Bradley’s Buzz: Vick to Orlando? (No, not to the Magic.)
It has been speculated for some time that Michael Vick, of whom you’ve heard, is apt to play in the UFL before he returns to the NFL. The UFL, as you might not know, stands for the United Football League, a start-up that includes all of four teams.
On ESPN.com, Pat Yasinskas speculates that Vick would most likely land in Orlando. (The other three franchises are based in New York/Hartford, Los Angeles/Las Vegas and Sacramento/San Francisco. If this sounds confusing, here’s a fine explanation of the UFL from Ted Fleming on the Tampa Bay Sports Examiner.)
Yasinskas’ reasoning: The UFL operates on a regional basis, and Orlando would get dibs on anyone who has played in the NFC South. Also: Orlando is coached by Jim Haslett, who worked against Vick while coaching the Saints and who worked with Vick’s cousin Aaron Brooks in New Orleans.
In Fleming’s story, Haslett is quoted thusly: “I know Michael personally, playing against him and spending time with him and I think he is a pretty good kid. Obviously, his values were a bit different than mine or yours. To make a long story short, out of the four cities, I think this would be the city that would be the best to accept him and give him that second chance.”
And would Vick be welcome in the UFL? According to Vinny DiTrani on NorthJersey.com, league commissioner Michael Huyghue posed that question on the UFL Web site and 80 percent of respondents “were positive about the prospect.”
Loading ...In DiTrani’s story, Huyghue is quoted as saying: “Of course there were some very strong negative reactions from animal-rights people.” Also: “He could come to our league and play six games and get some of that rust off. It could help his entry back into the NFL.” Also: “We don’t want to become known as a renegade league.”
The UFL plans to kick off in October. It will play its six-game regular season on Thursday and Friday nights. Thursday games will be televised on Versus, which is the channel that does the NHL (and which nobody can ever find). Its championship game will be staged Thanksgiving weekend.
And what, you’re asking, is the Orlando team’s nickname? As best I can tell, it doesn’t yet have one. (It will, we know, play its home games in the Citrus Bowl, the winter residence of the Georgia Bulldogs.) And who would be Orlando’s quarterback if Vick doesn’t participate? According to Chris Hays of the Orlando Sentinel, it could be the legendary Quinn Gray, who’s a former Jacksonville Jaguar backup.
From Peter King of SI.com: “The UFL will have a per-team salary cap of $20 million, with most quarterbacks making between $1 million and $4 million a year.”
Questions, as you’d guess, remain. Wouldn’t the Falcons have to release Vick before he could play football in another league? (Absolutely.) Would terms of his probation allow him to move from Virginia to work? (Maybe.) And, should he play in the UFL and play well, would some NFL team be tempted to add him for its stretch drive? (A definite maybe.)
But here, from Clark Judge of CBSsports.com, is Huyghue’s stance on Vick: “To the extent that Michael Vick becomes available, we will look very closely into bringing him into our league — not only because our fan-survey poll was abundantly in favor of allowing him to come back but because we think it might be the right kind of buffer for a player like that to go back to the NFL.”
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309 comments Add your comment
Sherman to the sea
June 9th, 2009
12:24 pm
All that info really gets me pumped——NOT
Mark Bradley
June 9th, 2009
12:25 pm
Sorry, Sherman. But that’s the thing about blogs: There’s always another one coming along before you know it.
Bill
June 9th, 2009
12:30 pm
I have no problem finding Versus.On Dish it’s channel 151,between ESPNU (148) and NFL Network (154)
Mark Bradley
June 9th, 2009
12:35 pm
Got no Dish, Bill. Barely have a TV, as you folks never let me forget.
AtlantaBytes
June 9th, 2009
12:37 pm
Wow those were some chippy responses. I actually appreciated that information and agree it is in the spirit of a successful blog effort.
Also, thanks Bill for incredibly literal and not funny. I believe Mark was using a hint of hyperbole here. Even with the channel guide and insightful people like yourself, the majority of us forget where the channel is because we couldn’t care less about the stuff they show on there.
Mike In Valdosta
June 9th, 2009
12:41 pm
Is that the same Michael Huyghue that was in the Jaguars front office?
Orlando will be a perfect fit. They all hate Dawgs
vannmc
June 9th, 2009
12:42 pm
he has done his time; give him a chance to make a living. Go Vick!
Samurai99
June 9th, 2009
12:42 pm
Thanks for a good read. I hope #7 can land on his feet. Orlando would be a good fit, and having his cousin around should be a good thing, right? The UFL will be an exciting experiment in whether football fans are ready for an “alternative”
Pretend Hero
June 9th, 2009
12:44 pm
I hope he plays for them, and that he plays well. I hope he is allowed back into the NFL, and that he plays at a high level for many years. I hope he makes a ton of money, and uses it to do some good, in a way that shows people can change for the better.
I hope he becomes a meaningful part of society and a force for positive change in our country.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
June 9th, 2009
12:46 pm
Good luck to Vick. I am not a supporter per say nor a hater. He didthe crime, served what our judicial system thought was appropriate and now he deserves the chance to persue football again. I will tune into to any game that involves him just to watch him play (for better or worse). He was an excellent talent and exciting to watch.
Bravosnumbaone
June 9th, 2009
12:48 pm
All these startup leagues fail because there simply isn’t enough talent out there to fill the rosters. The mediocre players, constant busted plays, and generally boring games will doom this league.
