Should the Falcons play Babineaux vs. Saints?
Jonathan Babineaux on the attack against Washington. Curtis Compton, ccompton@ajc.com
BIRDLAND – Let’s keep this real simple. Just want to ask you all two questions.
Should the Falcons play defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux against the Saints and wait while he goes through the legal process? With the franchises’ emphasis on “good character” players, will it make them look like hypocrites if they do play him?
Babineaux less than 72 hours after his arrest.
You know the facts by now and that Babineaux, who does a lot of community work and recently spoke to the Boy Scouts, has declared that he’s “not guilty.”
Here are the results from the last poll question: “Should the Falcons play quarterback Matt Ryan or let his injury heal?”
- No, because it doesn’t matter. Saints will rout them anyway. (36%, 218 Votes)
- No, don’t risk the $72 million investment. (28%, 167 Votes)
- Yes, but only if he’s healthy. (26%, 156 Votes)
- Yes, as long as he can throw off his back foot. (10%, 65 Votes)
- Total Voters: 606
Here are the 5 keys to the game, 3 key matchups and “The Falcons will win if . . . ” feature.
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87 comments Add your comment
B
December 12th, 2009
8:36 pm
You act like you don’t care about this beat. Are you part time or full time on the Falcons’ beat? I long for Steve Wyche’s professionalism and dedication to this team.
f.i.l.a
December 12th, 2009
8:41 pm
Yeah man really…With all due respect Mr.Ledbetter, Please put in more work!!
Sporkdevil
December 12th, 2009
8:43 pm
No, let’s leave our best defensive lineman at home in a big divisional game, where a loss would remove us from the playoffs, because he got arrested. That will teach the criminal justice system for not immediately throwing all people arrested in jail.
tom shoupe
December 12th, 2009
8:44 pm
Babs needs to sit. The amount of weed found in his car is hardly for personal use. Those who say it is ok to smoke a tote are not addressing the amount that was found. Suspend him now and trade him later. clean up the house. Too many Pros take their jobs with big paydays for granted. Let them go out and get a real job. No tolerance. First time offenders are gone.
Sporkdevil
December 12th, 2009
8:45 pm
And seriously, you need to figure out how to link correctly in twitter. Every article updates three times, and the links that work (about half of them) take me to a facebook link.
renegade#1
December 12th, 2009
8:45 pm
Let him burn one then go play. What can it hurt. He plays like he’s stoned anyway.
D. Orlando Ledbetter
December 12th, 2009
8:54 pm
b and f.i.l.a: I’m James Brown of the sports writing game. Hardest working man in show business. Stop tripping.
Sporkdevil: Just got my tweetdeck. It’s sweet. But working out some kinks.
D. Orlando Ledbetter
December 12th, 2009
8:58 pm
No, really f.i.l.a.: We’re hearing that “shorter, quick hitting” blogs are better. Giving it a try here and you’re ripping James Brown for not putting in any work. Peace and love to you!
Renegade #1: I think you’re advocating illegal activity. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm . . . .
Kerri Leland
December 12th, 2009
9:00 pm
Last time I checked, in America it is innocent until PROVEN guilty in a court of law…not court of opinion. Play him.
D. Orlando Ledbetter
December 12th, 2009
9:13 pm
DID A LITTLE LEGAL RESEARCH:
A principle that requires the government to prove the guilt of a criminal defendant and relieves the defendant of any burden to prove his or her innocence.
The presumption of innocence, an ancient tenet of Criminal Law, is actually a misnomer. According to the U.S. Supreme Court, the presumption of the innocence of a criminal defendant is best described as an assumption of innocence that is indulged in the absence of contrary evidence (Taylor v. Kentucky, 436 U.S. 478, 98 S. Ct. 1930, 56 L. Ed. 2d 468 [1978]). It is not considered evidence of the defendant’s innocence, and it does not require that a mandatory inference favorable to the defendant be drawn from any facts in evidence.
In practice the presumption of innocence is animated by the requirement that the government prove the charges against the defendant Beyond a Reasonable Doubt. This due process requirement, a fundamental tenet of criminal law, is contained in statutes and judicial opinions. The requirement that a person suspected of a crime be presumed innocent also is mandated in statutes and court opinions. The two principles go together, but they can be separated.
