Michael Vick Set to be Released from Jail

Michael Vick had it all. He was one of the NFL's brightest stars and most marketable players. He had just signed a multi-year contract worth about $130 million and was at the peak of what seemed to be a limitless career. Vick was supposed to end his career with the team that drafted him #1 overall in 2001 and go down as the greatest player in the history of the Atlanta Falcons franchise. Everything was bright indeed. But then came the dog-fighting scandal. Vick misled federal investigators and was sentenced to 23 months in prison. Vick and the Falcons were devastated by this incident and both of their futures were in limbo. Oh, and Vick just happened to be my favorite player on my favorite team. So my NFL fandom was also in limbo. But I digress...back to the story.

In two seasons without Vick, the Falcons saw themselves hit rock bottom, finishing 3-13 in 2007. That off-season Atlanta brought in a new GM in Thomas Dimitroff, a new head coach in Mike Smith, signed free agent RB Michael Turner and drafted QB Matt Ryan. These moves allowed the Falcons to start over and move towards putting their franchise back together. The result was a very successful 2008 season as Atlanta finished 11-5 and earned a playoff berth. The Falcons appear to have picked themselves up from this mess and have their future in place under this new regime. But what about Michael Vick? That will ultimately be determined by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

The first question is: Will Goodell even allow Vick to be re-instated to the league? The commissioner has stated before that he felt "betrayed" by Michael Vick, who had always denied the dog-fighting allegations and insisted to everyone that he was innocent of such charges. Recently, Goodell said that Vick would have to show that he was "truly remorseful" for his actions before deciding on his NFL future. You know Goodell is tired of all the negative publicity that surrounds players with legal troubles. In the end though, I believe that Mr. Goodell will arrive at the conclusion that all players deserve a second chance. I expect him to be hard on Michael Vick and institute some kind of "zero tolerance" policy with him.

Once that is settled, the only question remaining is: Which team will give Vick his second chance? Falcons owner Arthur Blank has said that he will support Vick's efforts for re-instatement, but made it clear that his future will have to be somewhere besides Atlanta. Any team that signs Vick will face PR backlash, but the bottom line is winning games. Vick is a proven winner and will receive several phone calls from teams that are at the very least interested, if not serious, about signing him. The 49ers are rumored to have been interested, you know the Cowboys and Raiders are always candidates to land a controversial figure, and teams like the Vikings and Rams could use a serviceable QB (or two).

We'll see what happens. I wish you well Michael, I hope you haven't given up. I know you are truly sorry for what happened and will get your life back in order. I'm as big a Matt Ryan fan as anyone, but the Michael Vick experience will always have a special place in Falcons lore. Good luck to you man.

Vick Sentenced to 2 Years in Jail

The NFL has quite possibly lost one of its all-time greatest athletes today after Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison today for crimes involving dog fighting. I am a die hard fan of the Atlanta Falcons, always have been, so this situation has been pretty difficult to deal with. I remember, watching Deion Sanders dominate football when I was growing up, which is what led to me liking the Falcons. Ironically, Vick is the greatest athlete that the NFL and the Atlanta Falcons have seen since Prime Time, but this jail sentence will most likely end his NFL playing career. After sitting out the 2007 and 2008 seasons, Vick is likely to face a 1 year suspension from the NFL for his actions and probably won't be able to suit up again until the 2010 season. There is a chance that teams like the Raiders and Broncos will give him a look (just ask Mike Williams or Maurice Clarett), but at age 30 and being 3 years removed from playing QB, the odds appear to be slim to none.

Vick has taken a mighty fall after being selected #1 overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. At the time, the Atlanta Falcons organization (and myself) believed that they had found their franchise QB. After 4 seasons in Atlanta, it appeared as though Vick would indeed become the team's savior. He guided the Falcons to the playoffs in his 1st year (2002) as a starter, only his 2nd year in the league, and instantly became a star. He helped Atlanta become the 1st team in NFL history to win a playoff game in Lambeau Field when they defeated the Packers 27-7 in the Wild Card Round. Unfortunately, they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional Round the following week, but he energized the fans and resurrected a franchise that had been struggling since making the Super Bowl during the '98-'99 season. In 2003, Vick broke his leg and missed most of the season, and could only watch as the Falcons finished 3-13 and the man that drafted him, head coach Dan Reeves, was fired. In 2004, Atlanta hired Jim Mora, Jr. as head coach and Vick returned with a vengeance to lead the Falcons to the NFC Championship game. Again, they lost to the Eagles, but Vick was only one game away from the Super Bowl, and for his efforts, he was rewarded with a $130 million contract that offseason. At the time, he was one of the league's most marketable players and had the richest contract ever.

