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
81Dawg
December 6th, 2009
2:03 pm
This offense has no chance, or no clue.
JSS
December 6th, 2009
2:04 pm
Chef, that is special… She came to our office party on Friday and I was astonished that this was the same girl who danced on my shoe tops 20 years ago….
Derrick Morgan, overrated? Sorry JD, he is a man!
81Dawg
December 6th, 2009
2:04 pm
Neither does the defense.
Mr Charlie
December 6th, 2009
2:04 pm
Chef, that is the amazing thing, from hte comments here, you would think we lived in Detroit.
Jamie
December 6th, 2009
2:04 pm
sad sad sad
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
2:04 pm
Lofton was beaten by Maclin and then missed a tackle. Not that Lofton can keep up with Maclin, who’s really quick.
David
December 6th, 2009
2:04 pm
This is truly pathetic. Eight yard passes turn into 70 yard gains for them. It’s just awful… didn’t Dimitroff say we upgraded on speed this year?
J.J.M.
December 6th, 2009
2:04 pm
lmaoooo 3rd QB norwood?
"Chef" Tim Dix
December 6th, 2009
2:04 pm
Spoke too soon.
Mr Charlie
December 6th, 2009
2:05 pm
Was that Peterson who missed that tackle? Who thought we would miss Brooking.
Eric C.
December 6th, 2009
2:05 pm
LantaFalcons…they could still finish 10-6, a long-shot but possible?
mountain_jim
December 6th, 2009
2:05 pm
Matt looking pretty good by comparison now, eh?
Sid
December 6th, 2009
2:05 pm
boy Redman sure is good at finding the Eagles Def lineman. the only TD he will complete will be to a Philadelphia Eagle. Mark, give the fans some credit. Would you have paid to watch these losers?
DHunt
December 6th, 2009
2:05 pm
We never ever get holding calls against the opposing offense. That’;s a big part of why we are getting no defensive line penetration.
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
2:05 pm
The screen pass isn’t a staple of the Mularkey offense, apparently. Don’t know why.
SRF
December 6th, 2009
2:05 pm
Where are all the Redman fans from last week ??? I thought he was better than Ryan ???
Defense is still HORRIBLE
JSS
December 6th, 2009
2:05 pm
Just imagine if Jackson was available too?
J.J.M.
December 6th, 2009
2:05 pm
im curious on the time of possession
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
2:05 pm
Touchdown. Penalty on the Eagles, though.
Halimaw
December 6th, 2009
2:06 pm
Chris Redman is a joke! For the @sshole that keeps bashing Ryan, you need to get back to work. That crack is not going to seel itself!
Jamie
December 6th, 2009
2:06 pm
Holding again!
jamesr1991
December 6th, 2009
2:06 pm
Barry’s in stripes today.
David
December 6th, 2009
2:06 pm
Mark,
I haven’t seen Mularkey run a screen this year. We’ve now played blitz happy Dallas, New Orleans, and Philadelphia, and I’m yet to see us run one screen to counteract it.
Halimaw
December 6th, 2009
2:06 pm
Excuse me SELL itself!
DHunt
December 6th, 2009
2:06 pm
Still refusing to call a HOLD on Philly O-Line
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
2:07 pm
Dropped by Maclin. The Eagles are trying everything to make this interesting.
"Chef" Tim Dix
December 6th, 2009
2:07 pm
Mr Charlie: We have evolved past the Detroit era. Mezazoic, I’m not so sure.
jesse james
December 6th, 2009
2:07 pm
I agree, where is DJ. I just don’t think he is a scout team type player that is just an insurance policy. He always did a good job. I know the injury didn’t help, but he might be a spark we need. I know one thing I hope the Falcons can get C.J. Spiller. He too me is the best college football player in America. The defensive lineman from Nebraska #93 is next.
preston
December 6th, 2009
2:07 pm
ok Redman looks totally different today than last week…….he played a lot more inspiring and with a sense of urgency last week………maybe it had something to do with playing a one win team…….maybe its the state of mind that comes along with knowing that you will be the starter for the next game…….maybe its playing against a tougher team…..or maybe he wants the fans to start cheering for Vick………but whatever it is he is not looking too good right now.
Sid
December 6th, 2009
2:07 pm
ERIC C whatever you are smoking I would like some. I see them winning maybe the Buffalo game and probably not that one. 7-9 and the streak continues.
Jamie
December 6th, 2009
2:07 pm
Philly is holding on every play, and no calls!
o-me
December 6th, 2009
2:07 pm
I wouldn’t pay to see Vick …times are hard and alot of people looking for jobs.
81Dawg
December 6th, 2009
2:07 pm
Falcons are lucky this game isn’t 24-0.
J.J.M.
December 6th, 2009
2:07 pm
I just think DJ can move out the pocket so the balls wont be tip all the time.
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
2:08 pm
Blitz worked. McNabb had to dump it.
Hard to believe this is still a two-score game.
"Chef" Tim Dix
December 6th, 2009
2:08 pm
On come Elam…
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
2:08 pm
Now, whether the Falcons are capable of scoring twice … that’s another matter.
Big Ray
December 6th, 2009
2:08 pm
At full strength, this could be a game. But missing so many starters? Not much chance.
Well, if nothing else, Vick may get some small measure of revenge….and probably without earning it.
A lot is said about the Mannings and Bradys of this game, and Favre remains a media darling.
But the truth is, Donovan McNabb is a damn good quarterback.
J.J.M.
December 6th, 2009
2:08 pm
falcons are lucky not to be down by 20 something
David
December 6th, 2009
2:09 pm
This is the most helpless I’ve ever felt in a two score game. Feels like the Eagles should be three or four scores right now.
Halimaw
December 6th, 2009
2:09 pm
The Falcons barely beat the worst team in football last week. Of course Redman can’t match his performance from then. He is playing an actual NFL team this week.
DHunt
December 6th, 2009
2:09 pm
This ain’t about Redmon playing badly. This is about offensive play calling that is ridiculous in the face of so much pressure. Like David said, where is the screen? Can we run a play that might be designed to counter the blitz? It certainly isn’t the three step drop, 2 deep pass route nonsense I keep seeing.
J.J.M.
December 6th, 2009
2:09 pm
im curious if the falcons get blownout by the 4th will vick play the rest of the game
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
2:10 pm
Time of possession is about like the SEC title game, I’d imagine. One team has had it pretty much all the time.
Dawgs2009
December 6th, 2009
2:10 pm
THE EMPTY SEATS ARE DUE TO MASSIVE LOSING STREAK WE HAVE BEEN ON. THIS TEAM IS IN SHAMBLES AND THE FANS FEEL LIKE IT IS 2003 OR 2007 ALL OVER AGAIN!
Mr Charlie
December 6th, 2009
2:10 pm
I agree, Philly is letting them hang around.
Sid
December 6th, 2009
2:10 pm
should be about 24-0 by now. just delaying the inevitable.
"Chef" Tim Dix
December 6th, 2009
2:10 pm
Weems time!
Mark Bradley
December 6th, 2009
2:11 pm
Eric Weems is really getting hit hard today.
Mr Charlie
December 6th, 2009
2:11 pm
Dawgs, ahh, we won last week and are undefeated (so far) at home….We shoulda signed Rossam