Live from the Dome: A former prince returns to the city
The midfield reunion we've long awaited: Arthur M. Blank and Michael Vick. (Photo by M. Bradley)
Michael Vick has returned to the Georgia Dome. He jogged on the field at 11:24 a.m. He received a polite round of applause. (There weren’t many folks in the stands yet.) The first person he approached was Jimmy Cribb, the longtime Falcons photographer. The two embraced.
“He told me I always took good pictures of him,” Cribb said, “and if I got anything good today to send them to him.”
Then came the long-awaited meeting with Arthur Blank. (See above photo, shot by someone much less professional than Jimmy Cribb.) And then Reggie Roberts, the Falcons’ VP of communications, walked over to Vick. More hugging ensued.
Roberts: “He told me he missed being here. He misses the city, misses the Dome. He said he was crying on the bus ride over.”
Along those lines, here’s a snippet of an as-told-to article Vick did with David Fleming of ESPN The Magazine. Here’s Vick speaking his mind on, of all things, the Dome:
“I’m looking forward to going back to the Georgia Dome. I may not do much. I may not even play in the game. But just having the opportunity to be there and maybe have a chance to talk to the Falcons owner, Mr. Blank, before the game — that would be a great thing for me. I spent many a Sunday making that crowd go wild, and I appreciate all those fans. They were great. Man, I miss [those] days.”
In all the furor over Michael Vick, one truth kept getting lost: No matter what he did, the guy’s still a human being. And now he’s again a football player. We don’t know much he’ll play today, if at all. And we don’t yet know — it’s only 11:45 — how the crowd will be. My guess: Warm toward Vick, warmer toward the Falcons.
Speaking of whom: The home side is up against it. Here’s the inactive list: Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Michael Jenkins, Sam Baker and Harvey Dahl. That’s five offensive starters out for what is a game with massive playoff ramifications. (The Falcons and Eagles are tracking the same wild card.) The only consolation, and it’s slim: Philly is missing playmakers DeSean Jackson and Brian Westbrook.
And that’s why a 7-4 road team is a 5-1/2 point favorite over a 6-5 opponent. You never see that in the NFL, but today seems a day where form could take a hike. The Falcons are undermanned, but there’s almost a last-stand element to this one. Meaning: On this given Sunday, the desperate club could just lift itself by its bootstraps.
And I’ll be here to watch and report, as we say in the trade, with one difference: I have permission from AJC.com higher-ups not to make this a live chat, but because the day has started on a bright conciliatory note I’ve decided to open the floor for comments. Should we devolve into our usual volley of back-and-forthing, the live chat will go away and will not re-open. It’s your choice. Thanks in advance.
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1,246 comments Add your comment
ubah
December 6th, 2009
3:02 pm
Live in Panama City Beach, was mad when I saw local station wasn’t carrying Birds but Wash v NO. Now, I’m sort of glad. Washington is giving the Saints all they can handle.
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
3:02 pm
Svitek jumped. It gets better and better.
The Dogfighter Returns
December 6th, 2009
3:02 pm
These fools wearing a Falcons jersey and cheering when Vick scores should be shot. I’m embarrassed to be a Falcons fan and have that crap shown on TV. What complete morons.
—–
dude relax. It is a free country. You live your life let other live theirs. What is so difficult about that?
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
3:03 pm
We haven’t had a Redman interception. Yet. But soon, I say.
jan
December 6th, 2009
3:03 pm
Enter your comments here
SRF
December 6th, 2009
3:03 pm
WOW – gain of 1
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
3:03 pm
But not there. Completion to White. Another late hit on Philly.
Rod
December 6th, 2009
3:03 pm
Its funny how the falcons shut down the message board after Vick scored. You cant even get on there now.
DHunt
December 6th, 2009
3:03 pm
A one yard completion. Ridiculous play calling.
MCook
December 6th, 2009
3:03 pm
Atlanta has the worst fans in the NFL
Ashamed
December 6th, 2009
3:03 pm
Plus, Vick is nothing but a second rate, back up QB. It and he is a joke.
J.J.M.
December 6th, 2009
3:04 pm
I hope we at least get a field goal…..as i said earlier move out the pocket
81Dawg
December 6th, 2009
3:04 pm
A sprintout? Where did that come from?
J.J.M.
December 6th, 2009
3:04 pm
yesssss throw it deep
Falcon 8211
December 6th, 2009
3:04 pm
should move the pocket to stop batted passes
81Dawg
December 6th, 2009
3:05 pm
Roddy really went after that ball.
jan
December 6th, 2009
3:05 pm
Beyond Michael Vick, does anyone else recognize what a “CLASS GENTLEMAN” Arthur Blank is? Atlanta should be very proud to have him as the owner of the Falcons as well as a resident of our city. He is a great leader and we need that in today’s moral slum.
bigdave
December 6th, 2009
3:05 pm
Ray…
better use of free agency Coleman has always been trash… if we continue to go young get a proven product, of course he would never fall to us, but ideally the best safety in the draft bar none Berry.
i watched Moore as well and he wasnt that major in a pass happy conference … i believe that Sonner (Harris) was better. didnt Moore play FS at Mizzu? i want someone who will come up and support the run.
Jamie
December 6th, 2009
3:05 pm
is this announce team on our payroll?
Jimmy
December 6th, 2009
3:05 pm
81dawg:
Things are not going to get worse with the Vick morons.
They can’t get worse.
