Vick’s return will illustrate division in Atlanta
Except for this 34-yard run against Chicago, Michael Vick has been a non-factor for Eagles.
As you might have read, Michael Vick expects, “to get a great reaction from the crowd. It’s going to be a standing ovation,” when he returns to Atlanta next Sunday with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Well, I will agree with him to this point. He will get a reaction.
When Vick was at the top of his game, he united this city more than any other athlete. But when he declined and then train-wrecked his career and the Falcons’ franchise with his off-field issues, he divided Atlanta. Those hard-core Vick fans who bought Falcons season tickets, more to see him than the team, have defended him throughout and blamed others for his faults, even when he admitted guilt. Others have refused to let go of their hatred, saying Vick should never have been allowed back in the NFL.
Loading ...Neither group should surprise anybody. This is sports. Sports is emotional. Emotion often clouds judgment and objectivity.
A divide still exists and Sunday’s Falcons-Eagles game will illustrate that. Some will stand and cheer their hero’s return. Some will stand and hurl insults at the man they’ll never forgive. Others will ignore the whole thing and spend more time on the hot-dog-or-nachos debate.
Of all the “returns” sports has experienced, this will be one of the strangest. Vick has been a non-factor for the Eagles. Coach Andy Reid has struggled to work the “wildcat” offense into the game plan, and Vick has admitted he’s not thrilled with it anyway. He makes cameo appearances in games. He’s only 3-for-9 as a passer and has rushed for 65 yards, with 34 coming on one carry against Chicago two weeks ago.
When Vick returns to the Georgia Dome Sunday, he’ll mostly watch Donovan McNabb run the Philadelphia offense. He’s an afterthought for Reid. I’m guessing once the game begins, he’ll become an afterthought for most fans — at least until he makes an appearance. Then there will be noise. Lots of noise. We’ll hear and see the division.
How will you react? I realize any Michael Vick blog is combustible. But I’ve got a poll up asking which side of Vick fence you stand on (boo, cheer, don’t care), and feel free to weigh in with your thoughts.
One final request: It’s OK to be passionate with your debate. But please keep commenting clean and free of obscenities and racial overtones, otherwise I will quickly close the forum. Thanks.
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J.Mike's Missives » Birdseed: November 30, 2009
November 30th, 2009
2:41 pm
[...] Vick’s return will illustrate division in Atlanta, Atlanta Journal-Constitution Another piece to get us going in Eagles week (and I thought we wouldn’t hear Michael Vick conversation until Wednesday). [...]
RedTornado
November 30th, 2009
2:42 pm
That’s funny, I don’t remember Vick bringing the Falcons back from behind to win in the fourth Qtr in his 2nd or 3rd year. Oh yeah… it wasn’t his fault….it was the offensive line, or the coordinator called the wrong plays….(insert any other excuse here Vick lovers.) But that doesn’t matter, b/c all Vick lovers want is to watch him on ESPN highlights.
Fee Fee
November 30th, 2009
2:44 pm
Mick Vick is coming to town. Come on all my fellow canis lupus familiaris, let’s get the heck out of town.
how2fish
November 30th, 2009
2:46 pm
EricADawgFAN
Bandwagon jumpers…Sir I’m a falcon fan..and while I respect what many former falcons did (Warrick and Algie both come to mind) seems to me your putting Vick ahead of the Falcons. That is by most accounts bandwagon jumping and that Sir is very puzzling to me. I’d love for him to be valued member of the Eagles just not THIS WEEK.
HAF
November 30th, 2009
2:48 pm
GRAYSON 28 – FALCONS6
Vanna Lou
November 30th, 2009
2:51 pm
Michael Vick is a dog KILLER. There is a special place in hell waiting for him and others like him that participate in the “blood sport” of dog fighting.
