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
J.J.M.
December 6th, 2009
3:41 pm
lol@mark
ScooBoo
December 6th, 2009
3:42 pm
Same old sorry azz !@#$%^ &*!@#$% Falcons
Get out while you can Mr. Blank
I have no idea why I thought this new group was going to be any better
Rod
December 6th, 2009
3:42 pm
ACTIVATE DJ SHOCKLEY from practice squad to starter.
Falcon 8211
December 6th, 2009
3:42 pm
worst game of smittys’ head coaching career. i thought u were better than this
ATLFALCON
December 6th, 2009
3:42 pm
BVG is not responsible for today, he actually kept this team in the game dispite the egg the offense laid. The offense is the issue this year combined with poor PERSONELL on defense, NOT COACHING. Funny how we put all our money into offense and still cant score. BUT this game is ultimaltely the result of injury and turnovers.
Jimmy
December 6th, 2009
3:42 pm
JTH:
What would you make the priority for the first round pick?
preston
December 6th, 2009
3:42 pm
You people take this waaaaaaaaaaaay to serious…….as Neal Boortz would say, how does anything that Mick Vick does affect or impact anybody’s life on this blog……but yet if I want to give the guy another chance at life, and support him, it drives people insane…..infact I have made one guy sick….lol……and he doesnt even know me……..dude if I saw you on the srteet in need of help, believe me your or my opinions about Vick would be the last thing on my mind.
darrell starks
December 6th, 2009
3:42 pm
WAY GO VICK DO YOUR THANG.
GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!
Falcon 8211
December 6th, 2009
3:42 pm
even the raiders r beating the steelers
VOR
December 6th, 2009
3:42 pm
“Can somebody give us a team that competes and builds from year to year?”
Did you think a team can completely rebuild their franchise from oblivion in one season? We have acquired some very good football players the last 2 years. The problem is we have more impact injuries than I believe I have ever seen on a football team. I think I am starting to believe in curses. It is really uncanny. This franchise is going in the right direction. The fan problem comes from Atlanta being the transplant capitol of the United States. Cleveland and Green Bay have great fans because who the heck wants to move there? Everyone here is from somewhere else and supports the Atlanta teams second or not at all. Hawks first place, lose 2 games and “they suck, same old hawks” Braves 14 straight pennants, one bad year and “they suck, fire cox, trade chipper” (although i agree about cox). I don’t know how Mark can be a sports reporter in this town. How do you do it? It is quite ridiculous.
J.J.M.
December 6th, 2009
3:43 pm
wow they are still chanting cant they see hes hurt
Reality
December 6th, 2009
3:43 pm
@PreyDawg you nailed it. I’ve said that all along. No malice towards Vick. I would settle for back to back winning seasons.
PMC
December 6th, 2009
3:43 pm
Ok. So I guess the right direction thing is finally out the window. This team is just not capable of doing anything good for any length of time. We are doomed to failure. This entire city is doomed to centuries of wretchedness and boredom.
80sFalcon
December 6th, 2009
3:43 pm
Kind of easy to key on one player if you don’t throw to anyone else.
Scott
December 6th, 2009
3:43 pm
Falcon 8211………….
Its not BVG, its ur offense buddy, Redman wouldn’t be 4th string on any team in this league, yet he is the backup on this team. Awful.
Great Falconi
December 6th, 2009
3:43 pm
Well, we’re used to seeing Vick get hurt. That’s normal.
Halimaw
December 6th, 2009
3:43 pm
Redman is the Western Union of quarterbacks, and not the Western Union that delivers money, but the one that sends telegraphs!
Manny
December 6th, 2009
3:44 pm
Alright, I’m about to pack it up and go home. Peace out, y’all!
FalconsHeroZero
December 6th, 2009
3:44 pm
“The sad part is I don’t see anything to build on on this defense”
___________________________________________________________________________
You’ve got a long wait.
