Word: Vick released from prison
May 23, 2009 at 10:57 am by Asher Smith in Word/Found
Michael Vick, the former Atlanta Falcons star quarterback, was released May 20 from a federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan. He will be completing the final two months of his 23-month dog-fighting sentence in his Hampton, Va., home.
“Without one single doubt, Vick’s skill level will return. Will a team be interested in bringing him in to play? That’s difficult to determine right now on two levels: public relations and football. … He must be willing to do whatever it takes to help a team win as he rebuilds his life and career.”
— NFL exec Mike Lombardi, from his May 18 entry on National Football Post
“He’s erratic throwing the ball because of his mechanics. … It’s not his feet or his arms, it’s his release. … But now that they’ve got all these spread offenses, the Wildcat they’re running, a guy like Michael could be tremendous.”
— Roger Theder, San Diego Chargers assistant coach, quoted May 17 in the AJC
“I think Michael is just like so many other guys that I have seen. … It’s a young man that made a mistake and is looking for a chance to recover and move forward.”
— Tony Dungy, former Super Bowl-winning Indianapolis Colts head coach, to the AJC after meeting with Vick in Leavenworth
“We’re not interested in being part of a cynical ploy that’s nothing but public relations. … We believe that the behavior he has shown might very well be an indication of psychopathy and we’re asking for a brain scan and a thorough psychiatric evaluation.”
— PETA spokesperson Daphna Nachminovitch, on PETA’s rejection of Vick’s offer to participate in an advertisement for the group
May 25th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Can’t wait to see Vick back on the football field. I’m just sorry it won’t be in Atlanta.
When he played for the Falcons, we had a legitimate chance to win every game.
May 26th, 2009 at 9:26 am
I am all for allowing Vick to return, but I doubt he would improve the Falcons today.
A chance to win every game? Maybe, but the record with Vick was 42 – 39.
The record the last two seasons with him is identical to the first two seasons without him, 15 – 17.
Given the confusion of the first season without him, a bad season was understandable. Last season (first with a real replacement) was 11 -5, a mark unequaled since 2004 and Vick’s only season with double-digit wins.
May 26th, 2009 at 11:12 am
You’re counting all of his starts in the record above. He really only played 4 complete seasons for the Falcons – 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2006. We made the playoffs in two of those seasons and made the NFC championship once. Pretty good in my book.
All of this without a coach, only one good receiver, Alge Crumpler, and no offensive line. Vick’s best year was with Dan Reeves. He hasn’t been coached consistently in years. I just hope he lands with a team with a good coach.
Vick was incredible with the Falcons. The energy he brought to the dome is not likely to be matched.
However, I like Matt Ryan too. He had an excellent first year. Let’s see if he can avoid a sophomore slump.
May 26th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
“energy” doesn’t equal winning.
i’ll take a winner over a mediocre QB with “energy” any day, and i suspect other successful football franchises would also.
atlanta is ready for a winner.
no more michael vick/run and shoot/jerry glanville/2 legit 2 quit/andre rison and left eye lopez sideshows, please.
May 26th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
As a season ticket holder and someone who drove to Miami to see Vick’s first ever start i think i can speak with a pretty good authority on Vick. I saw everyone of his home starts in person. We were never going to win a championship with Vick. He could not see over the line and never saw the open reciever. He was amazing to watch but most of us in the dome or at least in section 104 behind the endzone were through with his ass even before the dog fighting. He was not a leader and it showed. We went to training camp the summer before he broke his leg. We were shocked to see that the leader of the team was Doug Johnson. And we all know how horrible he was.
May 26th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
I hope ya’ll are right. We’ll see if Ryan can repeat his great season from last year.
Hopefully, Vick doesn’t follow in the footsteps of other Falcon greats who left to win rings like Deion Sanders and Brett Farve.
May 26th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
OK, for 2002-2006 the Falcon were 33-30.
Your statement that they had a chance to win every game is true.
It is also true that they had an almost equal chance to lose every game.
May 26th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
DaleC, he took them to the playoffs twice in his four complete seasons. That’s a success for the lowly Falcons.
The Falcon’s have been to the NFC Championship twice in their history. One of those was with Vick. Give the man some credit.
Your stats are wrong too. In the seasons he played the Falcons were 35-28. Further, that four year span is the best four year record in the team’s history. Can I stretch to say this is because of Vick?
Definitely not great, but not bad either.
May 26th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
I give him credit, I just don’t think he is that great and would not improve the team today. Today.
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Previous post;
‘”I am all for allowing Vick to return, but I doubt he would improve the Falcons today.”
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Where are you getting your numbers? Not being a smart ass, seriously asking…
I got mine from the NFL.
May 26th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
I got mine from the great source Wikipedia :-)
2002 – 9-6-1
2004 – 11-5
2005 – 8-8
2006 – 7-9
May 26th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
The difference in your numbers is that Dale’s only reflect games Vick actually played in. You are forgeting that he usually missed 1-2 games a year. If you are going to count the times the team won without him then you have to count the times they lost without him too. I am no Vick hater but i truly believe that he was a big part of the reasons we were mediocore for the years he was here. Roddy White blossomed with three different QBs throwing to him the first year Vick was in prison. Not one of them (LEftwich, Harrington, and a dude who was selling insurance the year before) could start on an NFL team. I think that his lackluster attitude and terrible work ethic affected the whole team. Not completely his fault but certainly not the mark of a winner.
May 26th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Michael Vick was the best running back to ever play quarterback for the Falcons. There was little indication (to me) that his throwing was improving quickly enough offset his inevitable decline as a runner.
In other words: the Falcons probably had him during the peak of his career.
I suppose its possible he can improve as a quarterback, but what we know so far about his personal life suggests he lacks focus.
May 26th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Vick did not improve as a player after he left VA Tech. Probably the result of bad coaching, lack of focus, or both. Just imagine if he had focus and a good coach.
May 26th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Any player who does not improve after eaving college will have a short career and will NEVER be at the top.
Edgewood Adam, thanks for clearing up the stats difference.
Andisheh, nice line about best running back.
October 25th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
I’ve always been a fan of the guy. It’s hard not to like a WR who just gets straight back up after taking a big hit. He’s been Mr Reliable for me in fantasy football for a couple of years now too.