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Innocent+until+proven+guilty
Cedric
December 12th, 2009
10:46 pm
who cares. we are done anyway. stick a fork in them. Lets pay attention to the Hawks.
D. Orlando Ledbetter
December 12th, 2009
10:57 pm
Seahawks? It’s football season.
Rod
December 12th, 2009
11:02 pm
The falcons have quit. They care more about protecting Ryans image more than competing for a playoff spot. Why are they so scared to play Ryan without all the starters on the oline and without Turner?
Knute
December 12th, 2009
11:13 pm
Who cares? He’s history!! Play people who might help the team next year. Redman has zero upside. If Smith had any guts at all he would play John Parker Wilson if Ryan can’t play. Most likely a loss no matter who plays, A decent game or two for Wilson and we might get trade bait for a decent draft choice.Good coaches like Andy Reid give backup QB’s a chance.
gt 97
December 12th, 2009
11:24 pm
No Way! Let the GT product on the field. Anyway, What an Idiot. I quit smoking pot because I got a 50K year of job out of college. Why the heck does not a couple of million send these guys a lesson. Stupid…Stupid…Stupid…Dumb SOB. Is there anything left to say? Dumb!
Michael
December 12th, 2009
11:26 pm
The Falcons won’t look like hypocrites for playing Babineaux because outside of Atlanta, he’s not a household name so it won’t be all over Espn. That being said, I think he should sit if his mind isn’t going to be all on football. I don’t want them to rush Matty Ice back. After all our injuries, I’d be content with 9-7.
Michael
December 12th, 2009
11:28 pm
Oh yeah, and keep up the good work D Led….where else can I review for my CrimPro exam and talk about my squad?- 7-2005-A
Matt "Choke" Ryan
December 12th, 2009
11:42 pm
CHOKE is still FAKING…………
My question is where is Bradley – nobody is saying
D. Orlando Ledbetter
December 13th, 2009
12:11 am
Last comment from me tonight. Need to get some rest for the game and the Queen has ordered us to 7:45 Church service. Then I have to get to the Stadium early for my “Ryan, Turner and Babs stakeout.”
Rod: The starters on the line have nothing to do with if Ryan will play. Smitty shot down that report. Turner doesn’t have anything to do with him playing. If if he can function and be effective on the foot will determine if he plays.
MICHAEL: What’s up team!!!! Thanks for the kind words and good luck on that CrimPro final.
CHOKE: Mark Bradley has worked the last 2,304 days. He can take a break whenever he wants.
gt97: Now what if the 40 grams belonged to the dude “Minnesota?” You know, without Babs’ knowledge. . . (He won’t have to hire Manny for this one, if those are the facts.)
Knute: You talk like JPW was a 1st round pick. He made the team as an undrafted free agent. But I can say he has improved a lot since training camp.
Good Night Blog Family.
Bob
December 13th, 2009
12:25 am
I’m a Saints ,fan,and I plan on a bong hit or 2 during the game.The fact the reefer is illegal is the crime.Throw the damn judges in jail who put people in jail lighting up.
AND he is still innocent till proven guilty.
With all the real crime in Atlanta and New Orleans who hell cares if some is smoking pot.
Put the legal resources in stopping violent crime..Leave the pot-heads alone.
bob
Scott
December 13th, 2009
1:58 am
Short, quick hit blogs? Check out DOB’s blog. He’s the guidepost for everyone else, a must read with every post.
Greg
December 13th, 2009
6:05 am
Well, what should the principle be? Should it be that if you are arrested for a felony you are benched until…until when, exactly? Until and unless you are found not guilty? That could be months. That doesn’t seem to be right, does it? The principle ought to be that you play, unless you are confessing right now to the felony. News reports say that Babs is declaring his innocence. I myself suspect he’ll find it hard to defend himself in court, but so what if I suspect that? I don’t determine guilt. Play him.
mike addington
December 13th, 2009
6:30 am
Hey, if he’d been ten miles south in Atlanta city limits, it would have been a misdeanor. No use in justifying or compareing the differences in pot and alcohol and Babs wasn’t driving, but it wasn’t a big deal and you say he’s a stand up guy, so let’s leave it at the level of hypocritical government, especially in Gwinnett County. You want to do some reporting, check the level of amounts of bonds for similar offenses in Gwinnett and almost any other county. Someone up there is getting paid, big time!!!! I was stunned that he only had to pay 8700$/ Must have been a misprint and it was probably $87,000
mike addington
December 13th, 2009
6:34 am
Also, OL, go further and check the idiotically long sentences Gwinnett gives, which the Parole Board has to knock down by early release and then Gwinnett gets the benefit of big fines while the dudes/dudetts are on parole or probation. That’s the crookedest coutny in Georgia; they just do it in a way that somehow escapes notice, except by the poor people, who can’t afford a good lawyer to get them out of the crap Gwinnett charges people with.