Fred
June 9th, 2009
12:49 pm
Wait….so the UFL which has gladly stated it would be willing to be Mike Vick’s stepping stone (per CBS Sports) for a year, and is paying the starting QBs $2 to $5 mil annually, would get a whole lotta publicity to kick off its first year and Mike Vick would get to basically train for pay, get TV exposure while doing it, possibly be in the market where he has the most fans to hype it even more and then go to the NFL in a year or so after playing against lesser talent and looking like his 2nd year at VA Tech……….brilliant, simply brilliant.
Eyes
June 9th, 2009
12:50 pm
I just want him to come back to the NFL! He has that right. I’m tired of everyone saying he does not, get a life!
VICK SUPPORTER 2
June 9th, 2009
12:52 pm
I THINK ART BLANK SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS POSSIBILITY. IF VICK SIGNS WITH ORLANDO, WHICH IS A CAR DRIVE AWAY FROM ATLANTA, ALL THOSE FANS THAT SOLD OUT THE DOME FOR VICK’S WHOLE CAREER, WILL MIGRATE TO ORLANDO AND THE GEORGIA DOME WILL ONCE AGAIN BE EMPTY, EXCEPT FOR MAYBE 2 OR 3 NUMBER 2 JERSEYS.
GO FALCONS!
Vick Fan 4 Life
June 9th, 2009
12:54 pm
That would be a great start for Mike Vick..then he can show the other teams what they’ll be in for if they sign him…I’m sure he still has all his moves and then some. GOOD LUCK 2 U MIKE VICK
Mark Bradley
June 9th, 2009
12:55 pm
That is indeed the same Mr. Huyghue.
Vick Fan 4 Life
June 9th, 2009
12:55 pm
GOOD POINT VICK SUPPORTER 2
wxwax
June 9th, 2009
12:57 pm
Hijack!
I like Versus. In addition to the Tour de France, they have awesome coverage of the IRL — much, much better than ESPN/ABC provided last year. And they have the NHL.
Minor sports? Maybe. But thank goodness they have a full time home in HD.
Vick Fan 4 Life
June 9th, 2009
12:58 pm
It’s still hard 4 me to believe he went to prison over some Dogs; now i do love dogs but my goodness; there are people doing much more bad stuff then dog fighting; which is still going on somewhere behind a shack, in the country, deep in the woods, next to the creek over by the Pecan Tree that blooms every 2 years
Professor
June 9th, 2009
12:59 pm
@ VICK SUPPORTER 2 you took the words from me! I totally agree because I am one of those fans that will drive to see him play instead of watching football at the BoreDOME
mano17
June 9th, 2009
1:00 pm
VICK SUPPORTER U ARE RIGHT ON TIME. I WONT HAVE A PROBLEM TRAVELING TO ORLANDO .
Mike
June 9th, 2009
1:00 pm
Six whole games. Wow. How will manage the grueling schedule.
mano17
June 9th, 2009
1:01 pm
PLEASE PASS THIS INFO AROUND THE WEB WE NEED THIS TO HAPPEN
Joe Biddle
June 9th, 2009
1:02 pm
Mr. Huyghue is also known for being Pacman Jones’ first agent. He and Vick should get along famously.
DJ Sniper
June 9th, 2009
1:04 pm
I swear, animal rights activists are some of the most retarded people in the world. As a dog owner, I definitely don’t condone Vick’s actions, but the nutjobs that belong to PETA and other such organizations are severly out of touch with reality. They would gladly sacrifice the lives of 10 people to save one animal. How ironic is it that PETA wants Vick to undergo a brain scan before returning to the NFL. If anybody needs a brain scan, it’s the members of that organization.
Mark Bradley
June 9th, 2009
1:05 pm
Actually, Joe — and hi there, Joe! — the DiTriani story quotes Huyghue as saying he didn’t think Pacman Jones would be a fit in the UFL.
DJ Sniper
June 9th, 2009
1:07 pm
We must have some more trolls in the house today. I liked Vick while he played here, but I’m a fan of the team first, and I like the direction that the team is going. It kills me that there are still some people out there that would prefer to miss out on the bright future that the Falcons have.
SeasonedBelle
June 9th, 2009
1:07 pm
Glad it may be Orlando. Air fare is cheap. Will protest him being in any limelight. Only an empty, soul-sick sob could do what he did to any living creature. Let him work at Office Depot or Wal-mart, or anywhere out of the public eye.
Jackie
June 9th, 2009
1:08 pm
It’s time to let Michael off the hook. He has paid for his mistake. Put your energy towards people who hurt children and rape women. You all know its not about the dogs. I wish Michael all the luck in the world.
Melo
June 9th, 2009
1:09 pm
The racist NFL owners should let Mike Vick back in the NFL—he went to prison and now they are trying to keep him out of the league! The fans want him back and will pay big money in tickets to see him play. It’s just another example of the rich white people running big businesses trying to keep the black man down in this country!
Munson
June 9th, 2009
1:10 pm
Enjoy your drive to Orlando! More seats in the dome for those of us who actually supported the Falcons as a team and not just one player.
VICK SUPPORTER 2
June 9th, 2009
1:11 pm
THEY BETTER PRAY MIKE TURNER DOESN’T GET HURT, BECAUSE THEY WILL BE IN EVEN WORST SHAPE THAN WHAT “VEGAS” HAS THEM FINISHING 8-8 AT BEST. VICK TOOK THE TEAM TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AND WON 2 PLAYOFF GAMES WITHOUT A TRUE RUNNING BACK.
