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VICKSVILLE - Let’s go there today. But let’s keep up the good manners we’ve been working on this offseason.

Fussing is fine. Cussing is not.

Two of my favorite folks in the NFL - Gil Brandt and Jamie Dukes - shared their very different views on

Michael Vick’s possible return to the National Football League.


Former Falcon DeAngelo Hall was fined for supporting Michael Vick.
Let’s look at some of the issues:

SHAKING OFF THE RUST: Vick has not played since Dec. 31, 2006 against the Philadelphia Eagles, when he left the game with an ankle injury giving way to Matt Schaub.

He was working out in Bobby Petrino’s offense over the 2007 offseason when the federal dogfighting case broke.

“It will be a challenge, but I’m not nearly as concerned about that,” said Dukes, an analyst with the NFL Network and former player.

Brandt, the former Dallas personnel man, shared a story about a linebacker the Cowboys drafted out of Missouri, who went into the service for two years.

“When he came back he was just not the same,” Brandt said. “I think it’s like somebody that drops out of school for two years and then they try to recover their study habits, it’s very, very hard. . . .


NFL Network's Jamie Dukes.
“I just think it’s really hard for a guy that is away and misses two years to get back up to speed and realize that you have to work to be successful because you lose that edge.”

THE WILDCAT OFFENSE: Most have contended that Vick could come back as a Wildcat offense quarterback.

“The spread helps him get a job,” Brandt said. “If and when he’s cleared. He can do that pretty well because of the fact that he can run so well.”

Dukes thinks that with teams - like the Falcons - emphasizing the running game, that Vick is a fit for any run-heavy attack.

“Look at the Falcons and their success,” Dukes said. “Most teams think if we can play good defense and run the football, we are going to be successful. So what Michael brings to the game. . . is you’re going to have one of the top three rushing offenses in the league. That’s just fact. Every year he’s played that number speaks for itself.”

VICK LACK OF PASSING PROWESS: Vick has a lively arm, but he was still developing as a passer. Former


The infamous trick water bottle from Miami International Airport. (D. ORLANDO LEDBETTER/AJC)
coach Bobby Petrino would have helped him along if things had worked out.

“Some might say he’s not a career 60 percent passer; are we going to ignore the yardage that he gets running the football?,” Dukes said. “Are we going to ignore all of the other things that he does?

“He’s not the prototypical NFL quarterback, but that does not mean that he’s not a good quarterback. He still will be a good quarterback.”

Brandt never liked Vick as a passer.

“At Virginia Tech, he hit 56 point something of his passes,” Brandt said. “Which is not very good. His brother (Marcus) who wasn’t even considered a good passer and hit 59, almost 60 percent of his passes. In the Wildcat formation, that is probably where he has to be if he’s going to be on offense.”

CAN VICK STILL PACK THE STANDS: It’s no league secret that for years before Vick arrived, selling out Falcons game was a difficult task. TV blackouts have a place in local Falcon lore.

“Vick is recession proof,” Dukes said. “That is the one thing that I can say about him that people forget. If he’s going to play, he’s going to pack out whatever stadium he’s going in.

“How many members of PETA are actually season ticket holders? You where here with the Falcons fans when this thing went down. You saw that the season ticket holders wanted Michael Vick back.

“They understood that he did something terrible and they understood that he needed to pay some form of a price for what he did. But they wanted him. This wasn’t a racial issue, black, white or purple. Falcon fans, season ticket holders, wanted their quarterback.

“So whatever team he goes to, those fans are going to want their quarterback to play. Especially, if their quarterback position is poor. Are you telling me that Michael Vick won’t go into St. Louis, where they are worried about selling tickets and sell that place out? You are telling me that if he went to Kansas City that he wouldn’t pack that place out? I know they just got Matt Cassel, but before that. If he went to Detroit he would pack that joint.”

Cleveland and San Francisco are two other quarterback-needy teams Dukes mentioned. (Hey, Cleveland does have the Dawg Pound, too! I know, bad joke.)


Vick could smile back during OTAs in July of 07 before the dogfighting case broke. (CURTIS COMPTON/AJC)

POSITION CHANGE: Agent Joel Segal and Vick’s camp are not considering a position change to wide receiver, running back or defensive back.

Brandt thinks that might not be wise.

“I don’t know if you can teach a guy to back pedal, but he’s an athlete,” Brandt said. “He might be a corner because of his speed and athletic ability. Because of his running ability, he might be a running back. There will be opportunities for him, but I think it will be extremely hard for him to come back as a quarterback.”

Vick is a quarterback in Dukes’ book.

“He’s not Peyton Manning, but you know what, he’s got some things that Peyton Manning doesn’t have,” Dukes said. “Peyton has some things in the passing game that Mike doesn’t have. Nevertheless, he’s a very effective quarterback. . .




“That guy can play quarterback. He’s not Steve Young in the West Coast offense, but guess what, who is? He is a good enough quarterback.

“His numbers are pretty darn good, when you compare it to some of the bums who have played the quarterback position. This guy wins games.”


THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES: For us folks that have covered the Vick case from the beginning, we know about the substantial role The Humane Society of the United States played in helping to convict Vick.

PETA does all of the protesting, but the well-financed Humane Society does the heavy-lifting.

It’s ironic now that they now may play a role in helping Vick cleanse his reputation.

Damn Gus....Dat pic is bigger than the real Vick

Big news flash!!! Jamie Dukes is in Vick's corner.

