Mike Vick, Victim Of Racism? hmm....

**thinkfast®** · 01-24-2007, 09:08 AM

How much of this was legitimate criticism, the product of playing a position that always gets too much credit when things go right and too much blame when things go wrong? How much of this was lingering resistance to a quarterback who doesn't just sit in the pocket and throw the football? How much of this was full-fledged racism, spurred on by those who don't want their team being led by a black man with cornrows in his hair and big diamonds in each ear?

Even the Falcons' hierarchy seemed quick to blame Vick when police said he was reluctant to give up a bottle that smelled of marijuana and had a secret compartment. The quarterback was quickly summoned to a meeting at team headquarters with owner Arthur Blank, general manager Rich McKay and new coach Bobby Petrino.

When compared to the off-the-field pursuits of other NFL players -- fights, police chases, killings -- this was pretty minor stuff. Vick wasn't arrested at the airport. As it turned out, he wasn't even charged with a crime.

Team Management Upset

Still, the team came down hard on No. 7.

"I think he understands how upset we all are that this situation occurred," McKay said last week. "I think he knows when it comes to a franchise in the NFL, the quarterback is looked at as the centerpiece player. There is a lot of focus and maybe in our case, even more. He knows he let a lot of people down. Not just the coaches, not just me, not just Arthur Blank, but the fans. We were very clear in discussing that."

Of course, the whole episode does raise some legitimate questions about Vick's judgment. If he wasn't carrying anything illegal, why did he allegedly balk at turning over the water bottle in Miami? When he got back to Atlanta, why didn't he hold a news conference to strongly proclaim his innocence? Not surprisingly, there have already been whispers of a cover-up to prevent further embarrassment to the all-powerful NFL.

Just one day after Vick was cleared of any wrongdoing, talk of a trade heated up. There was a highly suspect report that Oakland was pursuing a deal and might offer up receivers Randy Moss, Jerry Porter and the No. 1 pick in the draft.

"Write this down," Atlanta spokesman Reggie Roberts said. "We are not trading Michael Vick."

But one must wonder if irreparable damage was done in the delicate relationship between player and team -- especially with the Falcons facing a decision on backup quarterback Matt Schaub, a soon-to-be free agent who has the look of a future starter and hasn't been overshadowed by extracurricular issues.

Vick's image already was tarnished by a sordid lawsuit (since settled) that accused him of knowingly infecting a woman with a sexually transmitted disease and using the alias "Ron Mexico" while seeking treatment. This season, he made things worse by flashing an obscene hand gesture to heckling Atlanta fans as he walked off the field following a dismal loss to New Orleans.

Now this.

An image-conscious owner such as Blank could decide that his team would be better off with a more traditional quarterback such as Schaub, while surrounding him with a stronger supporting cast (assuming the Falcons came up with a profitable deal for Vick).

But before Atlanta pursues a trade, here's a few things to consider:

Vick puts people in the seats.

Vick wins games.

Vick does things that no other quarterback can do.

A guy like that might be worth keeping around.

**Kelly** · 01-24-2007, 09:15 AM

Good Find Man...

(although I don't think speculation is based on him being black in any way)

Vick- FTMFW!

**Sammich** · 01-24-2007, 09:18 AM

AHHHH...VICK GOT AIDS

**thinkfast®** · 01-24-2007, 09:19 AM

they had a poll on Channel 2's website, 71% of fans want him traded lol

ouch

**Sammich** · 01-24-2007, 09:20 AM

LOLz i think he maybe gone next yr

**PhAtBoYMr2** · 01-24-2007, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by thinkfast®

they had a poll on Channel 2's website, 71% of fans want him traded lol

ouch

coming from these weak ass atlanta fans what else do you expect

**Kelly** · 01-24-2007, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by thinkfast®

they had a poll on Channel 2's website, 71% of fans want him traded lol

ouch

Wow...

Falcon fans need to back up whoever they've got playing. He's here, we need to support him instead of booing/dissing him. Hell, I would've flipped off someone who was booing me too

My

**Sammich** · 01-24-2007, 09:23 AM

in the words of chappelle..