I think that The Falcons became to enamored with finishing-off the perfect offense for QB Matt Ryan (by trading for TE Gonzalez) instead of spending money for defensive veterans.
Trusting young draft picks to grow-up in one season, or wake-up to save their careers is the same thing that has been going on for a long time here.
PMC
December 6th, 2009
3:44 pm
it’s too much to hope for decent sports franchises…… oh well Go Hawks.
Falcon Freddie
December 6th, 2009
3:44 pm
Sounds like “Sour Grapes” Mark. How are you going to spin this as a moral VicKtory tommorow?
Finished
December 6th, 2009
3:44 pm
This franchise continues to find ways to be pathetic. The ONE TIME we went all in, mortgaged the future to make a bold move, and the guy we drafted #1 turned out to be an underachieveing thug criminal who by his own admission didn’t spend time working on his game like the top QB’s do. AND STILL, that guy is back in our house today, outplaying our guys, rubbing our face in the fact that he screwed us.
Congrats, Vick fans. I’m sure you will be happy now.
We will finish under .500, again. Do we come back with Smith, Malarkey and Van Gorder to try it again next year? My confidence in this franchise continues to get kicked in the nuts everey time there is a ray of hope. I’m almost done after 30+ years…I can’t take it anymore.
JTH
December 6th, 2009
3:44 pm
“JTH:
What would you make the priority for the first round pick?”
I listed them in what I figured was the biggest needs, so if a good safety is available that’s what I would pick unless there is a no-brainer blue chipper still undrafted.
Big Ray
December 6th, 2009
3:44 pm
preston ,
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.
Sorry, I was watching the game at home. All I saw when the cameras were on him, was him flipping the bird at the stands. I’m sorry that I didn’t know it was meant for two specific people. Perhaps you have their names so that I can send them nasty grams for making Vick flip them off and look bad on national tv, seeing as how the whole situation was their fault.
In the meantime, while you were reading things into my posts that I didn’t put there, you’ve missed all the hell I’ve been giving Andy Reid for not playing Vick the way he did against us today. Reid has treated him like a cheap gimmick, despite Vick’s ability. But you can’t see that. As an ardent fan and supporter that you show yourself to be, you should be outraged by that. Vick still has capability, but he can’t get on the field for much of anything until he faces his former team, which had a suspect defense when it was still healthy.
Funny, I don’t hear YOU talking about that. I may not be a Vick-4-ever fan, but I can at least be objective about things.
I also seem to recall having posted a congratulations to him for scoring against us as well. Huh, guess you missed that too.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
December 6th, 2009
3:44 pm
HA HA……….Now it’s CLEAR who the 3rd string qb is
Geist
December 6th, 2009
3:45 pm
It’s clear that the ones booing the convict are the smart people, and had enough sense to go home when it was 27-0.
And it looks like the Falcons cracked his hand. HAHAHAHAHA
Matt Ryan is the future. Mike Vick will never be a starting QB in this league again.
Reality
December 6th, 2009
3:45 pm
@Preston No we don’t take it too seriously. We are NFL fans. All we want is a chance to compete for once…
Steven
December 6th, 2009
3:45 pm
Mark Bradley – They had NO BUSINESS putting Vick in this game. This is the most class-less act I’ve ever seen. Philly is totally taking advantage of the racial divide in Atlanta. It’s the most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen – and all for a win.
darrell starks
December 6th, 2009
3:45 pm
GOOD GAME REDMAN THE SAME OLD FALCONS.
GO FALCONS!!!!!!!
JSS
December 6th, 2009
3:45 pm
And on a serious note, I remember how certain posters are always saying other posters bring up race and racial issues on these blogs… Some people need to do some reflecting, it has not been brought up by anyone but some mean spirited individuals…
Von
December 6th, 2009
3:45 pm
OUCH MY BIG TOE HURTS!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Fair and Balanced
December 6th, 2009
3:45 pm
Oh MA-ARK! You see your bigots are all mad now and coming out because today went the opposite of what they hoped for!
