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Chicago Gets Googled
The Bears enter this off-season as they do every year, with questions at quarterback. After a surprising start to last year, Kyle Orton seemed to have earned himself the starting job. But a late season slump that followed a mid-season injury prevented him from locking down the position. Even if he does remain atop the depth chart, they need somebody to back him up, and Rex Grossman isn't likely to return.
That leaves a number of options open for the team. Most of the speculation has centered on Chris Simms, who is interested in joining the Bears. The son of former NFL star Phil Simms, the younger Simms has rarely seen the field since suffering a ruptured spleen in week 3 of the 2006 season. He was on the Tennessee Titans roster last season, but will be a free agent. Behind both Kerry Collins and Vince Young, he's got little hope for meaningful time on the field. He realizes there's much greater opportunity with the Bears.
Simms former Tampa Bay teammate Jeff Garcia is another name mentioned as a possibility, having just parted ways with the Bucs. He is 39, but still a capable QB. But would Garcia want to join the Bears as a backup?
And then there is Michael Vick.
Yes, that Michael Vick... the one currently sitting in prison for his part in a dog fighting ring. Surely, the Bears couldn't be thinking of signing him, could they? The Falcons have made it abundantly clear he is no longer welcome in Atlanta. When Atlanta ultimately cuts Vick (because no other team will trade for him), he'll become a free agent. Would the Bears be interested? The Sun-Times' Carol Slezak brought up the subject last month, and it's again come up after ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski mentioned the Bears in yesterday's column. He failed to mention anything specific linking the Bears to Vick other than their need for a playmaker and Lovie Smith's "smother-you-with-support" treatment for wayward players. Isn't Wojciechowski forgetting how things ended for Tank Johnson and Cedric Benson?
So we're not sure how credible any rumors of Vick to the Bears are, but we're against signing Vick. We'd rather suffer through a 6-10 season than make the playoffs with him on the team. Hell, we'd rather have Grossman back. Players who can't behave off the field provide distraction and Vick's transgressions are certainly among the most egregious. He was arrested, plead guilty to the crimes and was sentenced to real jail time for them. This wasn't some DUI or gun possession rap. Sure, upon his release he'll have paid his debt to society, but that doesn't mean he's got a right to the privileged life in the NFL. His signing would immediately alienate countless fans and his presence would create an unnecessary media frenzy for his teammates to deal with. All for a guy who has been sitting in a cell for months instead of remaining in football shape, for a guy who's likely a back-up QB. Even if we didn't have moral problems with signing him, we just don't see how the risk/reward could be justified.
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Hey baby my name is Mike Vick, I'm a pro football player and I liked to fight dogs cause I'm bout a bout that"
please,I hope he gets shanked so he can't ever play again. Maybe he will learn some humanity
I second that, Spook.
Considering some of louts that the NFL has embraced over the years picking up a guy who abused some animals seems rather straight-forward.
Play the NFL Rap Sheet Game!
www.ebaumsworld.com/elinks/view/928371/
"upon his release he'll have paid his debt to society, but that doesn't mean he's got a right to the privileged life in the NFL."
Tank Johnson: still playing in the NFL.
Cedric Bensen: Still playing in the NFL.
Adam "Pac Man" Jones: while released, he will still play in the NFL.
I disagree...paying your debt to society 100% means he should get a "shot" at playing on an NFL team.
NFL players are pieces of meat...if he is still fast, if he can still throw, if he can still has what it takes, a team will surely take a look at him.
"His signing would immediately alienate countless fans and his presence would create an unnecessary media frenzy for his teammates to deal with."
ONLY...ONLY if the team is under .500.
If he leads a team to the playoffs and wins some post season games...I guarantee the fans will "forget" about his jail term.
I'm not saying we should just go out and sign him...but I am certainly up for giving him a look if he still has the physical intangibles he had before he went to prison.
We'd rather suffer through a 6-10 season than make the playoffs with him on the team.
Benjy, I have to ask. where do you get the idea that fans care about anything more than just winning?
Winning is everything in the NFL...you win, the fans love you. You lose, the fans don't. Period. You spend time in prison, you get out and still win games?...the fans will love you.
I don't think that people care that he spent time in prison. They care that he was ruthless and abusive to his dogs.
Great point, Ingrid.
I know stereotypical NFL Fans...and this is only a prediction.
But if Vick leads a team to the playoffs, and win a playoff game...those home team fans will forget his prison sentence and forget what he even went to prison for. I've seen it too many times before to think otherwise.
Now, if Vick leads his team to a 6-10 record, then we will see the criticism you are describing.
It's all about winning.
Yes, that is true...in pro sports it's all about winning no matter what the cost.
And we do like to forgive people for their transgressions... I'm all about second chances.
But I'd like to see him do some work for the Humane Society or do something to help promote the idea that dog fighting and any type of animal abuse is wrong and bad.
He's a voice that could really help put a dent in that disgusting activity, if he
really wanted to.
Oh man, Ingrid...you should work for the NFL PR department. You are exactly right!
IF...Vick makes a team and is back in the NFL...
