Vick’s troubles will dog Atlanta all season

By Darrell Laurant  |   Thursday, July 19, 2007  |  Comments( 21 )

Atlanta Falcons
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What a mess.

This is no minor embarrassment -- like being sued by a consensual sexual partner, or being suspected of bringing a minuscule amount of pot residue through an airport. What Michael Vick now faces is a felony, and a federal rap at that.

It's also the worst of both worlds for the Atlanta Falcons. Had Vick gotten injured in, say, a car wreck, and been lost for the season, the team could at least have taken a deep breath and moved on. Now, the uncertainty may last all season.

Even if Vick isn't suspended by the league, the postgame questions directed at him will probably be more about illegal dogfighting than a scintillating run or ill-advised pass. Every city the Falcons visit on the road, the questions will be the same.

Of course, Vick is still innocent until proven guilty, but that's not always the way it works in the world of big-time sports. There, perception is everything.

In April, Vick met with commissioner Roger Goodell and told him he had nothing to do with dogfighting, that it was all the fault of relatives and friends who had rented his property and did this behind his back.

Authority figures like Goodell don't appreciate being lied to, and if the evidence against Vick continues to mount, Goodell will continue to fume.

The league's statement on Tuesday was obviously carefully nuanced: "The activities alleged are cruel, degrading and illegal. Michael Vick's guilt has not yet been proven, and we believe that all concerned should allow the legal process to determine the facts. The matter will be reviewed under the league's Personal Conduct Policy."

In other words, the NFL doesn't want to railroad Vick before his trial, but it doesn't want to be picketed by PETA, either.

Numerous possibilities could play out here. Vick could plea-bargain, pay a huge fine, and pledge to spend the rest of his life speaking to groups on the evils of dogfighting. He could be found innocent. Or, he could be sent to the federal slammer for as long as five years (I'll bet all the football coaches at these institutions are salivating).

Whatever happens, though, it will be a gigantic distraction for the Falcons, because Vick is not just another player. The offense is built around him. The salary structure is built around him. The marketing campaign is built around him.

Should he be suspended, that will thrust Joey Harrington into the first-string quarterback role. Or, the Falcons could decide to trade for someone else, although that's probably unlikely unless Harrington gets hurt.

The ultimate irony would be if Vick were to be sidelined and D.J. Shockley were to step up as the new starter.

He's a former Georgia Bulldog.

Keep track of the Michael Vick saga and the rest of the Atlanta Falcons at RealFootball365.com
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CommentsComments: 21  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
davep		11:36 AM
07/19/2007
What a mess. I personally am offended by this whole thing. Nike sucks for standing by him, Goodell sucks for not suspending...
No.2
EastCoast9er		02:37 PM
07/19/2007
As more comes to light about all the horrible things that were done I am betting that Vick will first lose his endorsements and...
No.3
JAYDEE		02:40 PM
07/19/2007
Dude you suck because you don't know what alleged means. He has not said to be guilty in the court of law, which is how we judge...
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