WITH VICK DUNN, CRUMPLER & DUCKETT LOOKED LIKE PRO BOWLERS, BUT WITHOUT HIM DUNN & DUCKETT LOOKED LIKE COLLEGE PLAYERS. I KNOW FOR A FACT AFTER THE LEAGUE HAS HAD TIME TO REVIEW THAT “FLUKE” SEASON MATT RYAN “LEAF” HAD, HE WILL BE EXPOSED AS THE BUST I PREDICTED FROM THE START.
GO FALCONS!
Mark Bradley
June 9th, 2009
1:11 pm
I know this might be a forlorn hope, but could we try to keep this discussion on topic. Namely, would the UFL be a good re-starting point for Michael Vick?
Me, I don’t see why not.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 9th, 2009
1:11 pm
The UFL season starts in October and ends around Thanksgiving. I’d be willing to bet that if Goodell reinstates Vick on July 20th upon completion of his sentence (a big “if”) an NFL team would express interest in him before that time period.
But if Goodell decides to keep him suspended for a longer period of time, this would be a good option for Vick.
RK
June 9th, 2009
1:12 pm
4-team league? What’s the point?
Vick may have done his time, but I wouldn’t want that soulless monster on my team.
SeasonedBelle
June 9th, 2009
1:12 pm
Melo, seems the black man doesn’t need any help. He seems to do a great job of that all by himself. Just read any newspaper in the country. It’s all there in print.
Cairo
June 9th, 2009
1:14 pm
Thanks Mark for the blog… Don’t let the negative folk keep your from bringing “all” information that is news worthy not matter who it is about. It is time for people to let it go and move on. 7 has done his time like a man so it is time to get over it…
Mark Bradley
June 9th, 2009
1:17 pm
You’re welcome, Cairo.
And Najeh, I believe it was Thomas George of NFL.com who wrote a while back that a league official said he didn’t expect Vick to be on an NFL roster on Opening Day but he did by season’s end. That sounded right to me then, and it still does.
VICK SUPPORTER 2
June 9th, 2009
1:19 pm
VICK WAS DUE TO EARN 9 MILLION FROM THE FALCONS. BASED ON THE FACT THAT HE WILL MAKE 4-5 MILLION IN HIS FIRST SEASON IN THE UFL, THEY ONLY PLAY 6 GAMES, COMPARED TO THE 16-18 GAMES IN THE NFL, THAT EQUATES TO A 15 MILLION DOLLAR SEASON.
NO – I DON’T THINK MV7 NEEDS THE NFL, BUT THE NFL CAN KISS ALL THOSE JERSEY SALES & REVENUE GOOD BYE
WELCOME BACK EMPTY DOME
GO FALCONS!
Mark Bradley
June 9th, 2009
1:22 pm
It was Thomas George of NFL.com who wrote that. It wound up in a Buzz last month.
Pack Of Smokes
June 9th, 2009
1:23 pm
Bring on the Bulge Baby!!!!!!!!
stevew
June 9th, 2009
1:25 pm
EYES: If we should get a life, then how do we give back life to the dogs he had killed? I understand, you’re a loser so you need some kind of hero. Hell, he could have raped your sister and you would still wear his jersey.
Peaches & Candi
June 9th, 2009
1:25 pm
I think that the man has serviced his time according to the law of the land and should be allowed to get on with his life. It is the same as being on any job where certain steps must be followed and documented before a person can be fired. Each steps has a certain amount of time that it stays on your record and at the end of that time if no other infractions have occurred, it is taken out and tossed. HE DESERVES THAT MUCH, ANOTHER CHANCE FOR VIC! and I will be one of those traveling to Orlando.
mv7
June 9th, 2009
1:31 pm
vick will be the most watch athlete if he plays this year( which he will). there are more people that want to see him play than that dont. some people hated vick anyway not because of football but because he wasnt “mainstream”. he will need to go to a city like atl to be accepted and not be judged by his skin tone but his play on the field.
russell
June 9th, 2009
1:32 pm
There is no way Mike Vick signing with orlando’s Ufl team would affect attendance of the Falcons on Sundays. This is the NFL people, the greatest league in all of sports. Michael Vick cannot read defenses and now he is two or three steps slower. I think the best place for Vick to compete is the lowly UFL or the CFL. At least in those leagues his speed will still mask the fact that he isn’t a complete qb. What a joke. If the Falcons have another successful season and they don’t sell out the dome then arthur blank should move the team from the joke of a city that is Atlanta. They’ve never been a good nfl city.
Fred
June 9th, 2009
1:32 pm
Mark, comments like those from Ed are ignorant and have no place on a supposedly respectable newspaper blog. Don’t you agree?
VICK SUPPORTER 2
June 9th, 2009
1:33 pm
ACTUALLY SICK ANIMAL LOVERS PLACE INJURED ANIMALS IN A HIGHER PRIORITY THAN “HUMAN” CRIMES SUCH AS RAPE. AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED, PIGS, CHICKENS, DOGS ARE ALL THE SAME.
GO FALCONS!
Lazy Dawg
June 9th, 2009
1:33 pm
Vick does deserve a second chance,but 6 games equals 6 games Vick supporter 2.His big payday has come and gone those day’s are over and I think the NFL has an intrest in the UFL and by the way the dome is just fine with Matt at the helm.
