically depict guys playing video games. There are some days I feel old. Then there are some days I just think I’m on the wrong planet.
2: Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson is awaiting trial on felony gun charges. But a judge said Tuesday he can go to the Super Bowl, I guess the thinking being that the game is in Miami and he can’t possibly get into trouble there.
1: So if you’re Washington head coach Ty Willingham, are you throwing a Jim Mora a welcome-to-the-neighborhood party in Seattle?
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