FalconUGAFan
November 30th, 2009
2:51 pm
Najeh Davenpoop…I’ve always enjoyed your posts. Thoughtful and typically on target. I just don’t understand your reasoning on this one but I do respect your right to your opinion. Clearly Blank has made some mistakes but I would like to think we can both agree he was (Hired Petrino to work specifically with Vick) and is trying to give us a good product on the field. I loved MV when he was here but he made a mistake, paid for it and moved on. TD, Smitty, Ryan, etc..were not here when that occurred and are simply trying to do thier best to give us a winning team. For the life of me, I can’t understand why people won’t support that. I support a team before an individual. If Smitty decides Redman will start over Ryan because he gives them the best chance to win, so be it….
RedTornado
November 30th, 2009
2:52 pm
So EricADawgFAN, which is it? are you on the bandwagon or off? The Falcons will be around long after Vick is out of football.
SG
November 30th, 2009
2:52 pm
Hello, Jeff Schultz,
Shame on you! You just sicken me…For your article on the Vick return and your continued desire to “stir the pot” to create a racial divide between the Falcons fans and Vick supporters and animal rights activists and everyone else that you can potentially pit against each other to get some attention to your stupid, little column…Did you get enough “hits” today?
When things get dead on your AJC version of the world, you feel the need to stir things up…at the expense of the Atlantans who might be clicking on your ridiculous version of the sports world.
Let me ask you this, Jeff Schultz, do you purchase season tickets each year for the Falcons? I do! And I’m not talking about your press pass “pansy/let me look at the players in their undershorts”…I’m talking about supporting the team…Vick, Ryan, whomever…are you one of us or are you stirring the pot to try to create a divide amongst the fans who come out week after week while you sit and write your column to incite hostility?!?
Jeff Schultz
November 30th, 2009
1:44 pm
James — Thousands of fans bought tickets to watch Vick, not the Falcons, and then sold them when he was gone. The numbers back that up.
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dean
November 30th, 2009
2:55 pm
EricADawgFan STILL equals EricABlowhard
Philly Connection
November 30th, 2009
2:56 pm
It doesn’t matter who plays QB for the falcons or eagles—Philly’s in playoff mode and will put a bad beatdown on the falcons this week—mark it down!
Joe
November 30th, 2009
2:56 pm
How about a moment of silence when he comes on the field? Imagine being able to hear a pin drop. No boos, no cheers just silence to reflect on what he has done off the field and for the majority of us that still pray, a prayer for him and all those he has hurt. It would prove we are bigger then sports at the end of the day.
macfleetwood
November 30th, 2009
2:59 pm
I, For One, Could Give A Crap About M.Vick!! He Is Past His Prime, What Ever That Was & Is Now Looking For A Job In The Labor Pool!! Good Luck “Flick”!! Go Falcoons!!
Confused and Curious
November 30th, 2009
3:00 pm
Remind me again what Arthur Blank did that was wrong against Michael Vick? Was it wrong when he made MV the highest paid athlete in the NFL? Was it wrong when he stood by MV because Michael LIED TO HIS FACE about being involved in dog fighting? I still don’t understand what else Arthur Blank was supposed to do? Not try and get another franchise QB? Was he supposed to keep MV on the roster and hope that he would be able to come back and be a big-time starter, while sacrificing more seasons? By the way, notice that no other team jumped to grab him when he was reinstated. So, were the Falcons really in the wrong to move on?
RedTornado
November 30th, 2009
3:04 pm
Amen Joe…. Here’s something to think about Vick fans…. There are Falcons fans who have forgiven michael vick. I in fact think his penalty was way too harsh… but, he’s no longer here…And I’ll will be pulling for the Falcons Sunday. Also, doesn’t Matt Ryan deserve a chance to succeed?
Matt "Choke" Ryan
November 30th, 2009
3:11 pm
If the Eagles scored 27 points against the 4th rated defense in the NFL, just what are the Falcons chances?