The Voice
June 9th, 2009
1:35 pm
Oh Yes let him go to the UFL,,,,,and sloooowwwwllly faaaaadddddeeee aaawwwwaaaaayyyyy
Mark Bradley
June 9th, 2009
1:36 pm
Matt at the helm. Matt Helm. Played by Dean Martin in four amusing movies. Good one, Lazy Dawg.
VICK SUPPORTER 2
June 9th, 2009
1:37 pm
MARK BRADLEY: I THINK YOU NEED TO DO YOUR RESEARCH. I JUST READ AN ARTICLE ON “PRO SPORTS DAILY” THIS MORNING, CONFIRMING THAT THE COMMISSIONER OF THE UFL IS OFFERING STARTING QUARTERBACKS 2-5 MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACTS. FURTHER MORE, I READ A SEPARATE ARTICLE THAT STATED VICK WILL BE OFFERED AT THE MINIMUM 4 MILLION DOLLARS. I THINK YOU SHOULD DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE MAKING SUCH STATEMENTS.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE, I CAN PROVIDE YOU THE LINK. THANKS
stevew
June 9th, 2009
1:38 pm
MELO; Nothing like playing the race card at every opportunity. Perhaps one day you’ll get a job and maybe even pay taxes instead of looking for handouts. But I must congratulate you on learning to type and graduating 6th grade. That’s quite an achievement for a 23 year old.
Astro Joe
June 9th, 2009
1:38 pm
Vick supporters can watch him play against essentially 5th and 6th year college seniors and Falcons fans can watch big-boy football. Everyone is happy. Works for me.
Lazy Dawg
June 9th, 2009
1:40 pm
Are mv7 and VICK SUPPORTER 2 the same people ?VICK SUPPORTER 2 writes in all caps and mv7 always lower case,just saying that’s funny that you need the same person to get your point across.
Boo Boo
June 9th, 2009
1:40 pm
Don’t they race dogs in Orlando?
Melissa
June 9th, 2009
1:42 pm
I think the UFL would be a great stepping stone for Vick (on his way to returning to the NFL). He’s paid a hefty price (both financially and personally) and deserves a second chance.
In saying that, I wouldn’t spend a dime on seeing him play unless he’s playing against the Falcons – GO DIRTY BIRDS!!
The Voice
June 9th, 2009
1:43 pm
Well said stevew.
Rico
June 9th, 2009
1:43 pm
SeasonedBelle:
Melo, seems the black man doesn’t need any help. He seems to do a great job of that all by himself. Just read any newspaper in the country. It’s all there in print.
————————————————————————
So I see some of us only choose to make statements with no factual content behind what it is that we are saying. Opening your mouth without any facts to back it up except from what you choose to repeat from others only makes you that much more ignorant. I agree in a way with Melo. For example, look at what they did to Barry Bonds in baseball. A guy who was part of a steroid era along with Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Tejada, etc. But because a black man was at the top of the home run list, all of a sudden no one wants to sign him, not because he can’t hit, because he can still serve as a DH on some American League franchise, not wanting him to add more numbers to a record in a white sport, has caused the owners of baseball to conspire against him. Same thing with Michael Vick. Kill a few dogs (white man’s best friend) now all of a sudden, it’s a horrible crime to commit. The sad part about the Michael Vick case, is that some people didn’t like Vick not only because of his skin color, but add that to the position that he played as well. Him fighting a few dogs only gives them so called ‘just reason’ not to like him now. It’s not about the dogs as much as some people would like to claim it is.
Seeing a African American playing quarterback disturbs a lot of white people for some odd reason. And when people who don’t watch Falcons games or have never watched Falcons game make statements about Michael Vick’s abilities truly is disturbing. Some people say he can’t read defenses; what about when your coach doesn’t give you the option to audible. Some people complain about his completion percentage; what about when you have wide receivers who don’t train properly on how to catch a ball from a left handed quarterback because of the different rotation on the ball. Some people complain about his run first mentality; what about when your team online starts caring about an offensive line once you leave.
So if anyone wants to challenge me, come with facts because I WILL bring mine to the table!
J Dub
June 9th, 2009
1:44 pm
Lots of jabs in this blog Mark. I think the UFL would be somewhere that Vick could get some work in and possibly work himself back into playing shape. I would hope that he has learned and grown from this experience so he will not be on the wrong side of the publicity department anymore. As for the dome being empty talk, that is quite possibly the most ludacris thing I have ever heard. If you haven’t noticed, the Falcons have moved on and sales will not be impacted by a former player going to a semi pro football team in a bordering state. Our future is Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, and Roddy White. I threw out all of my Vick attire when it all went down and I won’t be a vick supporter again but I also don’t have a problem with him moving to the next phase in his life whatever that may be.
Tom Davis
June 9th, 2009
1:45 pm
Vick needs to go somewhere he fight dogs legally – South east asia.
What!!!
June 9th, 2009
1:46 pm
After all Mike Vick did to the Falcon fans, the team, the city, and Arthur Blank, some of you would drive or fly to see him play in the UFL. Wow……….that’s sad.
Vick brought all this on himself. And no it wasn’t all about fighting dogs. Please go back and read all the facts.
