NFL Talk - 2010-11 Season

[Alidar Jarok]

Vick is a douchebag, and he always will be. Those were pretty despicable acts that I'm not really inclined to give him any amount of respect for. I will say good on him for enduring his punishment and appearing to put it all behind him and coming out looking like a pretty fantastic player, but that doesn't mean I have to like the guy.

And that's completely fair.

I thought the announcers did a reasonably even-handed job at this. They started by saying forgiveness is an immensely personal decision and everyone can decide for themselves whether or not to forgive him. Then they talked about the re-offender rate and how most people who go to prison don't set themselves back on the right track. Then they talked about Andy Reid's sons in prison and how Coach Reid decided to give him a chance to put himself on the right track. Since then, he's taken positive steps to make amends in addition to his jail time. Of course, he is contractually required to do so and, even if he weren't, would likely want to do so for positive publicity, but it isn't at least a positive step.

In the end, the only thing that can be said is that he did his time and he deserves the opportunity to have a second chance after atoning for his mistake. But, at the same time, if you don't want to forgive him, that's your right and no one should say you are wrong for feeling that way.

 

[Saquist]

In the end, the only thing that can be said is that he did his time and he deserves the opportunity to have a second chance after atoning for his mistake. But, at the same time, if you don't want to forgive him, that's your right and no one should say you are wrong for feeling that way.

Does a child molester deserve another chance around your kids
?
Does a murder deserve to another chance to use a gun responsibly.

Nah, it's to be earned or gifted.
All we "deserve" are those alienable human rights. I say he's used his second chance very well and I'm not going to hold a grudge until he sets a negative pattern.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I'm not saying Vick should be around dogs. If the murderer drove a bus before hand, does he deserve a chance to drive a bus again? I said he deserves an opportunity to start his life again. Would you prefer he stay in jail forever? Would you prefer he be denied the opportunity to hold any job ever again?

 

[archeryguy1701]

In the end, the only thing that can be said is that he did his time and he deserves the opportunity to have a second chance after atoning for his mistake. But, at the same time, if you don't want to forgive him, that's your right and no one should say you are wrong for feeling that way.

Does a child molester deserve another chance around your kids
?
Does a murder deserve to another chance to use a gun responsibly.

Nah, it's to be earned or gifted.
All we "deserve" are those alienable human rights. I say he's used his second chance very well and I'm not going to hold a grudge until he sets a negative pattern.

..... Wait. Are we comparing Vick getting to play football again to a child molester getting to babysit again or a murderer getting to buy a gun? For that matter, are we comparing Vick the Dog Fighter to those other two offenses?

 

[Dorian Thompson]

No, he's comparing Vick hypothetically being allowed to be around dogs again and using it as a comparison. If Vick ever touches another dog I hope someone gives him broken glass to gargle with. Yes, he has a legal right to seek gainful employment, but for myself and many it's just galling seeing him get to have his dream job after the brutal things he did. It sucks. But life isn't fair.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

That comparison would only make sense if that's what I said. I said he deserves another chance at employment and then he brought up the child molester and murder arguments. At best, it's a non-sequitur.

 

[Saquist]

No, he's comparing Vick hypothetically being allowed to be around dogs again and using it as a comparison. If Vick ever touches another dog I hope someone gives him broken glass to gargle with. Yes, he has a legal right to seek gainful employment, but for myself and many it's just galling seeing him get to have his dream job after the brutal things he did. It sucks. But life isn't fair.

Correct!

But remember too...Vick did everything to avoid his financial duties to the return the Falcon's Money that he forfeited by gambling, which is an established NFL clause for all involved, as well as attempted to secure holdings by buying homes and cars in the names of others to avoid the financial repercussions...

As well as lying to the Commissioner about his behavior (blatantly).

Of course Vick deserves to have a job. But he burned his last job. Lied, stole, and gambled in violation of the rules of that profession. If this had been any of us with a more common job we would be instantly non-rehire-able. It's because Vick's talents are exceptional and his potential for revenue is so high that he was given another opportunity and the same would be true of all people who are particularly talented in their field. That's business.

Someone gave him a second chance.
He didn't earn it. It was certainly a gift horse. And he's "apparently" making the best for it. My experience is that many people won't change without a very large shake up in their life. Death of family, or a near death experience, crushing financial lost, captivity or prison to make them appreciate what they have and life in general.