Meanwhile...it keeps getting better
December 6th, 2009
3:45 pm
And now the Falcons D is making the backup running back look like Marion Barber.
PMC
December 6th, 2009
3:45 pm
I’ll say this, it’s absolutely utterly ridiculous that Mike Vick is not starting for some team next year when bums like Chris Redman have jobs.
Ryan Fitzpatrick…Chad Henne…. Mike should find a gig somewhere.
Tell it like it is
December 6th, 2009
3:45 pm
Who cares anymore?This team is pathedit and allways will be.
Falcon 8211
December 6th, 2009
3:45 pm
the only players on d are babs and lofton fire the rest of them
JD
December 6th, 2009
3:46 pm
Dawgs2009, thats ignorant on your part.
Falcon 8211
December 6th, 2009
3:46 pm
yeah scott our offense sucks too
JTH
December 6th, 2009
3:46 pm
“An open outdoor 55,000 people stadium would be just fine.”
Football wasnt invented to be played on carpet. Dome suck.
@David
December 6th, 2009
3:46 pm
David:
Anyone else find it funny the Vick supporters on this site are incapable of spelling words correctly or properly structuring a sentence?
LOL. Yeah, that is really hilarious. In fact, it is almost as funny as you trying to give a grammar lesson with your run-on sentence. You actually should have had a comma between “correctly” and “or.” No, really–chill out. This is a blog, not an English class. By the way, we can READ between the lines, and we know what you are really trying to say. It makes you appear more ignorant than those you taunt for spelling and grammatical errors. Let’s stick to football. Thanks.
skippy
December 6th, 2009
3:46 pm
This is the most gutless performance I can remember, now there’s a backup runningback gashing us
darrell starks
December 6th, 2009
3:47 pm
VICK WE MISS YOU COME BACK HOME.
GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!
treaddawg
December 6th, 2009
3:47 pm
“ACTIVATE DJ SHOCKLEY from practice squad to starter”
+1,000,000
MCook
December 6th, 2009
3:47 pm
The Saints are gonna kick the ever lovin crap out of this team…
Hawksfan
December 6th, 2009
3:47 pm
Sooooooooooooooooo………………………. how about those Hawks???
4thQuarterSurge
December 6th, 2009
3:47 pm
Mark, I’m hearing UGA in the Rose Bowl against Oregon. Any comment?
Cameron Peterson
December 6th, 2009
3:47 pm
THE FALCONS PLAYED THEIR WORST GAME OF THE SEASON THEY NEED TO DO BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!FML!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DawgFan
December 6th, 2009
3:48 pm
WELL I KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT LONG ENOUGH AFTER WATCHING THE FALCONS GAME
WHICH WAS IN ATLANTA AND THE FANS CHANTING VICKS NAME ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS
SHAME ON YOU PEOPLE YOU ALL NEED TO MOVE TO PHILADELPHIA WHERE THE
MIGHTY GOD VICK LIVES! ONCE AGAIN THE RICH GET REWARDED FOR COMITING A
CRIME.I CRIED WHEN MY DOG DIED OF OLD AGE HE KILLED THEM AND LAUGHED
ABOUT IT.AND YOU PEOPLE TREAT HIM LIKE A GOD.WELL I HAVE SAID MY PEACE SO
TO ALL OF YOU WHO WANT ME DEAD BECAUSE OF WHAT I SAID,MABEY ILL COME BACK
AS A DOG AND YOU CAN KILL ME. SINCERELY A FALCONS FAN ALL MY LIFE.
Men vs Boys
December 6th, 2009
3:48 pm
Falcons are gutless. They just don’t know how to win in clutch situations. Like little boys, they seem to just expect things to be given to them instead of going out and taking it. It’s never been more evident than in the comparison of these two defenses, One is aggressive and makes plays and turnovers, the other sits back and lets opposing quaterbacks pick them apart.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
December 6th, 2009
3:48 pm
A “Franchise” qb doesn’t become a cheerleader with the season on the line