Michael Vick: 10 Reasons Why the World Should Have His Back This Year
Michael Vick continues to impress week after week this year, and his Thursday night performance against the Houston Texans was no exception.
After adding Thursday's great performance, Vick remains the highest rated passer in the NFL, and for good reason.
For the most part, Vick seems unstoppable.
Some people out there, though, still have their trepidations about following Michael Vick for a number of reasons.
Well, in the latest string of attempts to convince you otherwise, here are 10 reasons why you should start becoming a fan of No. 7 this year (and for the next few, for that matter).
The Disclaimer Slide
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Due to the incredible outpouring of comments that I have received, I felt like I needed to come back an add something of a disclaimer to the following slide show by adding two comments.
1. I am a dog lover, and I'm sure most of you who are reading this are as well. Thus, bringing up Michael Vick's criminal past is always a touchy subject. Please forgive the snarky humor if it offends you. The criminal actions of Michael Vick's acts are not excusable.
2. I may not have made myself clear, so allow me this: by redemption, I don't mean that he has completely vindicated his criminal past. That is something that he may never live down. However, Michael Vick has come an awfully long way since his return from prison, both as a player and as a person. This is what I am referring to.
With all that out of the way, I hope you enjoy the article.
10. Quarterback Intrigue in Philadelphia
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You all remember this guy, right?
Well, in case you don't, this is Donovan McNabb. You know, the former starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles?
There's the dawning of realization that I was waiting for.
This offseason was a funny time in terms of watching the Philadelphia Eagles make personnel moves, and it was almost solely because of their quarterback controversy.
The Eagles were so desperate to offload McNabb (who, by all accounts, should've stayed and ended his career in Philly) that they shipped him off to a team in their own division.
As if that wasn't enough to cause a stir, the Eagles named Kevin Kolb as their quarterback of the future, despite the fact that they really didn't have much convincing evidence behind that concept.
When the season finally came around, Kolb was the starting quarterback, but Vick took over as the starter after Kolb suffered a concussion in Week 1. Strange, but the plot thickens. Kolb takes over for three weeks at Week 5.
Vick then comes out of the bye week as the starter, and no one has had any doubts since then about who should be the starter in Philly.
This kind of entertainment almost seems like it should be reserved for a reality TV show.
9. Big Games
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The Eagles' schedule doesn't look terribly interesting over the next four weeks:
At Dallas, at New York (Giants), vs. Minnesota and vs. Dallas again.
But there's something deeper here.
Three of these four games are divisional games.
The plot thickens.
The New York Giants had Philly's number in their last meeting, and the fact that their next meeting will be at the New Meadowlands Stadium means that we could be in for one heck of a game.
As for the other three, I still abide by the interim head coach rule, i.e. always expect upsets with a team being coached by an interim head coach.
Jason Garrett seems to have returned the life to Dallas, and they are now as physical and competitive as they should've been all season.
As for Leslie Frazier in Minnesota, well, if he can get Brett Favre to run upfield with the football, it's hard to think that there is anything he can't do.
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8. The Eagles Are Aiming High
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Sure, the Eagles went 11-5 last season, so this year's team doesn't look like anything special as far as regular season record goes.
The difference maker here is the postseason. The Eagles unceremoniously exited the playoffs last year and handed the Dallas Cowboys their first playoff win since the Emmitt Smith era.
This year, though? There is an argument to be made that the Philadelphia Eagles are headed to the Big Show and could be walking away with the Lombardi Trophy at the end of it all.
7. He's a Philadelphia Sports Hero
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I hate to bring this up to Philadelphia sports fans, but the sports world hasn't been particularly kind to them recently.
First, the Eagles exit the playoffs after one game last year. Then the Philadelphia Flyers got thrashed by the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals. Then the Philadelphia Phillies lost to future World Series champions the San Francisco Giants.
The worst part about all of this is the fact that all of those teams were so close to going all the way that the losses were that much harder.
The Eagles this year, though, are poised to put all that behind them. They look like a potential team of destiny to me.
6. The Michael Vick to DeSean Jackson Connection
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So many people talk about Philip Rivers to Vincent Jackson (or Antonio Gates), Peyton Manning to Reggie Wayne and Matt Schaub to Andre Johnson.
My question is, where's the respect for this quarterback-wide receiver tandem?
The Vick to Jackson connection may get a lot of attention during games, but I think it's about time that we start recognizing it as one of the best QB-WR tandems in the NFL right now.
5. Disney Is Watching
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This one is only partially a joke.
Seriously, though, am I the only one who thinks that Michael Vick's life would make a great Disney movie? He's a superstar in college who tears it up in his first years in the pros.
Then he slips up. He makes a big mistake and suffers the punishment for it. While in jail, though, he meets a kindly inmate who shows him the error of his ways and leads him on the path to redemption.
He delivers some great speeches on his way to being reinstated in the NFL, he plays as a backup in Philly for a while and then the movie ends with Vick coming out of the tunnel being introduced as their starting quarterback to a cheering crowd.
Yep, sounds like a Disney movie to me.
4. The MVP
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At this point in the season, I find it hard to peg anyone else as the MVP this season.
Sure, Philip Rivers is playing great football with a constantly changing supporting cast. Sure, Matt Ryan has led the Falcons to a 9-2 record. Sure, Arian Foster continues to tear it up every week.
But have you looked at Michael Vick's numbers recently?
15 touchdowns to two interceptions.
Highest QB rating in the NFL.
He seems like the MVP to me.
3. Adding Another Star to Andy Reid's Legacy
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Andy Reid has done a lot of great things during his time as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, but this year could very well end up being the crown jewel.
He has helped rehabilitate a player to the point where he has become a star quarterback and is leading his team straight towards the playoffs.
If he wins the Super Bowl this year, how could you not consider Reid one of the best coaches to come along in a long time?
It goes in line with the Disney story: Andy Reid is that guy that has faith in Michael Vick from the very beginning, and he quietly does everything he can to help him become the guy once again.
2. The Most Exciting Player in Football
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Plenty of people have said it already, and I will officially mirror their statements: Michael Vick is the most exciting player in the NFL right now, and possibly one of the most exciting of all time.
Whether you agree with what he did in his past or not doesn't matter. When he steps on that field, you just have to watch, because you know that he always has the potential to break off a big run or hurl a 60- or 70-yard touchdown.
As far as I'm concerned, if I were the NFL, I'd be giving the Eagles more marquee matchups. Vick just makes games a lot more fun to watch.
1. The Redemption Factor
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There's something truly touching about the story of Michael Vick.
He goes to jail, which subsequently ends his career with the Atlanta Falcons and should have ended his career in the NFL by all means.
However, Vick makes an impassioned appeal to the higher-ups and is allowed to reenter the league. No team was willing to give him a starting position, but the Eagles were ready to take a chance.
They brought him on as a backup in his big return to the NFL, and he has worked his way back up to the starting level since then through nothing more than hard work.
As if his professional success wasn't enough, Vick has also reformed his public image and now seems to be one of the most likable guys around.
I know people still have their fears that he is a bad role model, but it seems fair to say that a lot of that bad stuff is in his past.
It's time to start liking Vick again, if only because he has clawed his way back up with nothing more than honest hard work and change.
Questions? Comments? Concerns?
12 of 12The comments section is calling your name.
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