Cowher-Vick 2009 Revisited
You didn’t think that was a one-night stand, did you? I’m so fired up for change that I even have a contingency plan: Billick-Losman 2009. Fired up, ready to go! Let’s get this kicked off with a little Michael Vick-related comedy…
Chris Rock has a point. What the dude did was terrible, but these were animals, not people. Animals like deer and, well, moose. Domesticated animals that I’m very fond of, but animals nonetheless. He made a mistake and he’s paying his debt to society. In fact, I think he’s paying for his crew’s mistakes more than his own. His biggest mistake, in my eyes, was allowing this thing to happen. I still don’t think it was his shindig. Why? Well, mostly, because Vick didn’t have the time, but also because what I’ve read leads me to think this was a guilt-by-association crime.
Did he like dogfighting? Yes, it seems like he did, and he definitely didn’t condone it. Still, I think he’s paying a hefty price for his actions. Look at guys like Leonard Little and Pacman Jones–guys who either killed people or crippled them, yet still walk around as free men and ball players–and tell me Vick is getting off easy.
Everyone also acts like Mike Vick is going to emerge from prison looking like Anthony Anderson. C’mon, people. This dude is quarantined from the rest of the prison population. Like Martha Stewart, Mike Tyson and Pete Rose, Vick doesn’t have it that rough right now. He’s basically staying in the penthouse of the Leavenworth Hilton.
You can also bet your ass that he is working out and running, and that those still in his corner are doing everything to help make that happen. After all, Vick is still quite a few people’s meal ticket. Additionally, he should be in good health. His diet may not be perfect, but he’s not drinking, smoking (anything) or absorbing the ginormous amount of punishment a running quarterback subjects himself to during a season, or in this case two seasons.
Now let’s look at some other counterpoints that have been thrown my way (and I’m paraphrasing here):
It will take at least two years for him to knock the rust of his game.
Yes, that’s true. But even those same people admit that drafting a quarterback is a commitment of three years or more.
It would be safer to just draft our own quarterback in the first round.
I loved Matt Ryan last draft, but even I realized the risk. Look at Jay Cutler’s draft; two other first-round quarterbacks were selected ahead of him in the top ten and both have been busts. Look at the class of ‘99; Daunte Culpepper (retired), Donovan McNabb and a near handful of busts like Akili Smith and Cade McNown. Or what if the guy we want goes right before we pick and we get Ryan Leaf instead of Peyton Manning. Additionally, the Chiefs can’t draft QBs. The last time a Chiefs-drafted QB won a game for the Chiefs was 1983, folks–Michael Jackson was still a black man and not a white woman! Who knows if Brodie Croyle will change that, or even be available to try.
Vick’s not that good of a quarterback.
Three Pro Bowls, the all-time single-season QB rushing record and a trip to the NFC Championship game (Trent Green never accomplished that). He also lead the league’s top rushing attack at least once playing alongside T.J. Duckett and Warrick Dunn–not exactly Larry Johnson and Priest Holmes. Also keep in mind that his receivers were garbage. All he had was a tight end named Alge Crumpler, which he built a great rapport with.
The fans would hate him.
Some, yes. But remember that his jersey has been the NFL’s top seller in the past. If Vick fulfilled his debt to society, came in, played well and was a role model, I would absolutely buy myself a Vick jersey (King Carl’s nipples just perked up Ishmael Boorg style). Sorry if I just hosed in your Cheerios, but I’m all about second chances. I’m guessing a lot of other fans are, too. Second chances can pay off. Chris Carter is the living embodiment of that. Personally, I’d rather have Villain Vick winning games than Cutie Pie Croyle losing with class.
Lastly, there are the excitement and predictability factors. We are the most boring and predictable offense in the National Football League, maybe this decade. Who is the one player who could change all of that and at a bargain price (Arthur Blank would just be happy to get anything for him at this point)? Vick. Watching Vick after what we have now would be like watching Batman & Robin on 19-inch antique television then going to see The Dark Knight on IMAX. At least Dick Vermiel’s teams were fun to watch.
