REDEMPTION in PHILLY?
by Jon Hassinger"This puts me in a weird position."
Those were the first words out of my mouth, once I received the news that Michael Vick had signed with MY Philadelphia Eagles.
I have lived and died for at least 20 years with this team!
McNabb and Randall.
Rickey and T.O..
Kotite and Reid.
And frustrate me they have, but only because of their actions on the field.
But now, as a Philly fan, I am being forced to cheer a man who electrocuted, drowned, and hung dogs.
There is a difference between the hatred I have for Tom Brady....
vs. the hatred I have for Michael Vick.
As a sports fan, the hatred for Tom Brady is cloaked in respect. Aside from Joe Montana and Peyton Manning, Brady is the greatest quarterback I've ever seen. And I hate him, because he isn't on my team. However I don't wish anything negative on the man. I was happy when he went down with the season ending injury last year, only because it made the NFL more interesting. And I knew he'd be back the following season.
Vick is different. I actually never hated Vick as a sports fan, because for the most part the Eagles owned him. It was Vick's Falcons that we defeated in the NFC Championship 5 years ago to go to our second Super Bowl.
As a man Vick did something that I can forgive, but to cheer for him? Sheesh.
I would have loved it if he ended up on the Cowboys or Bengals, where most degenerates land (see Pacman Jones
and Chris Henry)
That way I could root against and hate him as a football player as well as a person. That would have been easier.
But now what?
What if Vick is the missing piece for my Eagles, who comes so close every year? What if he resurrects his career in Philadelphia and brings us our first ever Super Bowl Championship?
It's not impossible.
As Ocho Cinco said on Twitter, "Vick and McNabb on the same team?! Good luck game planning to stop that!"
My favorite television show of all time, L O S T, focuses on redemption. A plane crashes on a mysterious island, and several strangers are forced to deal with it's elements. But after 5 seasons, you realize that all of these characters were "lost" in life, and them crashing on the island has given them several chances at redemption.
Purpose. Redemption.
That's life.
And no matter what, it goes on...
So does Michael Vick deserve a chance at redemption? I think so.
Will I cheer him? Of course. He's now part of my team. I have no choice.
Will I boo him if he doesn't perform. You bet. I have no choice.
I will cheer him as a man who seeks redemption, and as a player who seeks to bring Philadelphia closer to it's first Super Bowl Championship.
You have to give him credit for coming to Philly, of all places.
Instead of going to Tampa Bay or San Fran, where the expectations for the team are very low, he comes to a town who's expectations over the past decade have been: 'Super Bowl or Die'.
He will now be under the microscope of the harsh Philly media and Philly fans.
So play your best, Vick! We're giving you a chance, not only to rebuild your career, but a legitimate chance at a ring.
Don't turn on us. Not even once.
Or else.
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August 14th, 2009 - 14:27
Thats well put Jon. I agree most people will look the other way for his misdeeds if he helps us get to the promise land.
August 14th, 2009 - 15:52
Well said. I would rather have a guy on our team who paid for his mistakes, rather than someone who paid to make his mistake go away.
Yes, what he was a part of is horrible (if he personally did those things or just was a part of dosent even matter to me)…but he was prosacuted and convicted, paid for his crime acording the the law, went bankrupt, and lost 2 years of his prime playing days.
As far as I am concerned, he paid his debt and should be allowed to try and get his (or a job) back. He just happens to be a freak athlete…if he was a scientest, would he be allowed to try and get back to a lab??
This is is second chance…and as he said in his press conferenece, “you only get ONE second chance.” He has a chance to contribute and eventually serve as a very good back up plan.
He is going to have his ass out in the community, with the old, do as I say, not as I did. If he helps the Birds win, he will be loved — if he makes this aobut him, and stars causing more of a scene than is already coming wiht him signing here, then he will get run out of town.
Good luck 7….