Blank gave him 130 mill to be a ballplayer and Vick didn’t care one second nor was he gradeful. His actions proved it!! GLAD HE’S DONE IN THE NFL!! UFL YOU CAN HAVE HIM!!
The Voice
June 9th, 2009
1:47 pm
Hey Rico and you know all about white people how????????????
Buddy the Dog
June 9th, 2009
1:49 pm
Help, I am a collie in Orlando and now I am afraid that MV7 will move here and his boyz will scour the neighborhoods for me and my friends to use as bait to train more vicious pitbull dogs.
It will not be safe for me to go out! Even Missy the cat next door is worried for me now.
Please keep MV7 out of Orlando!!
If one of us Orlando doggies goes missing can MV7″s probation be revoked?
WinderDawg
June 9th, 2009
1:49 pm
Mike Vick was judged by what he did and not his skin tone you dumb@$#!!! Why do you think he is not playing in the NFL, i can assure you it is not because of his color. You probably think OJ wasn’t guilty too? PLEASE, enough with the mike vick drama, can we focus on the players and team which are actully going to be pretty good.The Falcons went as far as they were going to with MV7, i wish him luck in whatever he does, as long as it’s not in Atlanta.
Tom Davis
June 9th, 2009
1:50 pm
Rico – thanks for playing the race card,
Fact: You are one dumb SOB.
Rico
June 9th, 2009
1:52 pm
Mark,
Do I think that the UFL is a good start for Vick? Hell No! Why can’t Vick come back and play in the NFL? Pacman was able to come back and play in the NFL and he served no jail time as well as Tank Johnson. Vick has served and paid his debts a little more severely than these two did and they were allowed to play. Should not his jail penalty for two years removed from the league serve as punishment enough? Why didn’t Roger Goodell expect the same remorse to be shown for Pacman as he expects from Vick? I can recall how Pacman went to his office and had a one on one talk, but it’s easy to talk when you haven’t paid a price for the crimes you have committed.
As in regards to the UFL serving as a training stop for Vick, what training does he need? He was already the most gifted and talented quarterback to ever play the position. If Kurt Warner can come from tossing cans into bags at a super market to tossing a ball in the Super Bowl, there isn’t a doubt in my mind that Vick doesn’t have the ability to do the same thing. So this question as far as him still being talented at the age of 28 baffles me. If you don’t crank your car up for two years, won’t it still run?
VICK SUPPORTER 2
June 9th, 2009
1:53 pm
I THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING HERE. BASED ON THIS BLOG ALONE, IT SEEMS THE MAJORITY OF THE FANS WILL BE DRIVING TO ORLANDO, SO ALL “YOU” PEOPLE (ALL 15) CAN HAVE YOUR CHOICE OF SEATING AND PARKING
Ahint
June 9th, 2009
1:54 pm
Gooooooooooooo….M.Vick, NO ONE ON THIS EARTH CAN TELL YOU WHAT YOU ARE WORTH!!!!! NO ONE!!!!!!!! If the curtain was lifted off of a lot of people( judges, lawyers, priest, teacher, man, woman or child).. it would make him/her hide under a rock!!!No one can ever hold down a GOOD BLACK MAN!!!!!go forward and prove to yourself, Mike!! Love you forver #7
Fred
June 9th, 2009
1:54 pm
Yes they do BooBoo….so they could care less about what Vick did in the past…of course, most folks dont care and just want to see him play.
Thank you Vick Supporter 2….I dont know where Bradley is doing his research….but ufl.com is a good place to start if you want FACTS about what the league is offering.
J Dub
June 9th, 2009
1:55 pm
Rico, I will say this from my standpoint. It has nothing to do with skin tone and quarterback. I have a McNabb Jersey, an UGA Shockley Jersey, loved Daunte C when he was in Minny, was dying for VY to beat Leinart in the Big Bowl game, and believe it or not, loved Warren Moon and Randall Cunningham on Super Tecmo Bowl. The fact of the matter is that he committed some pretty heinous and violent acts. For some, that is not acceptable, for some, it is. For me it is not. I am not a PETA member but do love animals. The dog fighting is just part of what he did. He also drowned them, electrocuted them, beat them, tortured them and left them to die. I feel that you can’t paint the people that are glad he is gone with such a broad brush.