mike addington
December 13th, 2009
7:22 am
By the way, Babineaux, if you’re reading this, the report said that the officer smelled something, which initiaded his search. “Smelling” is not recognized under Georgia code as a “sense” that can be relied on to initiate a search. I witnessed this persoanlly while working in Atlanta criminal court where a case was thrown out because an officer smelled what he thought was marijuana coming from the direction of a group of men, who he accosted and searched, finding a small amout of weed. the judge threw it out because of an unlaw search. Check it out.
midnite
December 13th, 2009
8:05 am
Thanks for the blog DOL, don’t pay any attention to your naysayers. Let Babs play until the league office does something. I’ll be there today directly across the field from you DOL cheering on this “snakebit” franchise. I would love to knock off the Saints today, hit them with a reality sandwich right upside their “who dat” heads.
mountain_jim
December 13th, 2009
8:45 am
For the first time this year, I am just going to record the game for later viewing without commercials and go Christmas shopping. Last week’s trashing removed any and all optimism I had left for this season. If only the Charlotte and Giants game had turned out differently, this season would still be alive. Oh well.
Go Hawks! (Football season might as well be over for the Falcons – what a letdown, and I blame Demitroff for not getting it done in the draft and not getting more CBs before the season.)
mountain_jim
December 13th, 2009
8:46 am
I also blame our defensive coordinator for having no imagination and and easily beat defensive scheme each and every week.
mountain_jim
December 13th, 2009
8:51 am
And Mularkey’s lack of a screen game little to no imagination on play-calling has killed us also. Our coordinators were exposed this season, as was our lack of depth and talent on the oline and lack of talent on all over the defense.
Suburban White Guy
December 13th, 2009
9:58 am
“Why are they so scared to play Ryan without all the starters on the oline and without Turner?”
Sounds like they are scared to play Turner without all the O-line starters and Ryan, if you ask. me. Goes both ways, my friend.
Suburban White Guy
December 13th, 2009
10:04 am
“(Football season might as well be over for the Falcons – what a letdown, and I blame Demitroff for not getting it done in the draft and not getting more CBs before the season.)”
Seriously? Rookies very rarely make impacts their first year, and I don’t think Dimitroff had anything to do with Jerry’s ACL injury or William Moore’s hamstring.
Drafts aren’t graded until 2-3 years down the road, and in case you forgot we took 2 CB’s and a safety in this draft…Dimitroff fully realizes our secondary’s issues.
FeudFinder
December 13th, 2009
10:24 am
IF the Williams Wall are playing for the Vikings, what is wrong with the Falcons playing Babineaux? Wake up Southerns!!!
FeudFinder
December 13th, 2009
10:25 am
IF the Williams Wall are playing for the Vikings, what is wrong with the Falcons playing Babineaux? Wake up Southerners!!!!
Col. Parker
December 13th, 2009
10:53 am
Play him….
Elvis is still dead…
I think I am too….
Matt "Choke" Ryan
December 13th, 2009
10:58 am
Suburban White Guy
December 13th, 2009
10:04 am
“(Football season might as well be over for the Falcons – what a letdown, and I blame Demitroff for not getting it done in the draft and not getting more CBs before the season.)”
Seriously? Rookies very rarely make impacts their first year
“Really”? I guess the Eagles didn’t get the memo, since Macklin at receiver and McCoy at running back, are 1st and 2nd picks that are STARTERS and big impact players and on defense, Macho Harris is in the mix also.
Therefore, your brilliant theory has no legs to stand up on. Dimitroff is just another BUST.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
December 13th, 2009
11:01 am
DavidFalcon
December 13th, 2009
10:07 am
Has anybody ever listened to Ledbetter ask questions in the video interviews at AtlantaFalcons.com?