Times were great right? He was at the peak of his career at age 24, but it did not last very long. Jim Mora's coaching staff did not seem to fully develop his talents, and the Falcons sputtered into mediocrity the next 2 season with records of (8-8) and (7-9), respectively. Dan Reeves was well on his way to grooming Vick into one of the greatest QB's of all-time, but his untimely injury in 2003 caused Reeves his job. This proved to be the turning point in Michael Vick's career. Mora brought in Greg Knapp as his offensive coordinator, and together, they tried to mold Vick into a West Coast Offense QB. The playcalling was questionable and often times conservative. Vick just needed to unleashed, but instead he became frustrated and received constant criticism from the media about his abilities as a passer. The 2006 season and this past offseason were filled with numerous off the field incidents, culminating with this dog fighting fiasco, and now he's left to ponder what to do with the rest of his life.

It is a truly sad story, such a waste of talent. One can only imagine, what if...what if he hadn't broken his leg in that meaningless preseason game in 2003? It's unfortunate what happened to those dogs, but I'm still 100 % behind you Mike. He never accepted credit during those very successful playoff runs, and never threw a teammate under the bus after a loss. He was a great teammate and did a lot for the City of Atlanta. Here's to you Mike, I wish you the best.

Photo of the Day: Mike Vick

The Art of Dogfighting

While Americans are caught up in new trends, such as DLP TV's, hybrid vehicles, and reality TV, there is a sport that many don't know about- Dog Fighting. Occurring historically across many cultures in many countries, this sport has been around for quite some time. And yes, dogs are more than just petting objects or intimidators. This entertaining bloodsport pits 2 tough (usually bred) dogs against each other in a survival match. Here are some facts and useful info on this emerging activity:

Technical Training: Like any athlete should know, victory doesn't find its way to your doorstep. You gotta earn it.

Treadmill- Pretty self explanatory. Dogs are placed on treadmills to build cardiovascular endurance and stamina.
Springpole- A large pole with a spring is attached to a tire or object so the animals can jump and dangle for periods of time. This helps to train jaw muscles and back leg strength.
Chain Training- Heavy chains are worn around the necks to build neck strength. Pretty simple technique. Dogs sometimes "jog" with weight on.
Bait Training- Animals or bait, are tied up while the dogs are allowed to rip them to shreds. This live mauling allows the dogs to build aggression and train for live attacks. Pretty amazing technique I might add. It also tends to build jaw strength and build confidence. In basketball, we all know getting to the free throw line can help shake a bad slump and build some confidence. Same technique applied here.
Drugs/ Supplements- Like humans, these dogs train properly with necessary vitamins and supplements taken orally or intravenously. A dog needs every edge he can get.

Game Training: They are now ready for the next step- scrimmaging.

Once these techniques are applied, dogs are further trained by owners pitting them against experienced dogs, where they are trained to lunge at other dogs through controlled brawling, or fights where dogs will not be seriously injured. This training is very similar to sparring, as boxers train. Once dogs are properly trained, they are unleashed against "veteran" dogs where their "GAMENESS" is observed. This "gameness" is a measure of aggression and strength when facing possible injury or defeat. This measure is critical in all sports and is often called in other sports, "having heart" or being "clutch", respectively. When these tests are confirmed, the dog is now a "gamer" and ready for matches.

The Substance: What the real story is all about.

In the United States, dog fighting is a felony in 48 states (misdemeanor in Idaho and Wyoming)and illegal across all of North America. However, dog fighting is practiced in Russia, Afghanistan, and Japan with consistency. Much attention has been brought to this sport as of late by quarterback Michael Vick, who has been called a "heavyweight" in this sport. Many people, especially animal rights activists, see this sport as cruel and in poor taste. I don't care to comment on the moral perspective of this subject, except to say that its pretty exciting and something important has been lost in all of this- the dog's rights as an athlete. Seriously. These dogs are trained gamers, putting in as much time in the weight room as superstar athletes in various sports. Where is the union, or the collective bargaining agreement? These dogs need representation, in the form of agents and entourages. Fuck horse racing- dogs are very under appreciated and need some respect because their game is tough and not everyone can make it to the top. Jockeys, or 4 foot French scumbags, get face time on NBC when their horse wins, but dog owners don't get credit when their dog wins a tough match. Instead, the owners get prosecuted. What the fuck is that about? Dog fighting is brutal and unhealthy? I can't think of a sport more unhealthy than NASCAR and they show that shit every weekend on national TV. Same thing with golf. Brutal is boxing's middle name and also UFC's calling card, but America is fascinated by both. One day, these dogs will get the respect they deserve, maybe even guaranteed contracts, but until then, all we have are the fight clubs.
[Source: The Internet and Wikipedia]