More On Vick To The Eagles

I wanted to wait a day before writing a whole post on my thoughts on this, as mainly I was in a state of shock and disbelief last night and even still, I'm not totally sure I have truly wrapped my head around what just happened. I have made my argument countless times as to Vick being let back in the league and what not, but now, let's get over the fact that Vick signed with a team and let's take a look at what Vick means to the Eagles as a football player.

Michael Vick is an extremely athletic player, there is no doubt about it. But what will it take to bring him back to football shape? And how is his football shape? The only people who know the answer for sure are Tony Dungy and the Eagles coaching staff. He's been out of the league for 2 years now and when you are away from something for that long, a lot of what once came naturally can disappear like that when you are out in the field. It will definitley take some time for him to get re-acquainted with football and the final 2 pre-season games should prove vital for Vick (he's suspended for the next one). Besides, the Eagles know exactly what to expect out of Kevin Kolb and A.J. Feeley, the Eagles other 2 back-ups. There is nothing that one pre-season game will ever change about that. At the same time, though, how much do the Eagles want to push a guy in a real game when it's been a few years since he's been in one. All of that will be interesting to see.

And while I personally think that we should all move on with our lives, the fact of the matter is, the dog-fighting scandal is not going away and there are plans for mobilized protests outside of the Eagles practice facility, the Novacare Complex (If I were a betting man, I would guess that JamesCraven is there now) and that is no doubt an unwanted distraction.

Another thing is is that his going to Philadelphia is both a good and a bad thing. First the bad news for Vick: Philadelphia is an ultra-liberal city, arguably one of the most liberal cities in the country. And one of the beliefs of many liberals is the ethical treatment of animals and animal rights. Let's put it this way: if I were a betting man, I would bet that the majority of those going outside of the NovaCare Complex to protest the Vick signings are liberal. Now there is the good news about Vick coming to Philadelphia: the Eagles sell tickets no matter what. Through the good, the bad, and the ugly, people file in to Lincoln Financial Field. so while there may be large scale protests and such, unless the Eagles go Detroit Lions on us circa 2008, I would be surprised if the Linc is not sold out every game. And I can just about guarantee you that the last Eagles home game of the year will be a sellout regardless.......

And there is also the question of whether Vick is truly remorseful. I believe that he is. I think he learned from his mistake and is ready to move on with his life. But then again, if we are all being played, there will be no forgiving Vick again. He's got his 2nd chance, and I for one am more than happy about it, but if everyone, including Tony Dungy, Andy Reid, myself and everyone else who believes he deserves this opportunity are about to be betrayed and taken on the ride of their lives, then he won't be welcome back anymore. But I think Vick knows that. And he knows that this is his 2nd chance to right a terrible, terrible wrong. He's a smart guy and I believe he is a changed man.

Now as for what role Vick will assume in the system, he will be the back-up QB to Donovan McNabb. There will be no starting controversy. Unless he gets hurt, Donovan McNabb will be starting Week 1. But, at the same time, do not be surprised if Vick is more than just a back-up QB. He is definite a possibility to run take snaps in the wildcat formation. I said this somewhere last night (I forget where), but can you imagine the thoughts that go through an opposing defense when Donovan McNabb, DeSean Jackson, and Michael Vick are in the huddle together? And while the success is somewhat questionable, Andy Reid can design trick plays and pretty much everyone in the league knows that. Now DeSean Jackson is proving to the Eagles to be much more valuable than we ever thought he would be when we drafted him, so the odds that he would be taking snaps in the wildcat, especially now that we got Vick, is not great, but you can't ignore the fact that the Eagles did try it last year. Vick in the wildcat formation can be a very powerful weapon and is something that I am looking forward to seeing.

There is also the matter of when Michael Vick will start playing. As I mentioned above, he was suspended for yesterday's pre-season game and will be suspended for the next one, but he can play in the final 2. And then, Roger Goddell has 6 weeks to officially reinstate him in the league. And while there is little doubt that unless something catastrophic comes out, Vick will be reinstated, but there is a huge question of when. The Eagles will obviously petition Goddell to get him reinstated as soon as possible, but we all know Goddell and his knack for punishments, and subsequently, I would be surprised if Goddell allows him to play Week 1.

If McNabb had gone down with a season-ending injury and needed to place on IR and the Eagles brought in Vick to be the starter for the year, I would be a little hesitant about the move. But as a back-up QB and a threat out of the wildcat and to play WR (not that the Eagles need one) and RB is always out there with an athlete such as Vick, I truly do like this move. And besides, if he is back in strong football shape and even if it is only for a year or 2, if Vick is with the Eagles, he can't be harming us from another team. We'll have to see if he is still the same player he was back in Atlanta, but if he is, I'm sure glad he is on my team and not some other team. Bottom line is, from a football field standpoint: this is a low-risk, high reward move. If Vick does not pan out, we still have Kolb and A.J. Feeley, and while neither of them are anything special, they are there and we know what we are getting with them as they have both been with the organization for quite a while now (remember Feeley was an Eagle as rookie before leaving and then re-joining the team a few years ago).

The Eagles have just made things 10 times more interesting and for better or for worse, this is the biggest Philadelphia sports story since the Phillies won the World Series back in October.

Let me just say it again because I think I am still in a state of shock and disbelief: Michael Vick is now a Philadelphia Eagle. Holy cow. And as if this was not surreal enough: an hour ago we saw the great Tony Dungy at an Eagles press conference, another sight that I thought I would never see. Michael Vick is an Eagle......Holy cow.