Drummer Boy
June 9th, 2009
1:56 pm
First and foremost…let those without sin cast the 1st stone…ok..now that we’ve addressed the rock throwing glass house owners lets get down to the reality of the situation. Whether PETA or any other so called “self-righteous” organization or person wants to admit it or not Michael Vick is recession proof for ANY team whether it be NFL or UFL. You can’t deny that before Vick got to Atlanta with his GOD given, jaw-dropping talent, the falcons had difficulties selling tickets, selling paraphanalia, and they were hardly ever on prime time..Never in the Falcons history have they had several consecutive year waiting list for season tickets and been on prime time TV until Vick got there. I agree to an extent about the time he got because the punishment didn’t fit the crime when you have corporate CEO’s taking away people’s life savings and they’re still walking the street or Danny Heatley(former Atlanta Thrasher) driving drunk in Buckhead when he killed his friend(i.e. a person..not a dog)..but people wanna get up in arms about some dogs(i.e pit bulls) that can’t even legally be transported on an airplane…R U KIDDING ME..? That leads me to believe that it’s really not about the dogs when you can legally race greyhounds and horses and we all know what happens to them when they don’t perform well….ok…I got off track…i apologize..Yes..I believe that Vick deserves a second chance because he has served his time. Yes I believe that if Roger Goodell doesn’t allow him in immediately that this would be a good option for him in preparation for the NFL comeback. I am a true football watcher and former player(not the nfl)…if you give this kid a good offensive line and receivers that can catch he will be just as good as a peyton manning..yeah..I said it. For those of you who watched the falcons and actually know football know that he didn’t have the best offensive line or receivers and he was still able to lead the team to the playoffs serveral times. The 2006 season when Vick called out Jim Mora and Gregg Knapp for not letting him call his own plays and for not letting him pass the ball we all witnessed what happened on that Monday night football game against the then defending superbowl champs pittsburgh steelers..Vick threw 4 touchdowns that game in a overtime win. the very next game went and threw 3 more touchdown against the then playoff contending cincinatti bengals. Vick does deserve to play again and let’s not forget…the NFL is a business first..Vick generates too much money for Goodell to sit him out long and he knows it…he’s just trying to save face to look like a hard @ss against what some people would consider “thugs”. When Vick re-introduces himself every defensive coordinator who has to defend him will better have the best game plan because a focused Mike Vick will be a champion…Mark my words!!!!!!
Mark in Woodstock
June 9th, 2009
1:56 pm
Amazing how racially divided this issue still is….we have fans of the Falcons and then fans of a player.
Shiloh
June 9th, 2009
1:57 pm
Mr. Bradley, thank you for the blog. I think Michael Vick has served his time, is still being punished and should be allowed to play for the UFL. It would be good on a number of levels. Unfortunately, many of the readers did not understand your question nor can they have a discussion without making race a major part of it.
Boo Boo
June 9th, 2009
1:58 pm
At $4-million a year, with some “buy one get one free” coupons at Hardees, Vick could make a dent in his backrupcy debt and still stay alive. Thirty dollar motels and two Thickburgers – that’s the high life. That is if his plan to play another 12 years is accurate. Unfortunately, I doubt Versus will foot the bill for more than two years, if that. Other than public service announcements about assisting rehabilitated conviced back into a lifestyle of the rich and famous, who would pay money to advertise on something no one will watch on Friday nights?
Tiger
June 9th, 2009
1:58 pm
Only people that doesn’t want Michael Vick to play are jealous of him making millions of dollars because of the color of his skin. It was alright that black male children were hung back in the day and they are still trying to bring it back in the 21st century, but we will not stand for lynching today. You people that are negative like peta you care more about an animal than human being, get over it. There is know way that Michael will be stop because he is in God’s plan not man and there isn’t anything you can do about it, if anything he should become bigger than before. Watch the work of the LORD!
Rico
June 9th, 2009
1:58 pm
The Voice & Tom Davis
————————————————————————
Do I know a lot about white people huh? Not more than I care to know. And about that race card Tom, let me explain something to you. There are two separate laws that govern us in this United States of America. One for blacks and one for whites! If Michael Vick was Peyton Manning, he probably would have received a maximum penalty of PROBATION! Maybe a fine or two. Because the media would have stated that since Peyton and Eli were brought up in the south, that was part of their tradition/heritage and they were accustomed to doing that. Don’t do it again…slap on the wrist! Vick grows up doing it he gets two years in jail and ya’ll want to crucify him next to Jesus! Get real!
By the way, anyone heard anything regarding the Roger Clemens case recently? Didn’t Think So!!!
Truth-Serum
June 9th, 2009
1:58 pm
Yea, it’s a great Ideal. This would be the equivalent to being sent to triple A for rehab assignment. Vick must have a better crew of people around him than before. There seems to be a lot of wisdom coming from his camp.
Hey Mark got any more of those obvious and shallow pictures of that falcon qb handoff artist and those black kids that were showcased in two or three shots on the AJC this week? I’m doing a comedy routine and wanted to do skit about fake sincerity…
It would do more to heal the rift, between the falcons and the black community if Blank would give Vick a chance at his job back and the press would get off its knees in front of the unzipped southern red Bubba crew!
Don’t forget to give lots of free tickets to the Atlanta people to prevent black outs (no pun intended) like you did last year during the Hahhaha belly-up first round playoff run, hahahahaha. That was cool!! I gave mine to some laborers who had painted my deck, they thought they were going to see Michael Vick.
JGray
June 9th, 2009
1:59 pm
Mark – good post. I think the opportunity for Vick to play in a league such as the UFL would be a great transition for him. He would be able to knock off the rust from his time away from football and adjust to being the spotlight for something positive for a change.
I can’t help but think that the UFL would also love the publicity generated by Vick’s return. I’m sure Quinn Gray can drive a large fan following but I’m going out on a limb with the thought that Vick would be larger!
If a return to any football league doesn’t work, you might pass along the following to Mr Vick:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Top-10-Jobs-For-Ex-Felons&id=1259785
VICK SUPPORTER 2
June 9th, 2009
1:59 pm
“2004″ – LAST FALCONS PLAYOFF WIN. WHEN WILL MATTY ICE GET THAT FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCE? OH WAIT – IT’S NOT HIS FAULT
greggP
June 9th, 2009
1:59 pm
I don’t think he needs the UFL.they need him,Let him back in the NFL now and let the crybabies
get over it,sooner than later. Haters will hate,football fans will forgive and enjoy his talent.
Lesson already learned.
