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
bigdave
December 6th, 2009
3:30 pm
the good ole days… a Vick heave…
NCBravesFan
December 6th, 2009
3:30 pm
Ouch! This is a smackdown! And yet another reminder of the old saying on the Braves blog, “Toes are not to be trifled with …”
J williams
December 6th, 2009
3:30 pm
If this doesn’t tick off the Falcons’ defense, then, they have no heart!!!
80sFalcon
December 6th, 2009
3:30 pm
Now it’s just insulting.
Falcon 8211
December 6th, 2009
3:30 pm
man we really suck
preston
December 6th, 2009
3:30 pm
Big Ray- I recall the falcons losing every other year 30 plus yrs prior to Vick arriving……that didnt start when he arrived on the scene, and to date it hasnt stopped……He didnt flip of the “fans” but a couple of fools who were tainting him at the end of the game……..funny I dont hear you talking about that.
Jimmy
December 6th, 2009
3:30 pm
That should have been an interception.
Lame defense.
Eagles are classless.
Throwing deep in a blowout.
Their day will come.
Falcon Freddie
December 6th, 2009
3:30 pm
WOW! Just like the old days. MV7 still owns this Dome!!!
J.J.M.
December 6th, 2009
3:30 pm
this is kind of sad….
JSS
December 6th, 2009
3:30 pm
There is the difference between why was not successful here… RECEIVER PLAY!!!
stendec
December 6th, 2009
3:30 pm
Mark. Never figured you as a censorship advocate. Oh well. Anyone who wants to know how I really feel about these quitters can check out Stendek_ on Twitter. Guess I am banished here. So much for freedom of speech! Asta la vista all. ++STENDEC++
bigdave
December 6th, 2009
3:30 pm
look at that…
TALENT… TALENT… TALENT…. !!
SHAME ON DIMITROFF!!! CRAP! YUCK
Mr Charlie
December 6th, 2009
3:30 pm
Too bad he did not have the armstrength to get the TD.
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
3:30 pm
Vick actually underthrew Reggie Brown. But he was so open it made no difference.
And now Christopher Owens is hurt.
Falcon 8211
December 6th, 2009
3:31 pm
j. williams they have no heart i’ll answer for u
PMC
December 6th, 2009
3:31 pm
Thomas Dimitroff gets an F minus for this year.
Especially the corners.
Time to cut Emmitt Thomas and the rest of these CB’s.
Yes I know he’s a hall of famer, these guys can’t play period.
willie
December 6th, 2009
3:31 pm
Is the home crowd pulling for Vick and the eagles? I thought I heard the home crowd chanting they want Vick. Yep we need a new stadium but not in Atlanta!
J.J.M.
December 6th, 2009
3:31 pm
what a way to show your skills for next season against the falcons….gotta love it
MikeVickFanAways
December 6th, 2009
3:31 pm
STEVEN,
BLACK AND WHITE PEOPLE STILL LIKE VICK? I DONT THNK RACE IS A FACTOR. ITS A PREFERENTIAL THING, THOSE WHO LOVE THEIR PETS LIKE THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS= HATER OF VICK AND THOSE WHO THINK DOGS ARE JUST ANIMALS ARE MORE WILLING TO ACCEPT THAT HE WAS A GREAT PLAYER. (ME PERSONALLY LOVE ANIMALS BUT IS STILL WILLING TO ACCEPT THAT HE IS A GREAT PLAYER)
Cedrick
December 6th, 2009
3:31 pm
Arthur Blanks worst nightmare come true!!!
PMC
December 6th, 2009
3:31 pm
Go sell Insurance again Redman.
Redkin
December 6th, 2009
3:31 pm
Sorry JJM:
You were actually responding to THUGS at 3:07. My bad.
Don Garber
December 6th, 2009
3:32 pm
I heard that they want an NFL franchise in Portland…
Big Ray
December 6th, 2009
3:32 pm
Heh. Vick gets another cameo appearance and throws a long pass against a couple of hobbits.
See? Where has this been for the Eagles all season? Reid is giving Vick some christmas presents. 10 to 1 he goes right back to keeping him on the sideline for the rest of the season while McNabb wins them games.
Oh well, everybody loves drama, and that’s all this is.
Sid
December 6th, 2009
3:32 pm
PLEASE PLEASE Arthur take them to another city. Please oh please.
JSS
December 6th, 2009
3:32 pm
Thank you for finally being the Moderator to send Stendec the email…
Scott
December 6th, 2009
3:32 pm
Good to see the DAWGS own the other team in ATL too!! HAHAHAHAH!
Maybe Sir Arthur should take note of all the DAWGS on the winning side today, and as for REDMAN???? He is really better than DJ?? That guy is awful! And the streak of sucking continues for all those coon fans!
PMC
December 6th, 2009
3:33 pm
nearly 50 years of failure. Nicely done Atlanta.
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
3:33 pm
Vick gets hit hard on the scramble.
willie
December 6th, 2009
3:33 pm
Well Redmon should be on the sideline and JP Wilson should be the QB–but who uses common sense anymore.
Jimmy
December 6th, 2009
3:33 pm
Preston,
When he flipped off the “couple of fans TAINTING” him…he did it for all to see.
He did flip everyone off when he should have been shutting down his dog fighting operation.
This whole thing makes me sick.
You make me sick.
Jim
December 6th, 2009
3:33 pm
A good N.F.L. Q.B. would have thrown a touchdown on that play.
sam the sham
December 6th, 2009
3:33 pm
that is enough,,,falcons are embarrassing team
Cedrick
December 6th, 2009
3:33 pm
Here we go punch it in Mike Vick!!!
Dawgs2009
December 6th, 2009
3:33 pm
Thomas Dimitroff is an idiot! He put this crap load of losers together. I hope he chokes on a V-8.
ray
December 6th, 2009
3:33 pm
How embarresing is this?
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
3:33 pm
Vick throwback touchdown pass.
DumbFalconFan
December 6th, 2009
3:34 pm
So if Vick scores here, do we get the points?
David
December 6th, 2009
3:34 pm
Anyone else find it funny the Vick supporters on this site are incapable of spelling words correctly or properly structuring a sentence?
J.J.M.
December 6th, 2009
3:34 pm
im curious of whats going on in matt ryan head
preston
December 6th, 2009
3:34 pm
THIS IS MY HOUSE!!! I BUILT THIS DOME!!!!!!…..Micheal Vick.
JSS
December 6th, 2009
3:34 pm
Oh no, what’s his QB rating?
Rod
December 6th, 2009
3:34 pm
LMAO
PMC
December 6th, 2009
3:34 pm
I wonder if the guy that did the dirty bird will also perform in the stall of the Peachtree Tavern later.
trueblueBravesFan
December 6th, 2009
3:34 pm
Boy this team is bad as of now….they look totally lost
Halimaw
December 6th, 2009
3:34 pm
Vick is the king, of pit-bull euthanasia!
Falcon 8211
December 6th, 2009
3:34 pm
please smitty run the ball and clock out our team sucks
Cedrick
December 6th, 2009
3:34 pm
TD MIKE VICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TD MIKE VICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TD MIKE VICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TD MIKE VICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TD MIKE VICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Atlanta Falcons WORST NIGHTMARE COME TRUE TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Men vs Boys
December 6th, 2009
3:35 pm
What a noodle arm Vick has. Comepletely underthrowing his wide open receivers. Looks like Redman out there!
Rod
December 6th, 2009
3:35 pm
vick is sick