AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > August > 21 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USVick paved his path of shame
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
The broadcast media were awash in it. Our front page gave readers a split-image of his face, close up. Atlanta was red-faced with embarrassment, from Her Honor, the Mayor, on down. The fairy tale of Michael Vick had become the odious story of a brilliant career crashing down in ruins.
On the inside of the sports section was a story of another nature. Uplifting. Of an athlete of another nature. The state of Alabama had inducted its native son, Henry Aaron, into its Academy of Honor. The story bore a minor headline, what we call a 14-pointer, but it told more about a man than all the copy footage told us about Vick, the blemished Falcons quarterback.
Arthur Blank, Vick’s former employer and fond admirer, had this to say: “You think you know somebody for six years and you find out another side of his personality that you didn’t know.” It was a painful admission of a man-child spoiled. Knowing one side but not the dark side, the feeling that he was the real No. 7 inside all those shirts on the backs of Falcons fans, and invincible. Error-proof. They have been marked down or removed from the rack.
The first error made was when Dan Reeves was fired during the season. It was 2003, when Vick had injured a leg in preseason and Reeves was without his quarterback much of the schedule. He presented a fatherly figure, which in more ways than one was the opposite of the coach who succeeded him, Jim Mora, a kind of free-wheeler whose demeanor was less authoritative than Reeves’.
No further reason to sear Arthur Blank for his coddling, for his sideline fellowship with Vick. He had, in his mind, found a treasure, and the light was very bright at the end of the tunnel. However, there have been enough “red flags” raised to have aroused his attention, and those have been recounted time and time again. All, apparently, brushed off under the heading of “boys will be boys.” I don’t know that any person in authority with the Falcons ever came close to envisioning the scenes so often flashed on your television screen of late. The house that Vick had acquired for extracurricular activity, fun and games with his posse, could never have been imagined to be the den of sin now depicted.
Earlier in the year, when the Falcons’ backup quarterback Matt Schaub was traded to Houston, I wrote a column that suggested, “They traded the wrong quarterback.” Now, I’m not dumb enough to even suspect that Vick was tradeable, with the investment Mr. Blank had made in him and all the baggage that went along with him. But my facetious theme met with derision, so did the backup quarterback, who was addressed as The Great Matt Schaub. Oh, but wouldn’t it be nice if Bobby Petrino had The Great Matt Schaub in his camp now.
At this disturbing stage of the dilemma, there isn’t much left to be said. That final decision is in the hands of the federal court in Richmond and the commissioner of the NFL, Roger Goodell. The probability is that Vick will be a long time away from any football game short of something similar to “The Longest Yard.” No amount of apology can wipe his slate clean and restore him all burnished and glistening to the league. When he lied before a judge, to commissioner Goodell, and to whoever else, he paved his own way to degradation.
I choose to leave it at that. It seemed that I simply have joined in the conga line of writers and naysayers who have spoken out. Now I have, and selah.
Permalink | Comments (18) | Categories: Falcons / NFL, Furman Bisher
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By BUSHWACKER
August 22, 2007 12:08 PM | Link to this
Its embarrassing and sad when you here people who keep defending him.
Hey I have an idea for the Falcons for QB, I keep hearing everyone deserves a second chance. This guy should make everybody happy.
Dog fans and VICK LOVERS. Quincy Carter, he took the Cowboys to the playoffs and he has street cred for the Vick lovers because he was kicked out for using drugs!!
You have to admit he’s better than anyone on the roster right now.
By Chris
August 22, 2007 12:08 PM | Link to this
We traded the wrong QB indeed. Oh, to have Schaub and Calvin…
Imagine how fast those 2 jerseys would’ve sold this season.
By Chris
August 22, 2007 12:13 PM | Link to this
Hey FEDUP, notice your post got deleted?
How about talking about the Falcons in a Falcons forum, moron?
By yancy b
August 22, 2007 12:13 PM | Link to this
Ok wake up all trailer park residents and red necks.What can you say about Vick and the rest of his race today? Please try to come up with something different today. I wish MV well and I HOPE HE CAN PROVE ALL THE NAYSAYERS WRONG!