Mark Bradley
June 9th, 2009
2:01 pm
I’ve deleted my comment, Vick Supporter 2. I spoke in error. I’ve read the UFL plans to have a salary cap of $12-$20 million per team. My apologies.
I have not, however, found the article you referenced. I’d love to see the link, if you have it.
Lazy Dawg
June 9th, 2009
2:02 pm
Are mv7 and VICK SUPPORTE2 the same people? Please read my last post I need some help with this one,thanks.
You guys seem retarded
June 9th, 2009
2:03 pm
Saying people will travel to orlando to watch Mike Vick play in some garbage; everyone knows they’re just spouting off. I would love it if you jokers would leave your seats empty at the dome then while you’re down south, I know plenty of folks who would love to take your seats and watch old boring #2, who is already as good a QB as Mike Vick EVER was.
Tom Glavine Scorned
June 9th, 2009
2:03 pm
Tawk abouf me. Tawk abouf me. Fohget Micha Vick. I loss my teef.
MiltonDawg
June 9th, 2009
2:03 pm
I think Vick will do good in UFL. Should be interesting to watch him play again. Those of you who would leave the Falcons to watch him play, go, i’ll be more than happy to take your seat because this season will be sold out with all the hype surrounding this team. And for MV7 supporters, what happens if he bombs in the UFL and is not signed to the NFL? Are you going to call foul and say that the UFL owners are “holding him back”? Only time will tell, and if he makes it back to the NFL, good for him. Move On
Truth-Serum
June 9th, 2009
2:03 pm
Mark in Woodstock
June 9th, 2009
1:56 pm
We have fans of the truth and justice and fans of the racist bubba crew who wants us to root for a team that figurtively lynches us for being proud, sucessful and black!
My loyalty is to honor, not a business organization. Brainless one.
You guys seem retarded
June 9th, 2009
2:06 pm
Hahahah! Go back to the old folks home Tom Glavine!
Sundawg
June 9th, 2009
2:06 pm
Vick Supporter 2 – I hope your the first to get out of here. People like you dont need to be in the dome supporting the Falcons.
Vick Supporters? HA HA
June 9th, 2009
2:12 pm
Jackie,
How could you be so dumb, it was never just about dogs, it’s also about illegal gambling, organized crime and every other dumb thing Vick got himself involved with.
Joey
June 9th, 2009
2:13 pm
Rico, Vick will play in the NFL again. The Falcons have the rights to him and (rightly so) are trying to trade him so they will get something of value in return. The other teams are waiting for the Falcons to release him so they will not have to give something of value. It’s as simple as that. No “white man conspiracy.”
Dr. Phibes
June 9th, 2009
2:14 pm
What medicine does Ron Mexico take for his herpes? Is he going to spread it in Orlando?
Truth-Serum
June 9th, 2009
2:14 pm
Yes the rocket is in denial, as was Vick until evidence overwhelmed him. Denial is a very human behavior. I still love the rocket. I don’t care for how baseball has dealt with A-rod who made a confession to what he knew they had evidence of. I don’t care for lance Armstrong or that pot smoking bong wielding swimmer Phelps that we look the other way on.
I also love Mrs. Marion who was the only one of the athletes to show true remorse to the point of tears and confessions and yet was given prison for lying about steroids use. There is certainly two rules at play here.
No, Michaels persecution was a result of being a super black athlete/quarterback in a bubba red state, otherwise he d still be playing after a short suspension, like A-Rod or competing like the pot head bong wielding Phelps.
I understand you have a problem accepting this.
That’s why I can appreciate whites who can accept the reality of racism. To deal with truth is to bring about healing, to deny as you are doing, only perpetuates the problem. That’s why this blog was dominated with discussions of Vick and the Fans of Atlanta have not hitched on to that hand off artist. That’s why you think there are more Vick fans than Falcon fans. It’s not. It’s not that Vick was righteous, he was not. It’s the issue of righteous judgment, or rather the lack thereof that causes people to rally around Vick. Never throw out the baby with the bath water, as the falcons are doing.
Lets deal with the truth first and not do like M. Bradley and bury our heads in the sand and act as if this doesn’t exist.
Vick is still loved in black America, regardless of your crucifixion. Not because he was right. He wasn’t he was wrong, but because he suffered as a result of racism that many blacks can identify with. I’m sure you see this through bubba eyes. So the issue goes on.
Vick # 7 http://www.sidelinemvp.com/nfl_jerseys.html
Have a nice day.
Turth-serum
May 17th, 2009
7:21 pm
Halimaw
May 17th, 2009
12:35 am
I appreciate a man who supports his heroes. I am aware that black quarterbacks don’t get an even break, sometimes. I played ball in college with an outstanding black quarterback named Tracy Ham. He set a record for the first quarterback to rush and throw for 5000 yards in a career. That is over 10,000 yards of production. He won national championships. He was drafted by the Rams and was offered a contract as a defensive back. I was pissed off! He went to the CFL and won the MVP a Grey cup. He was the first quarterback to rush for over 1000 yards professionally.
EXCELLENT BLOG!! IM AWARE OF MR HAM. IT HAPPENED TO WARREN MOON AS WELL. I GREW UP WITH HIM IN LA HE WAS TRUELY A SUPERSTAR AS A QB BUT WAS FORCED TO SPEND HIS YOUTH IN THE CFL (having to chose between being a tailback or a quarterback) AND WON EVER MAJOR TITLE THERE.
