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DEL.ICIO.USFalcons’ past and future overlap Monday
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
If you view it as warped irony that the Falcons would be playing a preseason game tonight, the same day their former quarterback is expected to rubber stamp a plea deal in Virginia, at least there’s this: The game wasn’t held Sunday — which happened to be National Dog Day.
Will this ever end? Or is the Falcons season destined to become a series of self-replicating, mutating ironies?
Coming soon: Pit Bull Appreciation Week coincides with the opening of the NFL season. The Westminster Kennel Club opens a satellite office in Newport News. It’s almost enough to make you forget about preseason football (which in itself isn’t a bad thing).
This morning, the Falcons’ past will wear a nice suit in a Richmond courtroom. This evening, the Falcons’ future will be unveiled just a little bit more, when they play their third exhibition and first at home against the Cincinnati Bengals, who at least can relate to standing on the wrong side of a courtroom.
The Falcons have lived with this since April. They’ll have to live with it through 17 weeks of the regular season. Vick is gone, in body if not disturbed spirit. But this stain isn’t coming out for a while. DogGate, salary cap hit and a p.r. gut shot sets back a team that already has spent too much time behind the curve.
“That’s something Rich McKay and Arthur Blank will have to deal with,” said Jeff Van Note, the former Falcons player. “But somebody’s hoping to make the team on punt return this week.”
Sort of puts things in perspective. Relatively speaking, it’s not quite the attention grabber of all matters Ookie. But hum-drum can be good. The Falcons would embrace hum-drum right about now.
No franchise, not even one with as many self-inflicted wounds as the Falcons, deserves this.
No owner, let alone one who’s as passionate as Arthur Blank and devotes so much time, energy and resources to his product, should be subjected to this.
The preseason should be a time of optimism. But this one is a Stephen King book.
The most successful pro athletes are the ones who can compartmentalize. But is it possible to navigate around so much baggage, even if avoiding opening a newspaper or turning on a TV or radio?
“I really don’t think this has been that difficult for the players themselves,” said Van Note, who is on the Falcons’ Ring of Honor after an 18-year career, and is now a radio analyst for the team. “Young players are focused on trying to make the team. Veterans are focused on staying on the team and learning new schemes. This has been a big story. But as a player what good does it do you to think about it if you’re not on the team?”
It sounds good in theory. But isn’t it like trying to ignore the elephant in the room — or at least what the elephant left behind?
There will be ongoing stories for months related to Vick’s plea deal, his prison term, his suspension, his future, or any time his name comes up in connection as a cooperating witness in other dog-fighting cases (which seems a given).
There will be related stories. Blank going after Vick’s bonus money. Empty seats. Maybe a family member on Oprah.
Already, Vick’s mother and sister defended him in a New York Post story Sunday. This came after Vick’s estranged father, Michael Boddie, told the AJC that he had told his son for years to stop dog fighting. Next up on the Family Feud — little cousin Davon Boddie? How long can he avoid another arrest, given his anonymity is toast.
Bobby Petrino, the new coach, is trying to stay out of this. His players are doing the same. But about the only positive thing the Falcons can point to right now is they haven’t played a real game yet.
They have the same record as the Colts.
Also, somebody has to win the lottery.
Van Note: “I don’t think I ever played a game, with the exception of Catholic grade school, where I didn’t think I was going to win and be successful. The season will prove whether you’re wrong or right, but that’s the attitude you maintain. It’s a new year. You look forward to that.”
Tonight it’s just a practice game. Ah, the serenity.
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