I can’t even listen to the guy speak — his voice, tone and diction make my ears bleed. Hey D. Led, I got a friend who teaches people how to improve their speech…you interested?
“Are you starting trouble again”
That was funny – DAMN.
Col. Parker
December 13th, 2009
11:08 am
Choke,
Sad you live on AJC blogs…
Get a life.
mountain_jim
December 13th, 2009
11:12 am
Suburban White Guy – I can allow that Dimetroff’s draft this year might eventually pay off, but he and the coaches totally screwed up by believing they could get by with the existing CBs they had – who have all proven to be below servicable this year. Sure after a preason game they panicked and brought one in (later injured), but neither signing Foxworth or replacing him before the season,and over-valuing Houston and Grimes, has bitten the Falcons big-time. Both TD’s #1 and #2 picks had considerable injury history and concerns at draft time, as was pointed out by many.
TD does not get a pass for this season. The CB drafted immediately after Jerry has played great, we have had no CBs that can even play adequately it seems. Here’s hoping that our 3rd rounder shines today so that spot firms up for next year. Personally I would have rather taken Cedric Ellis over Jerry, hopefully next year shows TD got that one right.
D. Orlando Ledbetter
December 13th, 2009
11:16 am
At the Dome. Buzz is Ryan and Turner will not play. Team has not confirmed. Clock is ticking. Inactives must be declared in 14 minutes. Jeff Schultz will have a blog up soon. We can shift over there as he’ll be in there chatting during the game.
D. Orlando Ledbetter
December 13th, 2009
11:16 am
Midnight: Thanks. I don’t worry about the haters. I just delete them!
Col. Parker
December 13th, 2009
11:17 am
DOL,
Keep up the good work…
Peace
Matt "Choke" Ryan
December 13th, 2009
11:20 am
Col. Parker
December 13th, 2009
11:08 am
Choke,
Sad you live on AJC blogs…
Get a life.
“Yet here you are” brilliant I tell you
mountain_jim
December 13th, 2009
11:24 am
Nevermind about Sedrick – he was from 2008.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
December 13th, 2009
11:26 am
D. Orlando Ledbetter
December 13th, 2009
11:16 am
Midnight: Thanks. I don’t worry about the haters. I just delete them!
“That’s funny” – so if someone criticizes or disagrees with the moderator they get deleted……….
That’s amazing
Good thing politicians don’t have the opponent whacked 
hiramsaint
December 13th, 2009
11:32 am
reauxl saints…13 ‘n’ eaux
mountain_jim
December 13th, 2009
11:36 am
Well Suburban White Guy – I see others with similar views to mine:
There is a thread now at the Falcons forum:
If You Could Ask Dimitroff One Question…… right now, what would it be?
Gritzblitzer says:
Mine is fairly simple: What made you think that the Falcons could have a successful season if the 2 starting corners were Brent Grimes and Chris Houston?
If I could ask a follow-up one I’d ask:
Did you not see anyone at all in free agency who you thought might be able to solidify the Falcon secondary?
mountain_jim
December 13th, 2009
11:39 am
And another quoted question for TD:
It would be why do you not know how to handle the corner position? Waited til last minute to get Foxworth. Let him get away. Went into camp bankin on Crisp Houston and Bent Grimes. Waited til the last minute to get Brian Williams. Dam bro.
redbull
December 13th, 2009
11:39 am
the falcon need a QB Matt Ryan is a JOKE
Matt "Choke" Ryan
December 13th, 2009
11:41 am
I’m an idiot, I can’t help my self..
Does the short bus run on sunday??
Saints = Martyrs?
December 13th, 2009
11:43 am
Great job on the 5 Keys article! Today’s game will make or break many Falcons fans.
midnite
December 13th, 2009
11:46 am
I love dogs more than humans and I don’t care what any of you idiots think.
dog team
December 13th, 2009
11:48 am
The Bruhs have high hopes for today’s game.
Good Luck,
The Bruhs
Matt "Choke" Ryan
December 13th, 2009
11:50 am
redbull
December 13th, 2009
11:39 am
the falcon need a QB Matt Ryan is a JOKE
“I SECOND THE MOTION”
D. Orlando Ledbetter
December 13th, 2009
12:04 pm
Ryan, Turner and Dahl out. Schultz is chatting live. (I’ve got to watch the game and tell him what’s going on!!) Was he too hard on Babineaux? Not hard enough? Let him know.