I’m also still totally on the Bill Cowher train. But I actually agree with Jason Whitlock on his assessment that he’d only come back to K.C. if Carl was no longer in power. Oh well, Brian Billick is still out there, sitting in a booth, waiting for his phone to ring. Not only has he boasted the league’s top defense, but he was the engineer behind a 15-1 Vikings team with a potent offense led by a running QB (Randall Cunningham). Both have won Super Bowls as well, which I think holds sway with the players.
And if we can’t get Vick? Well, A.A. fave J.P. Losman will be a free agent. He’s got a big arm and is somewhat mobile.
I am actually starting to be on board with this. Mike Vick, coming out of prison, I would assume will have a pretty straight head on his shoulders (I know I would). Working out all the time is most likely what he is doing.
I laughed at this the first time around, and now I think its a great idea. What does that tell you about the status quo at One Arrowhead Drive?
October 8th, 2008 at 6:08 pmAdam, you missed the biggest counterpoint of them all. The fact that Vick sucks.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:04 pmAnd the fact that the Falcons won in spite of him.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:39 pmVick simply wasn’t that good a QB. He was undiciplined, erratic and his style was not condusive to longevity in the NFL. Let the Raiders go after him. I would rather have Kurt Warner than Michael Vick and I don’t like Warner.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:00 pmI would rather have a quarterback for the next 10-12 years that will be our franchise QB instead of Vick for a few years.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:24 amMichael Vick embraced by the heartland?…im just not seeing it. How about the raiders take him and we take fat boy jamarcus russell off their hands? haha
October 9th, 2008 at 10:12 amOne thing that has to be answered is that the Falcons won in spite of him? WTF? On who’s shoulders? Brian Finneran’s? Gimme a break. Vick’s playmaking carried the Falcons close to a Super Bowl, despite a coach that could give Harm a run for his money in the futility department.
A lot of Haterade sippin’ going on. Pit Bull owners maybe (I do like Pit Bulls, by the way…especially my nephew Walter!)? And I would rather have Vick for five or six years (he’s still young) than a Kyle Boeller bust for the same amount of time. Assuming we could draft a quarterback who would last 10-12 years is a pentecostal leap of faith. Chiefs, be saved!
October 9th, 2008 at 11:11 amI’m sorry, I just can’t wrap my mind around seeing him in a Chief’s uniform.
I always hated him. Never knew why. Probably because he was black.
And f*ck yes I am kidding. I’d hate to meet you guys some day and you all remember that statement without some sort of disclaimer.
October 9th, 2008 at 12:56 pmWhat value has Vick brought to the Falcons in the last 3 years he was in the league? 21 games started? Being sacked by more than anyone but Bears QBs in his “magical” 2004 season? The guy had two winning seasons, was a below average passer and was consistently injured. Keep referring back to one year, which will have been 5 years prior by the time he gets out of prison (and tack on another year for a likely suspension by Goodell), when he was a below average passer. He ran the ball well but at the expense of a high rate of interceptions and getting sacked.
This is turning into a passing league and Vick can’t pass! Teams that run well and can not pass are quickly becoming the minority.
And to say he’s relatively young really isn’t correct considering he’ll be pushing 30 by the time he could feasibly play again. And you want to keep him until he’s 35 or 36 when his skill set is largely dependent on his athleticism? No thank you.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:34 pmAnd the NFL, along with several teams, came out and said they were publicly embarrassed because of some comments that were nearly identical to what you said.
“They’re just dogs”…WTF?
re: “guilt by association crime”….you do know he’s in jail for betting on the dog fights and not because he was conducting them, right?
October 9th, 2008 at 2:43 pmHe has a great arm, and I’m guessing that not too dissimilar to how Jordan became a shooter instead of just a jumper, Vick could continue to make strides as a passer. I also just flat out don’t agree with the contention that he can’t pass. He’s always passed OK despite throwing to garbage receivers.