If Vick hadn’t played in this game…it would be the same.
Vick morons are going to harp on this until Matt Ryan leaves or wins a championship.
Bitter, sad little people.
J.J.M.
December 6th, 2009
3:05 pm
ATL has the worse fans in all sports@ MCook
MikeVickFanAways
December 6th, 2009
3:05 pm
IM A FALCON AND MICK VICK FAN…! WHO SAID YOU CANT BE BOTH????????????
Mr Charlie
December 6th, 2009
3:05 pm
I hope Philly gets up by a few more TDs, and they put Vick in for some mop up time. How sad it must be for wishing for your player to get a few mop up minutes.
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
3:05 pm
Going for it on fourth down.
Hotrod
December 6th, 2009
3:06 pm
Looks like Falcons of old. Oh well , fun first few weeks at least.
Good for Vick. Probably the way the story is supose to go.
81Dawg
December 6th, 2009
3:06 pm
Beautiful play call.
Sid
December 6th, 2009
3:06 pm
actually when you see the fine citizens of Atlanta cheering for a dog killer makes you realize this city DESERVES teams like the Falcons, Hawks Etc.
Big Ray
December 6th, 2009
3:06 pm
bigdave ,
I hear you. Coleman’s not a bad player, he gets into position better than Chris Houston does, that’s for sure. I don’t think he’s the long term solution either, and I’m still kinda high on Moore. Perhaps Moore and Decoud are the future. If Decoud gets a pass as a young player, I say Moore does too. Let him get healthy and up to speed on the play book. Think he might surprise you.
GA Girl
December 6th, 2009
3:06 pm
The Eagles are just too much for the Falcons. Strong defense. Maybe next time.
JSS
December 6th, 2009
3:06 pm
Charlie…
Joe Montana was always something that Matt never was… A winner, won in HS, won at the Crazy Catholic School in South Bend, and took the Falcons of the late 70’s and turned into the ultimate winners! I’m not a Matt Ryan basher, he is what he is…
Great Falconi
December 6th, 2009
3:06 pm
Mark,
Why can’t the circle be completed by a Falcon defender driving Vick into the ground and ending his season? You see, we Falcon fans are used to being forsaken by the Football Gods. We’ve seen Jeff George take a victory lap around the field at the Dome, so we can’t really be surprised by Vick’s TD.
I’m just sick of this mess.
Falcon 8211
December 6th, 2009
3:06 pm
i hope they fire BVG after this year he really sucks
Rod
December 6th, 2009
3:06 pm
intentional grounding should have been called
J.J.M.
December 6th, 2009
3:07 pm
Thugs
December 6th, 2009
3:05 pm
The reason they have the worst fans? Because the hood and thug crowd only cares about their “brotha” who the white man brought down. That is why we have a mayor no one knows named Kashim. Our fans are made up of doo rags and semi automatics.
uhhhh i dont know bout that
Manny
December 6th, 2009
3:07 pm
Redman needs to stay with Gonzalez in the clutch.
GA Girl
December 6th, 2009
3:07 pm
At best, a 3-pointer or ONE touchdown for the Falcons.
MCook
December 6th, 2009
3:07 pm
J.J.M.
Your absolutely right.
Jamie
December 6th, 2009
3:07 pm
Well said, Sid!
DHunt
December 6th, 2009
3:07 pm
still a terrible pass to make a first down/ Nobody even close to Gonzalez, give him a pass that he can take and go downfield with
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
3:08 pm
This game does have a throwback feel to it. To the mid 80s.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
December 6th, 2009
3:08 pm
Maybe the Falcons will play the Eagles in the Playoffs…
Ooops, that’s right only the good teams make the playoffs……..
My bad, but I thought surely Peyton II would lead their team
dawgfan13
December 6th, 2009
3:08 pm
This a time when DJ Shockley should have been on the team to be put in the game. Now they Have John Parker Wilson who sucks just as much as Redman so it wont make a difference. I wonder why Shockley didnt make the team. I have my own theories! This organization better get this right in the off season because if your back up players are this bad, you are doing something wrong! The defense backup and starters that we have are other teams scout players, the offense players are third stringers. This is embarrassing!
J williams
December 6th, 2009
3:08 pm
This is too easy for the Eagles.
Manny
December 6th, 2009
3:08 pm
Can we have one Falcons thread without a racist comment, JJM?
preston
December 6th, 2009
3:08 pm
oh boy……….some of you people say some of the most dumbest and most irrelevent things on these blogs.
FalconsHeroZero
December 6th, 2009
3:08 pm
Falcons seemed scared to allow Redman to pass early… Now he has to..
3 straight running plays against a real NFL defense near the goalline.
Steven
December 6th, 2009
3:08 pm
I wonder if Michael Vick were white if there would ANY black Falcon “fans” wearing his jersey. No sense in dancing around the issue.
JSS
December 6th, 2009
3:08 pm
And the Falcons of the late 70s means those awful 49ers teams! And they were Falcon bad!
Tron5000
December 6th, 2009
3:08 pm
dude relax. It is a free country. You live your life let other live theirs. What is so difficult about that?
——————————————————————
Dude, don’t tell me to relax. It’s a free country. You live your life and let me live mine. What is so difficult about that?
Jimmy
December 6th, 2009
3:09 pm
We are going to have to stop with the screens.
We need to fake one and go deep.
Dang…Bradley was almost right on the interception.
Bradley, predict a Falcons touchdown how about it?