This will be ugly and EMBARRASSING to have to sit for 60 minutes of cheering fans for the opposing team
I know the CHOKE is faking illness, because his little ego will be broken on Sunday. Little WUSS
“DUMP THE CHUMP”
LUCYLOVEVICK
November 30th, 2009
3:12 pm
I am a Die Hard Falcon Fan since #10 played for the Falcons. I was and still am a Michael Vick fan and wishes him well in what he does. But when he comes to play Atlanta he is just another player playing against my team. Will I Boo? NO! I will save my energy to CHEER the Falcons to victory. For all the VICK haters, Yall need prayer! Forgive, Forget and move on. Was it right what he did? NO! Was his punishment acceptable? H%LL NO! A man kills another man and is allowed to play in the NFL without going thru the steps of reinstatement. SAD!
Deathdealer
November 30th, 2009
3:13 pm
I live in PA about 120 miles from Philly, I have been a Falcons fan since I was a kid. The whole Vick debate doesn’t even matter, what does matter is putting all this energy instead of debating to supporting the Falcons and get them to the playoffs!
At0wnfitted
November 30th, 2009
3:19 pm
Honestly, I would wanna cheer and boo, he put the Falcons on the map, sold jerseys, was on the front of Madden. Took us to the NFC Championship game! And then he admits he didnt take his job seriously, saying he was the last one in and the first one out of the locker room. Fighting dogs, smoking herb while on probation, He actions showed he didnt care. I do hope he gets on track with his life. But things have changed. Atlanta should move on and appreciate what Vick did do. Its over now.
Manny
November 30th, 2009
3:25 pm
RedTornado-
That’s revisionist history to say that you can’t remember Vick bringing back the Falcons when he was here. That’s crazy talk, and you have confirmed my previous statements about those who see things through prisms of hatred and bias.
As for those who are Vick fans- I am a Vick fan, too. I wish him the best and hope that his skills will improve. I am confident that he will be OK.
That being said, he’s not going to be a factor in this game. And if he is a factor, it’s because McNabb went down to injury. The only thing that Vick is doing is increasing his presence over Matt Ryan- thus making Ryan uncomfortable in his own stadium.
But I tell you what- if Matt Ryan brings it and wins the game without Michael Turner in the backfield- or if the running game was like last Sunday’s- Matt Ryan would sweep away those #7 Falcons jerseys out the Georgia Dome by himself.
But if he buckles under pressure- or he throws a bunch of picks, he would have to wait another year until Mike Vick comes here and actually starts a game before he can put to rest the Vick talk in Atlanta.
At0wnfitted
November 30th, 2009
3:29 pm
I was riding on Marta when a women snapped at me and said she hopes Vick comes back and beats the Falcons. She was wearing a Falcons jersey. Can you explain this?
Vick Fan
November 30th, 2009
3:30 pm
Jeff let it die man, Vick is gone….Talk about division – that’s the only reason this article was written…just to watch all the haters demean Vick even more. I won’t be at the game, but I will be cheering for him at home just the same….Does forgiveness mean anything to some of you who still have some much hatred for Michael Vick?
Brandon Ladson
November 30th, 2009
3:35 pm
It’s a racial issue if you want to believe it or not. Race is a the main factor here the things that have been said on these blogs since last year also contributed to this. If you think it’s not race you are out of your mind. Just like those tea parties they are having around the country havn’t seen a person of color at one of them. Our country is built on racism remember the civil war it wasn’t b/c of a small problem it was race. I feel bad that it is this way but I am a black male from the south lived here all my life. Race has always had something to do with the majority of things that happen in my life. I got over though that is just the way it is. I am not very fond of many anglo saxons just many of them are not fond of many blacks. Now that we know there is tension and it is not going anywhere lets just move on to the next thing living life to the fullest no matter what our race is.
At0wnfitted
November 30th, 2009
3:37 pm
I hope the Falcons beat the Eagles down. If your a Vick fan, buy an Eagles jersey. I cheer for the ATLANTA FALCONS AND THEIR SUCCESS! FOOTBALL IS A TEAM SPORT! YOU DONT CHEER FOR JUST ONE PERSON AND GO HOME HAPPY BECAUSE THE PLAYER HAD A GOOD DAY AND THE TEAM LOST!