As for the Falcons, that franchise has never posted a winning record in back-to-back seasons. Fact. Blaming Vick for their ineptitude, especially pre-Blank, is like blaming K.G. for never leading the T-Wolves to the Finals.
Chiefs fans need to have an open mind about this, Losman, etc…, because there’s no guarantee that we’ll find a QB in the draft who will blossom into anything. That’s why I’m defending this so passionately. I just have serious doubts as to whether this franchise can identify and develop a top college QB prospect.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:43 pmAnd, yes, I do know why he’s in jail. And I know plenty of people who have bet on cockfights in Puerto Rico. Even a judge. It’s like nailing Al Capone for income tax invasion. The feds just wanted to make a statement, so they went after Vick and basically cut deals with everyone else. I love dogs, but let’s not act like he’s effing a serial murderer here. Clinton Portis and Chris Samuels got carried away with their comments, but I do think that people get carried away on the other side, too.
Yes, it’s terrible, but they aren’t human beings. This is a society that allows people (like Sarah Palin) to shoot wolves from helicopters. Is that any better? Society-wise, I just find the whole thing a little bit hypocritical. The same people who love Brodie Croyle’s huntin’ ass condemn Vick. Really, what’s the difference? That Vick and Co. were a little more crude and society has an affinity for dogs and not deer? Bambi’s just as cute as Benji, but we don’t eat Benji or put a collar on Bambi, so killing Bambi is cool, while killing Benji is not. By the way, I don’t think we should kill Benji, but I’m just making a point here.
Let’s stop treating the guy like Charlie Manson, folks. Really ridiculous. He’s paying his debt. Here’s hoping that none of you Vick haters/non-second chance givers ever makes a big mistake in life.
Stepping down from the soapbox until the next campaign post…
October 9th, 2008 at 2:52 pmre: Vick passing.
Adam, there’s no evidence that backs up your claim. I guess I just don’t understand. He was brought into the league because he could run and those skills will be diminishing very quickly.
This is becoming a throw first league. It’s a trend we’ll have to accept.
I agree with you about Losman. I think he would be a good spot here. And with regards to the draft, I’m not high on any of them, really. Definitely not a 1st rounder. I’d be fine with a stop gap until we find our guy or picking up someone in the 2nd or beyond this year.
Kinda off topic, I know, but to say that Jordan became a shooter instead of a jumper is also inaccurate. Look at his FG%. It steadily dropped from 1991 and beyond. The statistics support the opposite of your position.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:55 pmAnd I do agree with you in theory that we need someone to be excited about. I just happen to think Vick’s past performance would be counter productive to anything the Chiefs are trying to do
October 9th, 2008 at 2:57 pmWhat I’m saying is Jordan learned to be just as good, or at least arguably a more complete player, despite his athleticism diminishing a bit. So did Randall Cunningham. Make sense? I watched Jordan’s whole career, so the statistics are nice, but I think everyone understands what I’m getting at. He also started shooting more jumpers and driving less, which attributed to his FG% decline. Basically, as he got older he started taking more and more lower percentage shots. Make sense?
Vick isn’t Jordan, but I could see him making the same adjustments that Air and Randall made. Just wanted to explain that in a little more detail.
October 9th, 2008 at 3:00 pmYou’ve just compared Michael Vick to Michael Jordan
Congratu-fucking-lations.
October 9th, 2008 at 4:16 pmYeah Vick and Jordan are similar in their respective fields. Make sense?
October 9th, 2008 at 5:31 pmSimilar in what respect?
One was the best ever, the other’s in prison.
October 9th, 2008 at 9:47 pmI just got to jump in here and point out that killing wolves, deer, duck, wild whatever is a very well regulated form of conservation – in this country at least. Killing domesticated animals, e.g. “man’s best friend” is completely uncivilized. Big difference.
October 10th, 2008 at 8:46 am