By Blink
August 22, 2007 12:18 PM | Link to this
I believe the winningest D-I quarterback in history is sitting on the bench as a 3rd string back up in Seattle. Remember that guy? David Greene? Trades are possible, he has character and could be a moral compass to help ease the loss of Shock. I don’t coount the loss of Vick, you were right months ago, they traded the wrong QB………
By No Dawgs Here
August 22, 2007 12:19 PM | Link to this
Yes, Vick should be ashamed. The NAACP should be more ashamed. The NAACP has totally lost focus of what its true purpose is. The NAACP needs to get its nose out of this. They need to concentrate on that word “equality” and learn it. In learning it, know that equality means equal. Not special treatment. NAACP is useless and needs to just go away!!!
By Buz
August 22, 2007 12:21 PM | Link to this
I have oft wondered how Mr. Vick would have turned out if Dan Reeves had remained as coach and authority figure for the Falcons. Obviously, Mr. Vick needs an authority figure.
By prosport
August 22, 2007 12:22 PM | Link to this
Truly a sad time in Atlanta! My guess is Arthur Blank acts decisively next week and releases Vick. No way is he that concerned anymore with salary cap issues, just wants to move on. Makes me think MLB with its lower starting salaries is a better idea for these young guys. Leading a group of guys on the playing field does not necessarily train you to deal with everyday life issues. That takes time and maturity and usually involves a little adversity. Taking young men with very little and then dumping tons of money at their feet with little guidance is a recipe for disaster. Ever watch those shows about the lottery winners? Alot of them lose it all within a few years. Kind of mimics alot of the pro sports figures.
How about a new show called MTV Ports. You take pro players who have been retired for a few years and highlight how much their investments are worth to take care of them the rest of their lives. Not as glamourous as a set of “24’s” but a better example for those coming behind.
My biggest prediction is Mike Vick will be broke in three years.
Falcons will do at least as good as Vick’s 7-9.
Comment on that!
By Chris
August 22, 2007 12:24 PM | Link to this
Any time a white person criticizes a black person for any reason, it is because that white person is racist, correct?
OK. Every time I hear a black person criticize (or “hate on,” or whatever) President Bush (who happens to be white), I will assume that it is because that black person is racist.
That’s how this is gonna work, huh? Right on. I’m on board.
By DEEMAC
August 22, 2007 12:25 PM | Link to this
Stupid comments, and a stupid write up. The guy does deserve a second chance. And those who say he doesn’t need to take a look in the mirror. You will bring up the Ron Mexico thing (personal), the water bottle incident (non issue), Falcons brass jumped the gun on that, and Miami Police said that nothing suggested drugs were in it. So you really have nothing on him but this. Although stupid on his part, 6 years of fighting dogs, is crazy. But I will say this, to me his downward spiral started when Dan Reeves was fired. He kept people around Vick, PR people who could teach him how to talk and act. When Blank let Reeves go, he really took Vick’s foundation away. Reeves held Vick accountable and I think that is why he is where he is now. I think Reeves would have found out about the dog fights and made the changes necessary. This could have been prevented, and Vick is totally wrong! But I do believe he deserves a second chance. You will be shocked by what he is actually pleading guilty to, which will allow him to play football again. Leonard Little Killed a woman driving drunk, then was arrested again the next year for drunk driving. This is his first time being arrested for anything, and he plead guilty. If he is given a misdomenor he should and need to be back with the Falcons, that will onlyh happen if they give him less than 12 months. Anything over, Atlanta will release him. But he should be able to play again.
By Lola
August 22, 2007 12:28 PM | Link to this
I’m will ALWAYS be a Michael Vick supporter. So whatever you racists are getting ready to write in this blog just remember that your words don’t matter to this Vick fan.
By A FAN
August 22, 2007 12:35 PM | Link to this
Is this OVERKILL or what? Mike Vick is GONE, I repeat….GONE! The man plead out…its over...PERIOD! Hes not a Falcon anymore… probably NEVER again! I am glad he is out of this organization and this state. MV would have never gotten a fair shake in this NEW SOUTH…I am the first to admit that I am a MV fan…more so than a Falcon Fan…The guy is gone and now this team needs to focus on how they are going to win games now! Since he was so terrible a QB, Atlanta will surly win a Superbowl now….NOT!