Saint
November 30th, 2009
3:40 pm
I love Vick either way it goes. I pray the falcons win the game, but i’m glad to see Vick back. I think it’s racial anyway, if it was a white dude that did the same thing it would’ve gotten swept under the rug. Plus it was only a DAMN dog. I love dogs true enough, but i don’t value them as much as a human life. I’m from the south and grew up watchin neighborhood dog fights, so have many of you. so yall need to stop being so judgmental. Let he without sin cast the first stone!!!
At0wnfitted
November 30th, 2009
3:44 pm
In the end, Vick made the decisions that put him in the position that he is in today. As Falcons fans we have the right to be pissed at what he did, It screwed our season! but you dont hold a grudge, your forgive him and move on and thats what the Falcons did. We wish him success, but not against us!
This is crap
November 30th, 2009
3:47 pm
I’ll be there and I will definitely cheer for Michael Vick. I cannot bring myself to wear his Eagles jersey because the Falcons need this win too badly. LOL.
Of course, Vick was COMPLETELY wrong for his involvement in dog fighting, but I believe in second chances and I am glad Vick is getting one.
GO FALCONS!!
EricADawgFan
November 30th, 2009
3:48 pm
how2fish, hootie and the blowfish, Red tornado et al,
I am a Falcons fan as I have already stated…. I am also a Michael Vick Fan, as I have already stated. The band wagon jumpers know just who they are. You are responding to it so that says that you too are probably one as well. You all are like water tides. You eb and flow. eb and flow. When Vick was a Falcon and was winning, the people was there cheering and loving this man. Soon he made a mistake as we all do, it’s now anti Vick, as if he is a disease or a cancer to the team. Well I say the Heck with you all that jumped off the band wagon. You all have shown me that when ever the weather is fair, you are here to cheer for Vick. But as soon as the water is troubled, or the water tide is low, you have left the band wagon and criticize Vick. Call him almost ever derogatory name in the book. Like I said, THE MAN PAID HIS DEBT TO SOCIETY! LEAVE HIM ALONE….. Yes I am wearing number 7 Vick Jersey, and I will be cheering for Vick……
Interesting
November 30th, 2009
3:51 pm
Funny how we’re so short on forgiveness (for some people) here in the good ole bible belt.
At0wnfitted
November 30th, 2009
3:55 pm
I just want the Falcons to win. I could care less if the QB was black, white, purple, or green
EricADawgFan
November 30th, 2009
3:55 pm
Confused and Curious,
To answer your question, Aurthur Blank got what he paid for in Ryan. Lets not complain now.
ATL Observer
November 30th, 2009
3:55 pm
Matt Ryan critic, you corrected me on my point about Blank and I’ll give you that. Way to ignore all the other points I made, though.
(And apologies to readers for the confusing disjointed appearance of my posts. Computer wasn’t being nice to me today :-S).
LOSER'S HERO
November 30th, 2009
3:56 pm
Hooray for Vick!!! He HOSED the franchise!!!
Dave
November 30th, 2009
3:57 pm
Well I’ll be wearing my Falcons number 7 jersey, with the name Mexico on it, I wish no ill will to him, but not going to cheer him on either!. I like going to games hear in Atlanta, but i’m from Florida and a Buc’s fan and own two dogs or the two dogs own me is more like it.
atllady626
November 30th, 2009
3:58 pm
Just like the mayoral race tomorrow, the polls will be racially divided! My vote would be to boo him.
EricADawgFan
November 30th, 2009
3:58 pm
Brandon Ladson
Glad to see that you are man enough to bring it out into discussion.
ATL Observer
November 30th, 2009
3:58 pm
And #2….I’m befuddled by why people think that booing Vick necessarily entails having not forgiven him for what he did. Brett Favre got booed in Green Bay and he was with the Packers much longer than Vick was with Atlanta. PEOPLE BOO THE PLAYERS ON THE OTHER TEAM and they tend to boo them DOUBLE when they are formerly of the home team. It’s just called sports, it wouldn’t be treating Vick much differently than fans of any other team would treat him.
