I guess I have to weigh in on the Eagles signing Michael Vick… right? OK, let’s keep this short.
Here’s what bothers me about it – for a brief moment the Eagles’ big news knocked the baseball coverage out of the top spot in Philly news. That will change when Pedro pitches at home for the first time on Tuesday night, and then again next Sunday when he faces the Mets, but yeah… it’s never good when folks pay attention to things other than baseball.
Then again, it’s not like I notice. Here in the baseball bubble, there are rarely things that penetrate the inner sanctum. You should see when some of us attempt to do a fantasy football league -- when did Joe Montana stop playing?
Nevertheless, as a father of two boys, a vegetarian and a life-long owner of dogs (and a few cats and gold fish), I’m pretty disgusted by the crimes committed by Michael Vick. Hell, who isn’t?
But here’s the thing – the justice system worked. The man was caught, went through due process, paid his penalty and served his time and according to the penal system, has been rehabilitated. Nearly two years in Federal [phrase from Office Space] Prison should do the trick. That’s especially the case when O.J. Simpson and Donte Stallworth combined to serve less than a month for the deaths of three human beings.
As the comedian D.L. Hughley said, “I bet O.J. is looking at Michael Vick and thinking, ‘Damn, I’m glad I didn’t [mess] with dogs.’”
Frankly, I’m more offended by the ravages of a war started by faulty intelligence, lies and broken laws than anything else, but you know, that’s me.
Of course this isn’t to belittle the crimes Vick committed. Not in the lest. However, I don’t belittle the time he served for those crimes, either.
Nevertheless, from a PR standpoint I don’t understand what the Eagles are doing. I just don’t get it unless they subscribe to the theory that any press is good press. After all, the Eagles franchise is hardly the gold standard in the Philadelphia sporting public. Amongst the four major pro sports (yes, I’m counting hockey), the Eagles losing drought is going on 50 years.
Seriously, the Eagles haven’t been champions of the NFL in 50 years. Fifty years! Since the 1960 NFL Championship, the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies have all won their sports’ titles twice.
Go figure that the biggest losers are also the most popular in Philadelphia.
You can count on one thing – if Michael Vick can still play football and he helps the Eagles win games and a championship, the angry furor will turn into loud cheers. It’s not like there are 70,000 people turning in their season tickets because the Eagles signed Michael Vick. Sure, some sponsors might be upset, but as long as the team continues to fill the stadium and win games, that (phony) indignation by some corporations will be nothing more than hot air.
Anyway, the PR stuff makes for a weird situation with the Eagles. But from a football standpoint maybe Vick adds a unique dimension to the team, so in that regard give the football people some credit for innovative thinking. It could be like the Phillies signing Pedro Martinez in that if he can pitch, great… if not, well, they can always get someone else.
Right?
Hey, it’s baseball season. I’ll look at other sports in November.