MySportsSanctuary

There has been a buzz through the internet and in chat rooms about the hero’s welcome that Philadelphia Eagles recently signed QB Michael Vick received when he entered the game against the Jaguars in an exhibition game. And every time the electrifying athlete got under center, the Philly faithful held their breaths with anticipation waiting for him to unleash one of his trademark runs. Even though that never materialized, the imagination of many seemed to outweigh the huge conundrum head coach Andy Reid will have in the coming weeks.

First, Vick isn’t fully reinstated to play in the regular season. If the commissioner Roger Goodell holds to his firm form, we won’t see the quarterback until October. The other problem is how to integrate Vick’s talent into an Eagle machine that scored over 400 points last season and have a solid starter in Donovan McNabb. Most of the Eagles offense during Vick’s debut was out of sync and it could be attributed to the switching in and out of QB’s.

Personally I think Andy Reid did the right thing in bringing Vick in just to get his feet wet and limit his snaps. No one in their right mind would think that Donovan’s job is in jeopardy. The only way he, meaning Vick, will see significant time is if the Eagles are ahead by a lot or McNabb is either struggling or is injured. This offensive machine is fine tuned and really don’t need any tweaks. If anything was needed, it was a wide receiver or two, but not a backup QB. McNabb’s durability was questioned prior to last season when he played in all 19 games including the playoffs which featured two road wins over division champs and his fifth NFC championship game. All you can ask of Reid is to give Vick a package of plays to spell McNabb or to jumpstart the offense if it is sputtering.

The Eagles fans are always going to root for the underdog. Vick is facing huge obstacles outside of sports as well as on the field. Thinking of Vick unseating McNabb is a thought that shouldn’t be given serious consideration at all.

In a town where cheese steaks rule and Rocky is King, the Eagles adding former crown jewel turned convicted felon Michael Vick to their team is the type of story Philadelphians may come to love or hate. Vick, the legendary Virginia Tech star who was the number one overall pick in NFL’s 2001 draft, had it all. The skill set unseen at the quarterback spot in the NFL’s 80 year history with blazing speed and a cannon for an arm. The Atlanta Falcon gave him a $130 million contract, the largest ever and enough for Vick to buy all the Georgia peaches he wanted. He also bought trouble and it wasn’t the kind that good girls fall for.

Vick was convicted of running a heinous dogfighting outfit in VA where dogs were forced to fight to the death, and if they refused the dogs, injured or not, would die at the hands of him and his ‘associates.’ Electrocuting and drowning helpless dogs is enough to turn anyone’s stomach. And with the scope of dog and animal lovers placed squarely on him and the legal system, the judge hammered him with a two year sentence. No football, no money, and no freedom. The Michael Vick Experience went from a dream to a nightmare faster than his forty time.

Some in society would want nothing more than to bury this man and never let him see the light of day. PETA and the protesters vowed to make the life of Vick and the businesses of the National Football League and any team who signed him miserable. Granted they have every right to be upset with him, and they don’t have to be his friend, much less like him. However, he did his time that was handed to him and now he should be given a chance to become a productive member of society, and it so happens that the Eagles felt he could be an asset to their team.

This story hinges on one singular factor more than him speaking out on dogfighting and doing charity work. Everything from the fans dislike of the move to the protesters backing away stands on one monumental aspect. Can Michael Vick still play? If he dazzles the crowd like he did in Atlanta for 6 years, then they may start to forgive him. The Eagles made it to the NFC championship game and since T.O left, it seemed all McNabb needed throughout his career is one more person who can be a playmaker. If he can’t play, it won’t matter if he turns into a saint. He won’t last long. Even though the Eagles have a great coach, a strong organization and a fabulous starting QB, the biggest threat may come from their fans. This town turned on Iverson and Barkley and they even booed Santa Claus once. Despite all of the negative aspect of this story, if the Eagles have signed the old Michael Vick (on the field), we may see them playing football in February.

Michael Crabtree, a rookie wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, is contemplating a move for the ages. He is threatening to hold out…no that would be too nice to the niners. Mr. Crabtree is threatening to sit out the entire year (preseason, season, playoffs, you get the picture) and no that isn’t the best part. It seems Mister ‘Texas Longhorn Dream killer’ is thinking about a do-over with the class of 2010. Yup, he is considering going through the draft again because he likes it? No, he wants to be the highest paid receiver among rookies. Can someone please point out the logic in that move to me?

Personally I think Michael Crabtree, the standout from Texas Tech, was the best receiver in the draft. Many others thought so too, but one person thought different. Al Davis. He took Maryland’s WR Darrius Heyward-Bey with the seventh pick in last April’s draft, the first ball catcher off the board. Crabtree slid to tenth. He, talking about Crabtree, feels that he is the better wideout of the two, and he should be paid more than Heyward-Bey. Talk about having a pair!

Not only is he saying he is a superior wideout than Heyward-Bey, but now he is telling the Niners to fork over more than the $23.5 million that Al Davis guaranteed to his No. 1 pick. To Heyward-Bey’s defense, he did have the fastest time among wide receivers at the combine (Crabtree was hurt) at 4.30, tied with K-State’s Yamon Figurs. He didn’t benefit from a pass-happy offense like the aerial juggernaut at Texas Tech. I would have to say ANY receiver in that offense would put up monster numbers. However, Crabtree is different.

The two-time Biletnikoff winner provided one of the most spectacular moments in college football history by catching the game winning touchdown with seconds left, stunning Texas and handing the Longhorns their only defeat last season. He is widely regarded as having the best hands among the receivers however his foot injury scared some people off.

This goes beyond stats and forty times. Crabtree’s a rookie. He is going to get paid tens of millions of dollars before playing a single NFL snap. There are ten year veterans probably making the minimum. Oh, and if he decided to go back into the draft…oops, the 49ers owns his rights. He can’t tryout with another team unless they release him. I wonder if his adviser remembered that before he spoke to the media.

Besides, the adviser is his cousin! Not saying his relative isn’t worthy, but usually family members have your personal feelings as their best interest, and rarely the business side. If he did, he would know this would ruin his career. Let’s just the Earth would stop rotating just for Crabtree to get his wish, what GM would want to take on a personality like that? In San Fran, he is already making a name for himself, and Beyonce made a song about it! Diva!