For the record, I’m not planning on booing Vick, I’m just befuddled at the idea of those who say they’re Falcons fans, yet want the Falcons to lose this game. The Patriots fans cheered Bledsoe when he returned in a Buffalo jersey, but they sure as hell didn’t suddenly become Buffalo Bills fans!
Andy in Blairsville
November 30th, 2009
3:59 pm
Wouldn’t it just suck if he played a series and broke an ankle or a knee?
That would just be a shame.
EricADawgFan
November 30th, 2009
4:01 pm
Breakings News. Matt Ryan will not play Sunday. How unfortunate.
At0wnfitted
November 30th, 2009
4:01 pm
I see majority of people posting on the boards support Vick and wish him well, but arent you suppose to cheer for a team and not a single player? Cheering for a backup QB sounds idiotic anyways.
This is crap
November 30th, 2009
4:02 pm
@ At0wn fitted – I think some people like certain sports teams, some people like certain sports figures and some people like a combo of the two.
Now, I was taught that no one player is above any team (especially the home team), so my loyalty will always be with the Falcons regardless of record or who is on the squad. That said, I don’t think it is wrong to have an allegiance to a player. Some fans are like that and I think that is a choice a fan gets to make.
To each his own………..
At0wnfitted
November 30th, 2009
4:04 pm
Hell I thought Chris Redman looked pretty daaamm good Sunday.
EricADawgFan
November 30th, 2009
4:06 pm
ATL Observer
Please show me on this blog where you see people write they hope that the Falcons Lose? I said that I am a Vick Fan. I don’t like the fact that Blank cut him. But It’s Blanks team and he can do whatever he wants. Now that Vick is back, lets not go anti Vick. Again, I said I am a Vick Fan. I also said that I am a Falcon fan. I said that I will be wearing the number 7 jersey. I also said that I will support Vick. I NEVER stated that I wanted the Falcons to lose though.
Bill
November 30th, 2009
4:07 pm
I will boo Arthur Blank when he wheels out Matty Ice in a wheel chair.
EricADawgFan
November 30th, 2009
4:07 pm
Andy in Blairsville
Wouldn’t be ashame if the Falcons don’t win another game this season?
DHD
November 30th, 2009
4:08 pm
Another Vick article. Why not just marry the guy, Jeff? Good grief.
At0wnfitted
November 30th, 2009
4:10 pm
@ This is Crap—- That is a great point, because I like Brett Favre, but if he played against the Falcons I want the Falcons to win! To just cheer for one player without a favorite team sounds like a women. Like my girlfriend who thinks Reggie Bush is cute but could care less about what team he played for.
Elizabeth
November 30th, 2009
4:11 pm
It is time for those unforgiving moroons to move on, they act like Vick
killed a human. you don’t get that much hattred when there is a human,
the man has done his time, He who is without sin let him cast the first stone.
Ricardo
November 30th, 2009
4:14 pm
you people get on my nerves and atlanta wont be philly and want go to the playoffs and mike vick did miss up his career. But give me a break dog fighting if you like it or not is dog fighting and was nothing new and still isnt nothing new and as far as people saying he messed up the falcons please that team was mess up before that. Stop trying to say he wasnt a good qb when you vick haters know he was
ATL Observer
November 30th, 2009
4:15 pm
@ EricADawgFan: “wouldn’t it be a shame if the Falcons didn’t win another game this season?”
Translation: “I want the Falcons to lose so I can rub in that they shouldn’t have gotten rid of Vick.”
Translation: Cheering against the Falcons.
Just saying.
BTW, does Matt “Choke” or however he prefers to be addressed want to address my other six points or does he just want to dismiss everything I wrote on a technicality? (And some of what I wrote was favorable to Vick, BTW).