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2009/12/13/were-live-from-falcons-game-but-do-they-live/
DOG TEAM: Got to have those High aspirations, too.
Oh yeah, Babineaux IS playing today.
Rod
December 13th, 2009
12:10 pm
DOL, You new Ryan wasn’t playing today just like I new he wasn’t playing. Lets be real about it. Ryan isn’t playing because the oline isn’t healthy. Coach Smith is throwing in the towel to protect Ryan’s image. The last thing they want is for him to look like Joey Harrington. What was coach Smith supposed to say when he was asked the question—-Is Ryan not playing until the Oline starters are healthy?
dog team
December 13th, 2009
12:14 pm
Good call, D-Led.
NERDS!!! 30-24!!!
December 13th, 2009
12:15 pm
If tech is the “Joke by Coke,” does that make Matt Ryan the “Choke by Coke?”
Rod
December 13th, 2009
12:16 pm
Thomas Dimitrof drafted some lame corners. I thought his specialty was scouting cornerbacks with New England. We could have had Asher Allen in the 3rd round last year.
crack open a window, AND FAST!!
December 13th, 2009
12:17 pm
The ‘Aints still smell like buttheauxls.
Tony Gonzalez had a nice compact wife
December 13th, 2009
12:20 pm
I can’t wait to see Atlanta play today.
Too bad the Hawks don’t play until 5pm.
Vick State of Mind
December 13th, 2009
12:32 pm
The Falcons should play everyone they have to even have a shot. Hell, I wouldn’t mind watching Tony Gonzalez’s wife playing center, I had to say it, she is fine as H E double!
D. Orlando Ledbetter
December 13th, 2009
12:39 pm
IT’S KICKOFF TIME!
FeudFinder
December 13th, 2009
12:42 pm
Guys,you are giving up before the final whistle is blown. Why? There are still 4 games left. I think this is the time the real fans out there should be behind this team. I’m a Hawks and Vikings fan. But if I were a Falcons fan, I would hope they qualify for playoffs. I wish Mr. Blank best of luck. And you Mr. Babineaux, goodluck!!!
hiramsaint
December 13th, 2009
12:59 pm
oh hell no… not fakeman , i guess we’ll hear the whole game about we’re only winning ’cause the falcants are bonged..oops..banged up
Sage of Blueland
December 13th, 2009
1:09 pm
Where’s Shankapotamus???
Bab-slanger
December 13th, 2009
2:03 pm
Guy gets arrested a couple of days before a big game, yeah lets go ahead and play him.
stendec
December 13th, 2009
2:23 pm
Life is wonderful! Saints still undefeated! Falcons still swirling down cesspool. One season wonderbust Matt Ryan once again uses toe bruise as excuse to bail out. More heartless and gutless than Jeff George! Michael Turner sits out with whatever the Hell kind of phantom injury he claims to have. Way to toe (ouch) the line Bubba Bean! Falcon QBs overthrowing wide open receivers. Falcons dropping passes all over the field (except for Tony Gonzalez). Falcon secondary allowing receivers to run free. Falcon rushers provide Dree Brees the respect he deserves by refusing to get anywhere near him. Team sure to keep back to back futility mark intact. WOW! It is great to be a Falcon hater! ++STENDEC++
harleyman
December 13th, 2009
2:29 pm
Here’s something to “CHOKE” on or digest. The Falcons could have had Drew Brees and Ladanian Tomlison if they hadn’t drafted VICK! Wow. Brees puts Vick to shame as a QB.
stendec
December 13th, 2009
2:52 pm
LOSERS! Quitters. Gutless wonders. Life is good. Falcons will always be heartless uncaring criminal thugs. Set Tony Gonzalez free. ++STENDEC++
Barney Strickland
December 13th, 2009
3:49 pm
Grimes the dwarf…… scorched again !! Nicholas is a beast !!
