Michael Vick now plays for a team more than 800 miles away from the Georgia Dome. But you don’t have travel far to show you’re a true fan.
You can find replicas of the quarterback’s No. 7 jerseys in some stores around Atlanta. And we’re not talking about those old-school red and black styles.
“We got 20 requests for them the day he got signed with the Eagles,” said Dwayne Clarke, manager of the Champs Sports store at The Mall at Stonecrest.
On Aug. 13, the Philadelphia Eagles announced a deal with the former Falcon during an exhibition game. Three days later, Atlanta stores got their first shipments of Vick jerseys.
Vick will make his preseason debut Thursday night for the Eagles, who host the Jacksonville Jaguars at 7. The regular season begins Sept. 13.
“Even though he’s a third-string quarterback, he’s Michael Vick,” Clarke said.
Clarke said he’s waiting on another shipment of the black adult-size jerseys, which sell for $80. T-shirts are available for $26.
Not into the all-black look? Head to Sports Fan-Attic at Town Center Mall in Kennesaw for your choice of green, white or black Vick jerseys. Even the younger fans can sport a jersey, says store manager Matt Owen.
“We’re having a hard time keeping all the sizes,” Owen said. “There’s still a lot of Atlanta fans that were big fans and they’re still supporting him.”
Vick, who at one time was the highest paid player in the NFL, hasn’t played in the league since 2006. In August 2007, he was convicted of conspiracy and running a dogfighting operation and sentenced to 23 months in federal prison.
Now with a new two-year deal, Vick appears ready to get back to his game. For some fans, Vick’s return can’t come soon enough.
At Sports Avenue at Underground Atlanta, the shipment of 36 Vick jerseys hasn’t even arrived yet. But that hasn’t stopped people for calling about them, store manager Tonya Newberry said.
“If I had the right now, I would probably be sold out,” Newberry said.
For the more patient fans out there, the nylon, mesh jerseys are available to order online from various Web sites, including nflshop.com. Dozens of Vick items are available for purchase or bids on eBay, too.
It’s still soon to tell how well the Vick jerseys are selling, according to a NFL spokesperson. August sales should be available next week.
Small, furry friends can have their own Vick jerseys — or anyone else’s jersey — in the league’s online shop.
“We didn’t go out and create this product for Michael Vick,” NFL spokesperson Joanna Hunter said.
Still, the die-hard fans will surely want their own pups and even cats to don proper attire.
Newberry said she and everyone she knows plans to be in the Georgia Dome on Dec. 6 to show their continued support of Vick. That’s the day the Eagles will face the Falcons.
“Everybody in Atlanta wants to support Michael Vick,” she said.
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