"ya done son"

**Kelly** · 01-24-2007, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by phatboislim

in the words of chappelle..
"ya done son"

Doubtful

**thinkfast®** · 01-24-2007, 09:32 AM

in all honesty I think with another mediocre year, or a repeat of '06, the Falcons are gonna start shopping Vick.. like people have said before Atlanta doesnt deserve a good QB, they dont know how to react to a superstar

**Sammich** · 01-24-2007, 09:33 AM

yep..u can count on him being on the market if they dnt get to the superbowl...which is a 99% chance he's gona be gone, sorry pple

**Whitebandit** · 01-24-2007, 09:33 AM

Originally Posted by kelly

Wow...

Falcon fans need to back up whoever they've got playing. He's here, we need to support him instead of booing/dissing him. Hell, I would've flipped off someone who was booing me too

My

If you look at the NFL as a whole a player, and I dont car what color he is will get booed for anything the fans dont agree with.. Thats just the way it is. I'm a Jacksonville Jaguars fan and I've not like Leftwich for 3 years. Not because hes black its because he cant think under pressure.

**Sammich** · 01-24-2007, 09:35 AM

leftwich is decent, never paid THAT much attn to him tho

**bigdare23** · 01-24-2007, 09:42 AM

Fuck these punk ass fan! Why are they talking about getting rid of Vick, when they should be getting rid of WRs!

**Kelly** · 01-24-2007, 09:42 AM

True!

**Sammich** · 01-24-2007, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by bigdare23

Fuck these punk ass fan! Why are they talking about getting rid of Vick, when they should be getting rid of WRs!

exactamundo

**con** · 01-24-2007, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by thinkfast®

Vick's image already was tarnished by a sordid lawsuit (since settled) that accused him of knowingly infecting a woman with a sexually transmitted disease and using the alias "Ron Mexico" while seeking treatment.

had heard about the lawsuit but wasn't aware that he had sought out treatment under the alias

guilty as charged..........herpes

**Hulud** · 01-24-2007, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by kelly

Falcon fans need to back up whoever they've got playing. He's here, we need to support him instead of booing/dissing him. Hell, I would've flipped off someone who was booing me too

My

are you serious? fans need to back up whoever is playing?

thats what makes you a fan of THE TEAM, not a player.

lets take TO for example, would you really support that self centered piece of shit? and dont tell me its not the same, cause it it. you said whoever we have playing...

anyways if someones not doing a good job, the fans will express their opinions and thats what makes them fans of the team, not a player.

**Kelly** · 01-24-2007, 10:39 AM

Yeah, if it's who we're stuck with...

Just like the President. He's here, there's nothing we can do about it but support him and hope he does his best.

**Hulud** · 01-24-2007, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by kelly

Yeah, if it's who we're stuck with...

Just like the President. He's here, there's nothing we can do about it but support him and hope he does his best.

nah its not like the pres, cause then that means we have 2 back up presidents?

**TeeJay** · 01-24-2007, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by thinkfast®

in all honesty I think with another mediocre year, or a repeat of '06, the Falcons are gonna start shopping Vick.. like people have said before Atlanta doesnt deserve a good QB, they dont know how to react to a superstar

which is why i have always said, atlanta is the worst sports town in america

**Kelly** · 01-24-2007, 10:52 AM

.........Aside from Miami

**Hulud** · 01-24-2007, 10:52 AM

39-30-1
55.7% Win Percentage As A Starter

just a lil Fyi for you all

**TeeJay** · 01-24-2007, 10:54 AM

before these last 2 years where the falcons really bombed out, he was up close to 70%

**Hulud** · 01-24-2007, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by TeeJay

before these last 2 years where the falcons really bombed out, he was up close to 70%

thats not hard with one lucky season, and only his second as a full time starter

24-14-1

and actually thats 61.5%

id say thats closer to what he has now than your 70%

**BluesClues** · 01-24-2007, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by kelly

Yeah, if it's who we're stuck with...

Just like the President. He's here, there's nothing we can do about it but support him and hope he does his best.

Bad example because I still don't agree with the president and I will NEVER support him!

**Kelly** · 01-24-2007, 11:13 AM

^^^ That's too bad. But I'm not going there... This thread is about Vick.