I think Vick got that.

 

[SmoothieX]

Oh man I need it to be 4:15 tomorrow. I got Pats-Colts on the brain.

Despite all the injuries, I got this horrible feeling Manning will carve up the Pats young and inexperienced D.

I find it helps to have horrible feelings about Pats games. The last time I had a good feeling about one was the Cleveland game where they bent over and laid a steamer.

 

[Pegaritaville]

Got tickets for the Packers/Vikings game. They're supposed to be good seats, but at the Metrodome, that doesn't mean a whole lot.

 

[SmoothieX]

Nice!

I got tickets to Pats-Jets on MNF in a couple weeks. Gonna be a chilly one...

 

[1001001]

I'll be interested to see what my Rams can do against Atlanta today.

We can't win on the road (4 losses by a total of 10 points), and have beaten mediocre teams at home.

The Falcons present a real challenge and a real opportunity to step it up. Bradford has got to find a way to get the ball down field.

After this the Rams have three straight road games, so we'd better enjoy the home cooking while we can. I think realistically right now the Rams are looking at 6-10, maybe 7-9 with some luck.

Still, I'll take it. This team is very much improved, and if we had some healthy wide receivers, well...who knows.

 

[Aragorn]

Deadspin's worst 100 NFL players of all time (which, naturally, is more about failing to live up to the hype than anything else):

100-51

50-1

Some highlights:

87. Michael Booker; cornerback; Falcons, Titans; 1997-2001: Atlanta used the 11th pick in the 1997 draft on Booker, then learned that he didn't really care for professional football. Started only 10 games as a pro before retiring with casual indifference.

52. Browning Nagle; quarterback; Jets, Colts, Falcons; 1991-96: In the early 1990s, all Jet fans heard about was Nagle's big arm. Then, in 1992, he started 13 games, and his big arm — which really was quite big — had no touch or accuracy. Seven touchdowns, 17 picks, zero future.

41. Brian Bosworth; linebacker; Seahawks; 1987-89: For a second, people bought the hype. The Mohawk, the trash talk, the swagger. Then Bo Jackson ran him over, and Seattle fans seemed to realize they were watching a (very) poor man's Stan Blinka.

37. Freddie Mitchell; wide receiver; Eagles; 2001-04: Though probably not the worst receiver in NFL history, Mitchell is definitely the worst receiver in NFL history to talk nonstop trash. After the Patriots defeated the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX, Bill Belichick, who never utters anything of note, said of Mitchell: "All he does is talk. He's terrible, and you can print that. I was happy when he was in the game."

6. Ryan Leaf; quarterback; Chargers, Cowboys; 1998, 2000-01: To call Leaf a bust is unfair to the Blair Thomases and David Carrs of the world. Leaf wasn't merely a bust. As a rookie he threw two touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Think about that — two and 15. And he was the No. 2 overall pick. And No. 1 was Peyton Manning. And he was a dolt. And …

 

[1001001]

They should change the name of the Fox Pre-Game show to "The Michael Vick Dick Sucking Pageant".

Talk about overkill...

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I'll point out what I pointed out last week. He did have a statistically good game. I'm sure they praised the last QB to play that well as well.

 

[tomalak301]

They should change the name of the Fox Pre-Game show to "The Michael Vick Dick Sucking Pageant".

Talk about overkill...

That was the entire media all week long. It was terrible.

 

[Timby]

Vick ran for about as many yards as a random team's running back does in a single game, scoring two touchdowns in the process, and then tossed for a fuckton of yards and four more touchdowns. You don't have to like the guy to say, "God damn, he is tearing the field up right now."

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Besides, this is a big game tonight. Eagles-Giants games always draw attention. With Vick's game last week, the Giants losing to the Cowboys, and first place in the NFC East on the line, it's a big deal. The question of whether Vick can repeat last week or if the Giants can stop him is a worthwhile question to ask.

 

[IndyJones]

As a Packers fan who's been pretty pissed at Favre for the past few years, it's just sad watching him like this.

 

[archeryguy1701]

I think the Buf-Cin game is exactly why you don't let off the gas when you're ahead big at halftime. A Bengals 31-14 lead at halftime is now a Bills 42-31 lead.

 

[Data Holmes]

J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jets!

Sorry Houston. You got this close

But still lost.