Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagle

[SunMo]

it was all pretty asinine

[Rome]

the word asinine makes me giggle.

[PhillyPhanInDC]

Vick will speak to students in Philly today

Posted by Mike Florio on September 8, 2009 10:01 AM ET
The Eagles signed Mike Vick on August 13.  The next day, owner Jeffrey Lurie made it clear that Vick would need to be proactive in his off-field efforts to make amends for his history of dogfighting and animal cruelty.

Now, nearly four weeks later, the process of proaction will commence.

The Eagles have announced that Vick will be speaking today to the incoming freshman class, roughly 200 in size, at Nueva Esperanza Academy, a Philadelphia charter school.

Vick is slated to "share his story" with the students. 

Also on the agenda is Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society, which remains to date the only prominent animal-rights group to get behind the Mike Vick redemption process.

The announcement comes amid a report from the Philadelphia Inquirer that the team circulated on Monday a draft plan to local animal-rights groups that "calls for an immediate, widespread campaign to combat animal abuse" in the city.

The proposed plan, however, didn't mention Vick.

The previously unannounced school appearance, coming a day after circulation of the proposed plan, probably is aimed at helping persuade the local animal-rights groups to endorse and support the plan.

That said, it seems that there's way too much planning and managing and handling going on here, and not enough real, genuine action from Vick. 

So why are the Eagles carrying the cross for a guy who presumably will be a part-time player at best for at most one season?

The extent to which the Eagles have rolled up their sleeves on this one further confirms our suspicion that the primary motivation for signing Vick was to determine via the 2009 season whether he can become the team's starting quarterback for 2010 and beyond.  If the goal was anything less than that, the Eagles simply wouldn't be devoting so much time and attention to helping Vick gain acceptance locally.

Usually I think Florio is full of shtein and generally off-base, but I am kind of in agreement with him here. I think that by season's end, as I mentioned in the predictions thread, there might be a bit of a schism going on in the locker room between those with McNabb and those with Vick. I am not saying I think Vick will be or is a better QB than McNabb, I think it's the opposite, but I definitely think he'll show more fire and leadership once he's comfortable with the team and knows the offense. I think a lot of players who have always felt McNabb was soft or a company man will gravitate towards Vick as the season progresses.

[rjs246]

I'm holding my kids out of school the day that Vick gives his speech.

[Diomedes]

I'm retiring the word schism from my vocabulary now that it's been co-opted by jock talk.

[Seabiscuit36]

Schism should only refer to one thing, and it has nothing to do with Football, Stinkfist is another word that should only be used in certain contexts like great songs

[ice grillin you]

The extent to which the Eagles have rolled up their sleeves on this one further confirms our suspicion that the primary motivation for signing Vick was to determine via the 2009 season whether he can become the team's starting quarterback for 2010 and beyond.  If the goal was anything less than that, the Eagles simply wouldn't be devoting so much time and attention to helping Vick gain acceptance locally.

or they could be making sure he does all the right things because they dont want a backlash from the league office as well as the city...not to mention at the presser after vick was signed lurie sounded genuinly disgusted at what vick had done and adamant that he would do everything possible to try and make up for it


why would the eagles ever want michael vick as their qb next year over donovan....it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever

[RezRob]

He's good for $$$ He is selling alot of Merch, Eagles get alot of Pub, it deflects from Reid's degenerate kids, He can help the team in some capacity... If jumping to conclusions was sport Philly Media would be Championship Gold Standard. Learn to swim, I'll see you down in Arizona Bay.

[Diomedes]

Florio could just as easily concluded that the Eagles are investing so much in Vick because it's the only way he'll have any trade value.

[ice grillin you]

Florio could just as easily concluded that the Eagles are investing so much in Vick because it's the only way he'll have any trade value.

that would be much more realistic but certainly not as juicy as a skizzemed locker room

[General_Failure]

I heard a deal is in the works for a movie starring Vick and Shaq. Vick will play the part of a man who finds a genie bottle on the beach, and Shaq will play the title role of the genie Skizzam.

[Sgt PSN]

Florio could just as easily concluded that the Eagles are investing so much in Vick because it's the only way he'll have any trade value.

this.  i wouldn't be surprised if this wasn't on the forefront of everyone's (lurie, reid banner) mind when they started contract talks with him.  sign him cheap this year, do a lot of work with him behind the scenes to help "rehabilitate" his image and hope that he looks good during the few plays he gets each game.  by the time march rolls around, people will be completely enamoured with how good he looked on a few gadget plays that they'll completely forget how mediocre he was as a quarterback and would probably be willing to part with a 3rd rounder for him....maybe more if he turns in a few huge plays.  

of course, i highly doubt that will happen.  but i'm sure that's something similar to what the fo was thinking.  

[General_Failure]

I doubt that even the Raiders would part with a pick for him.

[methdeez]

He's good for $$$ He is selling alot of Merch, Eagles get alot of Pub, it deflects from Reid's degenerate kids, He can help the team in some capacity... If jumping to conclusions was sport Philly Media would be Championship Gold Standard. Learn to swim, I'll see you down in Arizona Bay.

For the 50th time I would like to point out that all jersey sales are shared equally among the 32 teams. Does anyone really think that the Eagles are working that hard for 3.1% of Vick merchandise sales?

[PhillyPhanInDC]

Does anyone really think that the Eagles are working that hard for 3.1% of Vick merchandise sales?

Y. E. S.