Barney Strickland
December 13th, 2009
3:57 pm
So close…………. !! Damn. We almost pulled it off with this bunch of 2nd stringers….. good coaching by ATL……….. We’re gonna be terrific next year !! Go Falcons …. all the way……….ALWAYS OUR TEAM !!
stendec
December 13th, 2009
4:01 pm
Wahoo! All is right with world. Falcons choke another one away! Heartless losers without a clue. Saints undefeated! Falcons below breakeven mark. Truly hope criminal thugs go o-fer from here on out. Cannot stand the foul scumbags! Nice drop(s) Roddy. Nice yard gain on fourth and two. Same gutless Falcons. Life is good. Falcons never will be! ++STENDEC++
stendec
December 13th, 2009
4:03 pm
With all due respect Barney Strickland. You are a delusional fool. I know because I too was one from 1966 until last week. ++STENDEC++
JUNE JONES
December 13th, 2009
4:05 pm
Harleyman, why are you still blaming Vick. The man paid his debt to society and has moved on…why can’t you. If you want to blame someone why not start with Mike Muloser with that horrible play he called ( reverse to Eric Weems). Maybe you should blame Chris “I’m really a third string QB” Redman. The Falcons had a chance to win this game if Redman wouldv’e hit one of those open recievers at the end of the game.
stendec
December 13th, 2009
4:17 pm
To all the demented ones who believe this close defeat means shet. I have seen plenty of these types of “breakout” showings since 1966. Totally meaningless. That is why I cheer against these Buzzards. Completely heartless quitters. To those who believe. Wah wah wah. Nothing awaits you but disappointment. I speak from experience! ++STENDEC++
Get The Puck Out
December 13th, 2009
4:23 pm
NO. Be responsible, if it’s yours admit it. It’s in your car, it smells like someone just burned one, and you have enough to keep the whole team high. What would you think? I say he should’ve sit. Not to mention all the other violations. WHAT WHERE YOU THINKING?
stendec
December 13th, 2009
4:34 pm
If drug pusher played inspired ball for Falcons then perhaps next week Buzzrds can add muggers, rapists, arsonists plus a few more felons to starting rotation. Would not hurt! Things cannot get much worse. Glad to see Falcons laughingstock of NFL! 6-7? Sweet! ++STENDEC++
Real American
December 13th, 2009
5:02 pm
The Saints fans are partying it up down at the Dome! They have the twirling umbrellas out and dancing in the streets, blowing their horns and celebrating! Well, they as well take the streets, the Eagles already took the Dome.
stendec
December 13th, 2009
5:15 pm
Real American. I salute you. Amen. My friend. ++STENDEC++
harleyman
December 13th, 2009
5:58 pm
June Jones. Only making a point that what I said was about as relevant as the crap spewed on this FALCONS VENT constantly about Vick who has nothing to do with THIS TEAM. Why not talk about Schaub too and the 400 yards he threw for today again. I’ve been trying to talk Falcons all year but the trolls for Vick and the so called journalists who write these stories for AJC control these blogs and until that crap changes, I just as well talk about anything not relevant. Tomorrow, the stock market from me, Tuesday Obama. I mean WTF!
harleyman
December 13th, 2009
6:19 pm
Nick Nickameyer sure kicked well in our 62-7 victory over the Saints. I can’t believe the Falcons ran that guy out of town. He didn’t do anything but make money for the Smiths.
harleyman
December 13th, 2009
6:21 pm
Too bad “Choke ” wasn’t around when Dick Shiner was the QB. It would be funny listening to him and the AJC toot his horn.
hondo
December 13th, 2009
8:44 pm
If your kid was arrested for possession of 40 grams of pot, no license, no registration and mafia tint windows in their car the only place they would be playing ball would be in the prison recreation yard. That is unless they make 5 million bucks a year or work for Arthur Blank…
PS: I agree with Ledbetter, Innocent until proven guilty unless the guilt is reasonably beyond beyond a doubt like maybe the Tooth Fairy put the pot in his car, tinted his windows, stole his licence and regristration…
Boog
December 13th, 2009
9:21 pm
Po ole fAlCoNs
bubba
December 14th, 2009
9:09 am
Never should have played, sure he is not convicted but show some guts and make a statement to the others players, the season is your job, no where else would you play.
Todd
December 16th, 2009
11:30 pm
Are you kidding me. The falcons front office needs to clear out all of the players that are out drinking and driving (Weems) and toting around Marijuana ( Babineaux). This would send a message to the rest of the players to quit doing stupids things. Geez most people are smarter than these two just one more player to fall and we could call them larry moe and curly.