**Hulud** · 01-24-2007, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by kelly

^^^ That's too bad. But I'm not going there... This thread is about Vick.

you already did go there

**ueyedgr8tness** · 01-24-2007, 11:21 AM

Here the deal i think he a great qb the problem is all yr,Ppl dropping passes and the offensive line not holding up worth a damn,Far as i can c if every 1 else would have did therre job we would b in the superbowl but all those costly drop passes gets the team down.

And hey we did start 2 win till we got vick he was doing all the dirty work him self with all that running,Thats not what a qb is suppose to do he needs a offensive line that will allow him those bomb shell passes that he throws so good.

**Hulud** · 01-24-2007, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by stay_up

Here the deal i think he a great qb the problem is all yr,Ppl dropping passes and the offensive line not holding up worth a damn,Far as i can c if every 1 else would have did therre job we would b in the superbowl but all those costly drop passes gets the team down.

And hey we did start 2 win till we got vick he was doing all the dirty work him self with all that running,Thats not what a qb is suppose to do he needs a offensive line that will allow him those bomb shell passes that he throws so good.

english please

**Kelly** · 01-24-2007, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by Hulud

you already did go there

It was just an example thought.

**Hulud** · 01-24-2007, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by kelly

It was just an example thought.

haha i know, but you brought him in the thread

**ueyedgr8tness** · 01-24-2007, 11:25 AM

I support that falcons 100% i love my team and i am not a person to jump teams,I think we just need some ppl that can catch and a offensive line and were good,Look at the stats from when we had chandler then look at vicks stats ok were doing better than we were.

And for godsakes pls no 1 even wanted to go to the game until vick came to the atown.

**Hulud** · 01-24-2007, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by stay_up

I support that falcons 100% i love my team and i am not a person to jump teams,I think we just need some ppl that can catch and a offensive line and were good,Look at the stats from when we had chandler then look at vicks stats ok were doing better than we were.

And for godsakes pls no 1 even wanted to go to the game until vick came to the atown.

i cant go back and get chandlers stats, but theres no doubt its prolly close to the same or even a lil worse

but dont forget the real reason why no one went to games

thats because the owner did not give a shit. now that we have blank he is actually getting a team together

**VegetaRules** · 01-24-2007, 11:55 AM

Hulud, I hear your argument, but let's look at this thing as a whole. One, the Falcons have NEVER BEEN GREAT. LOL Thats point 1, so again all the other " pocket QB's" failed here as well.

I find it laughable, that Mora & Knapp came out publicaly stating that they didn't give Vick audibles, yet people expect him to know what to do when he wasn't TAUGHT how to do it. You think Peyton & Brady just fall out of bed & know every adjustment? No that falls strictly on coaching.

Even Petrino in his press conferance said the Falcons rarely practiced pass-blocking. So if they weren't practicing pass-protection, what do you thinks gonna happen in game situations? They also put no emphasis on the passing attack.

This was evident by the lack of creativity shown in passing game. Please don't start the " well if Vick could throw" either, because how do you expect him to produce, if the people around him don't do their jobs?

They're were plenty of instances where the WR's ran lazy routes, & had even worse hands when they were delivered catchable passes. Yes I think Vick is to blame in one aspect. He should have demanded more responsibilty in the passing game earlier, yet he didn't.

He should have gotten in those WR's faces, after lazy routes/awful drops. But I do not expect him to come up with his own gameplan to combat what he see's, that is his coaches job. I have seen countless times, the Falcons lack of adjustments to their attack, & defense, thats coaching not Vick.

Hulud, let's say Vick had 2 fluke years, is that any different from every other QB in Falcons history?? LMAO Maybe we need to think back on the Aundray Bruce DP's, the Favre trade, Devin Bush, Jammi German, Lincoln Kennedy, Byron Hanspard, ect.

You Falcons fans seem to wanna act like Vick single-handedly ruin your franchise, I'm thinking what freaking credibility did this franchise have before Vick?? LMAO You will regret it when he leaves, I promise.....Vegeta

**ueyedgr8tness** · 01-24-2007, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by VegetaRules

Hulud, I hear your argument, but let's look at this thing as a whole. One, the Falcons have NEVER BEEN GREAT. LOL Thats point 1, so again all the other " pocket QB's" failed here as well.

