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
Sid
December 6th, 2009
3:12 pm
my God, put in Wilson. I have more arm strenght than that clown. 6-10. The streak LIVES!!! LOSERS!!!!
Manny
December 6th, 2009
3:13 pm
Jamie-
Oh, I didn’t know the Falcons’ blog was on StormFront. Let me log off this and find a blog that actually discusses the Falcons. I don’t participate in racist blogs.
Seeya, and I hope you feel better!
TooBad
December 6th, 2009
3:13 pm
I wish Blank would move the Falcons out of Atlanta. The dome will be done, and off to Gwinett County for the Falcons in 5 years.
Mr Charlie
December 6th, 2009
3:13 pm
I hope Vick gets to play the 4th quarter.
FalconsHeroZero
December 6th, 2009
3:13 pm
Falcons fundamentals:
Small D-Linemen who cannot rush the Passer,
Over-sized OLBs who are asked to cover (asked to do too much).
Falcon 8211
December 6th, 2009
3:13 pm
might as well go for it on all 4 downs no matter where we r at on the field
Scott
December 6th, 2009
3:13 pm
Mike Smith is an idiot! It could be 20-6, instead of 27-0. Oh well, another season without back to back playoff appearances because the Falcons will NOT beat the Saints next week…even with Ryan and Turner back.
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
3:13 pm
I’m thinking Mr. Blank might delay his appearance today, Sonny.
Jamie
December 6th, 2009
3:13 pm
Bye folks! See u next year!
J williams
December 6th, 2009
3:13 pm
This is an absolute B-E-A-T-D-O-W-N!!!!
bigdave
December 6th, 2009
3:14 pm
J.J.M. ….
what other wide receivers…?
better question why is Brian Finneran still employed… the organization must really love him… he gives no production.
SSS
December 6th, 2009
3:14 pm
Anyone miss Matt Ryan now???!!! I thought so!!!
ubah
December 6th, 2009
3:14 pm
But on a brighter note… Washington just held NO on 4 and 1/2 yard from there 40. Not the same Skins that played the falcons.
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
3:14 pm
One word comes to mind, and that word was Jed Clampett’s: “Pitiful.”
The Dogfighter Returns
December 6th, 2009
3:14 pm
games are always delayed by 5 seconds. mark is live. he doesn’t have any special powers.
Dawgs2009
December 6th, 2009
3:14 pm
I don’t feel bad about this pathetic performance. I stopped feeling bad 3 weeks ago. I took back my weekends and my family is better for it. I expect a season ticket renewal package this week in the mail. I think I will save my money for next year and spend it on something else. I don’t have it in me to support this team with my wallet. I will still watch, but from afar.
Big Ray
December 6th, 2009
3:14 pm
The team is much more than a person. DO you really think that the Philly fans if Vick had been an Eagle and screwed over the fans and team and city like Vick did, then came back to Philly as a Falcon they would have cheered him scoring? No, they would have been throwing things at him. It is surely a minority of the crowd cheering him today, unfortunately that is all the camera’s are showing. It’s embarrassing.
Yep. Same if he had played in New York. But the media knew they could count on enough jackasses to show up for a game like this and make it all about one player who is no longer the media darling, or anybody’s darling anymore. I don’t know which is worse, the media or the idiot fans who can’t figure out how to cheer for one team or another….
Meanwhile...should have listened
December 6th, 2009
3:14 pm
Think Mike Smith should have listened when it was suggested Bob from AccountTemps start at QB today?
MATTY SMALL NUTTS
December 6th, 2009
3:15 pm
VICK 4EVER LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Falcon Freddie
December 6th, 2009
3:15 pm
Matt Ryan’s contract $72 Million. A ticket to the Atlanta / Philadelphia game $100. Watching Michael Vick (MV7) score a touchdown to a screaming Atlanta Falcons crowd…PRICELESS!
Reality
December 6th, 2009
3:15 pm
@GA You are kidding me right? Karma??? All this team and city ever did was support Vick and he screwed us!! You are one delusional person…
John
December 6th, 2009
3:15 pm
Say what you want about Vick, feel how you want to about Vick, but if you’re going to cheer for him when he scores, and you wear the red and black, then shame on you. Love him before, love him after, but right now he just but us on the brink of our first home loss in 8 games at the dome and our playoff hopes slipping away. If you’re gonna cheer for vick then go put on an Eagles jersey. You don’t deserve this team if you’re going to cheer for the opponet, no matter what you think he represents.