Answer to the question......Yes, the Falcons are making the right decision.

The mistake I think a lot of people are making about VIck is they assume he'll be given an opportunity. Vick was given $130 million chances to succeed here in Atlanta. He won't get that chance elsewhere. When he's dumped, more than likely I expect most teams to be talking about a veteran minimum salary with a chance to compete for a roster spot. No guarantees. He'll have to prove he belongs on the roster.

Brandt, the former Dallas personnel man, shared a story about a linebacker the Cowboys drafted out of Missouri, who went into the service for two years.

“When he came back he was just not the same,” Brandt said. “I think it’s like somebody that drops out of school for two years and then they try to recover their study habits?
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Geez, of all people to make this statemet, the guy who watched how the years out affected Roger S.

Look, it doesn't matter what fans think would be good for the franchise. Vick basically stole 130 million dollars
from Blank and exposed a lot of our faults for believing in someone. Now that we have Ryan I am speechless that anyone
would think he's a fit for our team!!

Yes, he needs to go and go quickly...

Vick didn't steal 130 million. Blank gave it to him. I wouldn't have done it, and would have been run out of town by an angry mob for not doing so.

Blank didn't give it to him either... It was part of a "meeting of the minds" that Vick stayed with Atlanta
10 years and Blank guaranteed him 35 million dollars to do so....(in writing)

Its hard to keep your commitments from prison.

Blank pocketed more than that from Vicks jersey sales and the limelight we received because of Vick. I'm not saying Vick earned 130 million bucks, but I am saying Blank took advantage of his cash cow. Vick brought revenue to a franchise that previously had little to none. I'd call it a wash.

While Vick's jersey's did sell well, and Blank benefitted from the ticket sales. It was nowhere near 130 million dollars. The jersey proceeds are divided up between the team, the NFL and the players Union. Not to mention the company selling them, the people to sell them, marketing and materials. It was nowhere near to being a "wash".

Our team went prime time. Not just Blank, but the league benefited greatly from Vick being in this league. No one knew who Blank was before Vick but they will always remember him now. I'd say Blank got his moneys worth and so did the league. Love him or hate him, everyone had an opinion on him. He was the star of the NFL.

He was a star, but not THE star. And the tired "no one knew who Blank was" argument is as bogus as it gets. Who are these people that didn't know the CEO of Home Depot in ATL???? No one is saying that Blank didn't profit from Vick. As you recall, it was I that said 8 years ago it was a financial decision to draft him in the first place. The NFL benefited as it does with any player who makes big plays. But the TV contract wasn't based on Vick's play alone. It is exactly that kind of rhetoric that built the Cult of Personality that is Vick, it is pure nonsense. The NFL hasn't missed a beat since he left.

you guys remember the number of Vick jerseys in the stadium...IN JAPAN?

That were sold in the PX,NeX or more likely by all of the Korean/Japanese vendors (at a fraction of the price of a real jersey) who cater to Americans? Your point is?

don't care how they were sold or how much profit was generated...the obvious point was that Vick was an international sensation. Yes...he hurt us when all the dogfighting crap news broke....he tore down the franchise...but for us to know this, we must acknowledge that he also helped build it. You can't have A without B.

29 Posts all about Vick? So Chandler didn't build the franchise? Or Jamal Anderson? or the defense in 2004 that lead the league in sacks? The more I read about Vick the more I hate the sick bastard. I am so sick of reading this junk,
this bullshit has already ruined one message board, we get it you love Mike V.

Not all posts are about Vick, but most of them are. If you look over at the other site, you will see that I did give praise to that 2004 defense.

I love the Falcons...and I just call s*** like I see it. If you don't like it, you don't have to read it man. You are sounding like Orlando now...a guy who can't figure out that if you don't want to read about a certain topic, then you shouldn't click on a link with that topic listed in the subject line.

If you don't like Chinese food, then don't go into a Chinese restaurant. Pretty simple logic.

Some folks prefer a Nanny State.

But what happens if you go to a Chinese restaurant, and they bring out the egg rolls....but then out of nowhere a blabbering fool sits down next to you and starts talking about how the food three years ago was better. More exciting...more crunch in the rice noodles. Ruining your meal.

moot point...your meal wasn't going to be good anyway...you don't like chinese food!

I guess I would do the same thing as three years ago when I was eating and enjoying my meal and some blabbering fool sat next to me and told me I was an idiot for enjoying that crap....just continue eating.

Yea, but then if you then went to a completely different Chinese restaurant and the same guy stopped by and was still
talking about the "way it use to be in Chinese Restaurants" you might be fine 6 hours latter, but at that very moment
you might feel like blowing your or their brains out, maybe both if the meal was good (again) that was being ruined (:

You do realize the irony here, Cyril? Half of these "diners" got kicked out of the other Chinese restaurant because people there thought their meal was being ruined. My advice, have a stronger stomach. Everybody's gotta eat.

Hey restaurants sometimes stop getting better, or even go downhill and close. Doesn't mean they didn't serve some tasty fare back in the day. Those who may have forgotten what a restaurant's reputation was in the past can simply go back and read the contemporary reviews or the list of awards given to the restaurant years before. That's a pretty objective way to judge a restaurant.

But hey sometimes if you don't like Chinese, you just don't like Chinese. Maybe you even dislike it so much that you want to tell everyone it was never any good.