I find it laughable, that Mora & Knapp came out publicaly stating that they didn't give Vick audibles, yet people expect him to know what to do when he wasn't TAUGHT how to do it. You think Peyton & Brady just fall out of bed & know every adjustment? No that falls strictly on coaching.

Even Petrino in his press conferance said the Falcons rarely practiced pass-blocking. So if they weren't practicing pass-protection, what do you thinks gonna happen in game situations? They also put no emphasis on the passing attack.

This was evident by the lack of creativity shown in passing game. Please don't start the " well if Vick could throw" either, because how do you expect him to produce, if the people around him don't do their jobs?

They're were plenty of instances where the WR's ran lazy routes, & had even worse hands when they were delivered catchable passes. Yes I think Vick is to blame in one aspect. He should have demanded more responsibilty in the passing game earlier, yet he didn't.

He should have gotten in those WR's faces, after lazy routes/awful drops. But I do not expect him to come up with his own gameplan to combat what he see's, that is his coaches job. I have seen countless times, the Falcons lack of adjustments to their attack, & defense, thats coaching not Vick.

Hulud, let's say Vick had 2 fluke years, is that any different from every other QB in Falcons history?? LMAO Maybe we need to think back on the Aundray Bruce DP's, the Favre trade, Devin Bush, Jammi German, Lincoln Kennedy, Byron Hanspard, ect.

You Falcons fans seem to wanna act like Vick single-handedly ruin your franchise, I'm thinking what freaking credibility did this franchise have before Vick?? LMAO You will regret it when he leaves, I promise.....Vegeta

Man u hit that straight on

about time some 1 no there sh**,And yea mora was soft on the team.

**{X}Echo419** · 01-24-2007, 01:56 PM

anybody that thinks the critizism of Vick is racialy motivated(Jay-Z) "has gotta Get. That. Chip. off their shoulder!"

Originally Posted by kelly

Wow...

Falcon fans need to back up whoever they've got playing. He's here, we need to support him instead of booing/dissing him. Hell, I would've flipped off someone who was booing me too

My

their getting worse than Philly fans. 1 bad play and they start throwing batteries

ok this is the "real" problem with Micheal Vick. HE THINKS HE'S MICHEAL VICK! there's 10 other guys on the field with him.
and I don't remember what game it was(Carolina I think), but he go intercepted and Vick let him go. Vick could have grabbed him, but instead he half assed jogged after him and let him go. so much for the fastest guy in the NFL bullshit.
I say, put Vick in @ WR(since he's so fucking great and the present WR's can't catch) and put Shockley in @ QB. b/c everybody knows Bulldogs>Hokies.

**idriveasloweclipse** · 01-24-2007, 02:16 PM

vick is athletic, but so far he has not prooved himself to be a good qb. The o line and wr he has aren't performing great either, but theres no excuse for someone that "talented" to play as shitty as he does, esp. when your paycheck is that big. $$$

**VegetaRules** · 01-24-2007, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by idriveasloweclipse

vick is athletic, but so far he has not prooved himself to be a good qb. The o line and wr he has aren't performing great either, but theres no excuse for someone that "talented" to play as shitty as he does, esp. when your paycheck is that big. $$$

Thats like saying every #1 draft pick is supposed to be great. Do you think these great players just know everything without coaching?? The best example I can relate this point to is this. 80' & early 90's Niners teams.

Okay, now the QB's during this time was Montana,Young,Grbac, & Garcia. The only one of them that wasn't garbage on other teams was Montana( Cheifs AFCCG 92, or 94).

Now the one common factor with all those Niners teams was A. a stout running game( Craig,Waters,Hampton,Hearst) & B. great WR play( Taylor,Rice,Owens). Now when those wepons were removed from them, they all stunk, Young did in Tampa before going to Niners, Grbac stunk going to Baltimore, & Garcia stunk going to Detroit, then Cleveland, before finally getting on a team with talent in Philadelphia.

The point is EVERY QB NEEDS HELP!! There's no getting around that shyt. They need great solid coaching, & talent to suceed. Someohow this part keeps on slipping by people.....Vegeta

**{X}Echo419** · 01-24-2007, 03:07 PM

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