MV#777
December 29th, 2009
7:09 pm
IT FIRST BECAME obvious, this feeling between Michael Vick and his new teammates, a couple of weeks ago in Atlanta. It was his homecoming game, as it were. It was where he scored his first touchdown for the Eagles and his teammates bounded off of the bench in celebration, where cornerback Sheldon Brown said that he and some of the players were telling each other before the game that they wanted to win it for Vick.
I mean, win one for Mike? Really? We all observe from a distance, and it was so hard to see or to understand. But it was real. There is no doubt that it was real, this bond between Vick and his new teammates.
And, now, this:
The Eagles’ players have unanimously voted Vick as the team’s recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award, given annually to the player on each NFL team who exemplifies “commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage.”
Guilty of horrific crimes. Sentenced to a federal prison term. Forfeited millions and millions of dollars. Back in the league for only a few months, only through the good graces of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Eagles coach Andy Reid. Now, a convicted felon honored by his teammates for overcoming a terrible situation into which he had put himself.
“I’m not sure you can explain it unless you’ve gone through it here with him,” Reid said yesterday. “Everybody is going to have their opinion on it, I’m sure. Until you’ve been with him for the hours that his teammates have been with him and seen him through all these different things that he’s had to go through, that time-tested part of it, you can’t appreciate it quite as much.
“I don’t expect everybody to understand it, no, but I think it’s a tribute when it’s a slam dunk by his teammates voting him that. It was just a unanimous vote there.”
That this is just a gut punch to the people who have opposed Vick’s reinstatement goes without saying. For them, a PETA spokesman said:
“The Philadelphia Eagles fumbled when they gave Michael Vick the Ed Block Courage Award, which was named after a man who advocated in behalf of abused children. Michael Vick should not be the person anyone points to as a model of sportsmanship, even though he has now exchanged dogs for touchdowns after serving time for extreme cruelty to animals. We wish him well in educating others, but this is not appropriate and does not mark a joyous moment in NFL history.”
It is hard to disagree with any of that. It does seem too soon to be celebrating Vick. It does not feel right – and this comes from somebody who thought Vick deserved a chance to play this year, somebody who was looking forward to seeing what he could do on the field.
But here is the thing: I did not get a vote and you did not get a vote. This is a players’ award, voted upon by players. And whatever your personal feelings, it is impossible not to be fascinated by this team’s embrace of Vick, right from the start.
“I never worried that guys wouldn’t accept me,” Vick said. “That probably was one of the last things on my mind. The most important thing was to get in here and get to know the guys and get acclimated in the city and playing football again. You just let things happen naturally. You just be yourself.”
This is more than just teammates supporting a teammate. It is clear that they like the guy. Talking to them through the season, it is clear that they thought the punishment for the crime was so severe, prison-wise and especially financially, only because Vick was a celebrity. Their inclination as fellow celebrities was to root for him, and as fellow teammates to root for his ability to help them on the field. But the feelings still ended up going deeper, and this award demonstrates it.
“It means a great deal,” Vick said. “I’ve only been in this locker room for 3 1/2 months. For those guys to feel that way about me, it means a lot to me. The bond that I have with the players on this team and the way we’ve jelled has been outstanding.”
Someone asked Vick what kind of courage he demonstrated, per the award.
“I’ve had to overcome a lot, more than probably one single individual can bear,” he said. “Take a look at what I’ve been through. You ask certain people to walk in my shoes, they probably couldn’t do it – probably 95 percent of the people in this world. Because nobody had to endure what I’ve been through, situations I’ve been put in, situations I’ve placed myself in, decisions that I’ve made, whether they were good or bad. There are always consequences behind certain things and there are repercussions behind them, too. Then you have to wake up every day and face the world, whether they perceive you in the right perspective or it’s a totally different outlook on you.
“You just have to be strong and believe in yourself and be optimistic. That’s what I’ve been able to do and that’s what I display.”
When you talk to Vick, it sometimes takes him a minute to get to the key point: situations I’ve placed myself in. That is what rankles for some, still, that minute it sometimes takes. But it is all part of a longer process.
Anyway, Vick said, “The thing I told Roger [Goodell] was that, 4 or 5 years from now, when I come to him, I’ll be able to say everything I told you I was going to do, I’m still doing it. That’s what I pride myself on. That’s my focus and that’s my goal.”
That might have seemed a more appropriate time for an award such as this one, not now. Then again, this is all about a bond within a locker room, a place that none of us can hope to understand from the outside