SRF
December 6th, 2009
3:15 pm
Here are the clowns
Barkin'Dog
December 6th, 2009
3:15 pm
5 starters missing – ’nuff said.
Ross
December 6th, 2009
3:15 pm
Atlanta sports fans are the utter pits – I’ve been all over the country and there is no sewer like this one – whiners, traitors, and no-shows.
J.J.M.
December 6th, 2009
3:15 pm
bigdave
cant argue with that
Mr Charlie
December 6th, 2009
3:16 pm
I want see Vick vs Shock in the 4th Quarter.
TB
December 6th, 2009
3:16 pm
Will someone please tell me what Vick did to cause that interception
preston
December 6th, 2009
3:16 pm
lol……..I feel the need to say this again…….some of you people say some of the most dumbest and most irrelevent things on these blogs.
Sonny Clusters
December 6th, 2009
3:16 pm
Mr Blank should change suits and slip out of the Dome.
JTH
December 6th, 2009
3:16 pm
Not impossibe to come back. 4 TDs and we got the lead.
Going to have to throw to Roddy deep.
Big Ray
December 6th, 2009
3:16 pm
I’m confused. 20-6 and 27-0 mean the same thing at the end of the game, do they not? A loss is a loss, and we’re going to lose this game. sigh…
Rod
December 6th, 2009
3:16 pm
They may let Vick play a whole series if they score again
DHunt
December 6th, 2009
3:16 pm
The remaining Falcons home games would be blacked out if not for early season sales. You can’t expect people to buy an inferior product. Injuries are a part of it, but this is a poorly coached team right now.
J.J.M.
December 6th, 2009
3:17 pm
5 starters plus WR douglas, DB williams, DT jerry
Mr Charlie
December 6th, 2009
3:17 pm
I think Gonzo is thinking about his old KC days.
LantaFalcons
December 6th, 2009
3:17 pm
I am demanding to see JPW for at least 1 series!!!
ubah
December 6th, 2009
3:17 pm
Barking Dog is right. Playing lots of backups and some of them aren’t totally 100% (Norwood).
J williams
December 6th, 2009
3:17 pm
Maybe the Falcons haven’t tried any fieldgoals because they don’t trust the new kicker.
Falcon 8211
December 6th, 2009
3:17 pm
i am a falcons fan but i hope we lose the rest of the games this year so maybe it helps our draft pick . we were talking playoffs can’t help to think of jim mora sr comments years ago when he was in indy
Sid
December 6th, 2009
3:17 pm
thank the Lord I learned years ago not to pay money to watch this mess. It will never, ever change. Please just go away.
FalconFan
December 6th, 2009
3:17 pm
The point is, Vick is a nobody now. No coverage, no media, no sponsors. Just a backrupt, has been quarterback that sucked for his last 2 years in Atlanta. Watch Redmon today, that is what type passer Vick was. I hope Vick plays the 4th quarter and they play “who let the dogs out” the entire time.
JTH
December 6th, 2009
3:17 pm
“I want see Vick vs Shock in the 4th Quarter”
And nothing but Wildcat formations. That would be fun to watch!
Jimmy
December 6th, 2009
3:17 pm
Redman is going to throw another pick.
He is playing like he did before Ryan came.
Reminds me why people love Ryan so much.
Bat Masterson
December 6th, 2009
3:17 pm
Hey ubah, Santa Rosa Beach here, no game for me either.
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
3:18 pm
This is really sad. Not even the fourth quarter and you’re out of it. At home.
J williams
December 6th, 2009
3:18 pm
They should go to the no huddle offense, and at least get the Philly defense off it’s game.
preston
December 6th, 2009
3:18 pm
lol…….that last pass by Redman was thrown to Vick.
dl
December 6th, 2009
3:18 pm
I am convinced that the city of Atlanta doesn’t deserve an NFL team. I can’t wait to see a Mayflower tractor trailer pull up to the Dome.
Men vs Boys
December 6th, 2009
3:18 pm
The Falcons just can’t match up with the intensity and physical play of the league’s best teams. Even in our “good” years that has always been the case. I don’t know what it’s going to take for this team to finally understand how winning football is played on a consistent basis.