By Big Ed
August 22, 2007 12:41 PM | Link to this
The theme of this article suggests that the Falcons are at fault for firing Dan Reeves, not investigating and coddling Vick. There is reason why Reeves left Denver. He and Elway did not see eye to eye. It was after Reeves left that the Broncos were successful. To suggest that Reeves should have stayed in Atlanta is excellent hindsight but holds no water. He is not coaching now for some reason when he has said publicly that he would like to. He’s not even getting interviews. So what do you suggest the Falcons should have done. Investigated Vick and announced that they are not going to renew his contract for “personal reasons” that cannot be discussed. The blame and the responsibility lies with Vick. A lot of people are trying to deflect the blame on everything from deer hunting, race, to the war in Iraq instead of Vick himself. It needs to stop. There is a great article on ESPN.COM by Jemele Hill about taking resonsibility for your actions. I suggest you and your I told you so attitude plus Terence Moore who insists that this town is divided along racial lines, read this article and learn how to get to the real issue. I hope Atlanta moves on from this and the real Falcons fans show up and support the guys that are working hard and doing the right thing.
By Pete Rozelle
August 22, 2007 12:42 PM | Link to this
Now that Vick has confirmed he is indeed a criminal (Sorry, Jesse and AL…no way around that now!) we should focus on the other criminal element in this case: The NFLPA.
This “posse” of arrogant, pompous millinonaires unceremoniously “led” by the cartoonish Gene Upshaw got what it wanted: Vick suspended with pay under the auspice the union could continue to collect the dues associated with “active” plyers and their hefty NFL salaries. The NFLPA and Upshaw haven’t been heard from since.
Talk about justice? While guys like ex-Steeler center Mike Webster (Hall-of-Fame indctee; Pro-Bowler, and four-time Super Bowl Champion) die alone; homeless, and broke buffoons like Upshaw continue to strut up and down Madison Avenue like they own the world!
Hell, even the senile Al Davis has ex-communicated Upshaw from “The “Raider Nation!”
By Kelvin
August 22, 2007 12:44 PM | Link to this
I remember the column you wrote a few months ago Called “They Traded The Wrong Quarterback”, I forwarded to my sports friends and was called all sorts of names. Those same friends today don’t have much to say. The Vick apologists today are saying he made a mistake and deserves another chance. Some are already calling Roger Goodell a “Vick Hater.” I say if Vick never plays again in the NFL he has no one to blame but himself. Roger Goodell has been fair thus far in his treatment of the Vick situation. The truth is the Vick apologists don’t really care what crime their QB has committed they just want him on the field no matter what. They have put him on a pedestal and defended him for so long for his play on the field and his conduct off, that they can’t accept the fact that Vick is a guy who is not very smart with serious character flaws. That would prove all of the critics right and that they won’t have.
By Jerry
August 22, 2007 12:50 PM | Link to this
Imagine this.
You see a group of people standing around in a small building. From each side a person brings in a dog and they are foaming at the mouth to get to each other. Suddenly the dogs are let loose. They fight until a dog is beat up and usually entails a dogs bite on the neck of the other dog. The owners jump in and pry the jaws apart. The dog is not dead. The owner pciks him up and carries him outside. He sees his dog suffer and ends the dogs life with a bullet to the head. Barbaric but better than letting the dog just lay there. No the man doesn’t do that. With his buddies around he grabs the back legs of the dog and sling him up and over his head to slam into the ground. Better yet he grabs a rope and puts a noose on the dog and hoist him up, to let him eventually suffocate. Better yet he takes a charger and electrocutes the dog. You see him and his buddies all standing around high fiving and dapping about how heap big men killed a dog. White or black I don’t care. Imagine that.
By Not Sorry At All
August 22, 2007 12:50 PM | Link to this
Hey Buz,
MV is going to have an authority figure real soon. His name is going to be Bubba. They will probably tattoo breats on his back.
By Not Sorry At All
August 22, 2007 12:51 PM | Link to this
Hey Buz,
MV is going to have an authority figure real soon. His name is going to be Bubba. They will probably tattoo breasts on his back.