VICK COULD BE AS GOOD.
Jaguar Fan
June 9th, 2009
2:16 pm
I understand that the owner of the Jaguars is looking at Vick as a back up to Gerrard. Vick would bring some much needed excitement to south Georgia and North Florida.
Mark Bradley
June 9th, 2009
2:16 pm
OK, found the link and included it above. It’s from Peter King’s story from last summer, and he says quarterbacks will make between $1 and $4 million. Again, apologies for my grievous error.
Rico
June 9th, 2009
2:16 pm
You Guys Seem Retarded
Saying people will travel to orlando to watch Mike Vick play in some garbage; everyone knows they’re just spouting off. I would love it if you jokers would leave your seats empty at the dome then while you’re down south, I know plenty of folks who would love to take your seats and watch old boring #2, who is already as good a QB as Mike Vick EVER was.
————————————————————————
What really makes Matt Ryan better than Michael Vick? Is it his skin color or was it his schedule last year that consisted of Chiefs, Lions, Raiders, San Diego, Rams, etc. Five guaranteed wins right there. The only thing you have to do is put your uniform on to beat those teams. I’m a Falcons fan and I love the Falcons to just as much as anybody else, but to label Matt Ryan the ‘Chosen One’ after playing JV teams is stupid especially in one of the most lopsided NFL seasons I have ever seen. No Tom Brady in the AFC, 8-8 Cardinals team goes to Super Bowl after getting blown out by a Tom Bradyless Patriots team, Miami becomes a contender after almost going 0-16 the previous year, etc. We will see what type of player Matt Ryan is this year after playing both the NFC & AFC East. So these comparisons to how good he is compared to Michael Vick should hold off until week 16!
The Professor
June 9th, 2009
2:16 pm
All this man-love for a convicted felon. And, an animal abuser at that. Clinically proven that people who abuse defenseless creatures are deviants and incipient murderers.
stevew
June 9th, 2009
2:17 pm
RICO; Is Melo your twin brother by a different father? I would suggest that when the majority of the Vick lovers purchase a “dictionary” with their next unemployment check prior to their next blog. You are sick…
Truth-Serum
June 9th, 2009
2:19 pm
Yes the rocket is in denial, as was Vick until evidence overwhelmed him. Denial is a very human behavior. I still love the rocket. I don’t care for how baseball has dealt with A-rod who made a confession to what he knew they had evidence of. I don’t care for lance Armstrong or that pot smoking bong wielding swimmer Phelps that we look the other way on.
I also love Mrs. Marion who was the only one of the athletes to show true remorse to the point of tears and confessions and yet was given prison for lying about steroids use. There is certainly two rules at play here.
No, Michaels persecution was a result of being a super black athlete/quarterback in a bubba red state, otherwise he d still be playing after a short suspension, like A-Rod or competing like the pot head bong wielding Phelps.
I understand you have a problem accepting this. That’s why I can appreciate whites who can accept the reality of racism. To deal with truth is to bring about healing, to deny as you are doing, only perpetuates the problem. That’s why this blog was dominated with discussions of Vick and the Fans of Atlanta have not hitched on to that hand off artist. That’s why you think there are more Vick fans than Falcon fans. It’s not. It’s not that Vick was righteous, he was not. It’s the issue of righteous judgment, or rather the lack thereof that causes people to rally around Vick. Never throw out the baby with the bath water, as the falcons are doing.
Lets deal with the truth first and not do like M. Bradley and bury our heads in the sand and act as if this doesn’t exist. Or council people on how to respond when confronted with the discussion. How weak.
Vick is still loved in black America, regardless of your crucifixion. Not because he was right. He wasn’t he was wrong, but because he suffered as a result of racism that many blacks can identify with. I’m sure you see this through bubbas eyes. So the issue goes on.
Vick # 7 http://www.sidelinemvp.com/nfl_jerseys.html
Have a nice day.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 9th, 2009
2:19 pm
“And Najeh, I believe it was Thomas George of NFL.com who wrote a while back that a league official said he didn’t expect Vick to be on an NFL roster on Opening Day but he did by season’s end. That sounded right to me then, and it still does.”
It sounds right to me too, but there’s a difference between “being on an NFL roster” and a team “expressing interest” (my words). July 20th only gives him a month and a half to sign with a team, learn a playbook, and show that he still has the skills to play in the league, so it makes sense that a team wouldn’t sign him immediately and give him the job (and salary) he’s seeking. But chances are some team (Washington? San Francisco? St. Louis? Cleveland? Denver? Tampa Bay?) will be dissatisfied enough with its QB situation by mid-September, possibly sooner, that they would give Vick a call. That doesn’t necessarily mean they will sign him immediately, but I think Vick’s better off chillin’ at home and listening to NFL offers than prematurely excluding himself from the NFL for October and November by signing a UFL contract too soon. In the unlikely event that nobody expresses interest in him before late September, I don’t think the UFL is going to reject him if he decides to sign with Orlando the day before their season starts.
Of course, all that assumes Roger Goodell doesn’t have a hemorrhoid act up or something and takes it out on Vick by extending the suspension.
Just a Thought
June 9th, 2009
2:20 pm
Maybe it’s just me but it seems like Vick supporters are more forgiving of Vick and all felons because they possibly know more than the rest of us. Who knows, maybe VickSupporter 2 is an felon as well.