I can totally see the NFL having Vick be the "Face of the NFL-Humane Society" posters...whether he likes it or not.
Promoting the idea of dog fighting and any type of animal abuse is wrong should definitely be a condition of Vick being back in the NFL.
do you know anyone in the NFL, irishman...because I'm looking for a job :)
-sorry Spook...I know it's pro-sports...but I have to put food on the table.......
Oh man, Ingrid...you should work for the NFL PR department. You are exactly right!
IF...Vick makes a team and is back in the NFL...
I can totally see the NFL having Vick be the "Face of the NFL-Humane Society" posters...whether he likes it or not.
Promoting the idea of dog fighting and any type of animal abuse is wrong should definitely be a condition of Vick being back in the NFL.
"It's all about winning."
This is why I say America is a sports obsessed society in which we pay dearly for it
I agree, Spook.
Do you hold that opinion to only American Sports?
As a sports fan, I certainly have read about sports obsessions around the world that makes NFL fans look like boring librarians.
I think that drunk driving is worse than dog fighting. People > Animals. Anyway, if he served his time, what is the big deal. Maybe he could be a positive role model for rehabilitation.
I love how libruls get so hard line when it comes to animal rights and the exact opposite when it comes to a true story of human redemption.
True Life: I Fight Dogs.
I don't look at this as a "My Holocaust is worse than yours" situation.
Drink driving is bad and so is dog fighting. If you have the kind of personality that can abuse and kill an animal, it's not such a stretch to treat a human in the same manner.
Are you really mentioning the Holocaust in a discussion about sports and dog fighting?
It's a shame what he did to those animals, but he didn't murder people. If he serves his time, pays his fines and makes amends he has every right to earn a living, if people will pay him. It's not like he should be driven into the wastes or something.
@billymax85:
I'd happily kill every puppy I've ever held and cooed over in my life, sew every cat I've cradled in a bag for the river to save the life of the very worst human being I can think of. Stick with your species.
if you read my post, it says that I'm all about second chances. There was no mention of him not ever being able to work again or being driven into waste. What's with the hyperbole?
I'd like to see him try to put a stop to dog fighting. Putting an end to dog fighting doesn't mean that I'm a "librul" who puts animals before people...not that there aren't some people who I'd consider lower than animals. And if you'd kill a puppy to save Hitler or Pol Pot or the likes...then you're a first class jerk.
And yes I mentioned holocaust.
@billymax: Right on!!
I don't agree that humans are better than animals. In fact, I'd argue the opposite. Remember: humans still discriminate based on race, creed, skin color, religion, and political beliefs.
"And if you'd kill a puppy to save Hitler or Pol Pot or the likes...then you're a first class jerk."
I would, gladly. Human life matters more than animal. If you feel otherwise it would be best for you to leave modern society completely, since the over-whelming majority of our advances in the past few centuries come from testing on animals, animal products and the like.
mrarey2008 = troll.
Not feeding the troll anymore.
I think that's more than unfair. Considering you've mentioned The Holocaust, Hitler and Pol Pot in a thread...about a quarterback.
Animal life (or the outcry that comes from it) does matter more than human life to the NFL. A quick google search of "Leonard Little" will prove that. Two DUI's, one of which resulted in a woman's death, and he only missed 8 games.
Yeah, and it's fucking bullshit. The NFL has a ticking time bomb on its hands with Leonard Little. Can you imagine the coverage if he killed another person while driving drunk?
Lets not forget what we have all been saying for years:
ANYONE BUT REX!
There's been rumors going around for a bunch of teams, the Niners denied it yesterday or monday. Besides, I don't think Vicks QB style fits with the Bears offense.
Yea, Irishman I agree but it seems that Americans idolize individual players( more) as opposed to teams,and their individual players aren't shooting raping and pillaging as much as ours and they don't get paid as much.
p.s I'm having a little gathering this weekend, do you have any single malt suggestions as an Irishman?
We all know Vick did a bad thing ... he's in jail, lost much if not all of his money, his dignity, etc. He unmercifully killed dogs and he got the punishment and embarassment he deserved. What I don't get is why are you all getting angry over speculation? If you all knew anything you'd know that the Bears will likely not pursue Vick because Jerry Angelo is much too timid to pull that trigger. Simms is a much more likely choice, or they'll take a QB in the draft - though there are none all that appealing.
That all said, if any of you actually followed the Bears you'd know this is horseshit.
By far the best response I've seen, it actually has something to do with football.... 18th place in the draft right?
Yes indeed - need a WR, the Bears will draft a DT and sign Byron Leftwich as a FA.
man, I hate the offseason. It drives me nuts.
The NFL is very inconsistent.
The NFL did not suspend anyone from the NE Patriots when the videotaping scandal broke out. They were fined financially, but what's a $500,000 when the coach made $5.5 million in 2007? We'll never know what happened and if we ever did, it won't be a pleasant find.
Michael Vick committed a crime outside of the NFL. Terminating him from the team is up to the team itself. It was a personal matter that became public.
Vick broke the law. He broke it in a very sadistic way. That's not a 'personal matter'.
He drowned and hanged and beat dogs with his own hands. He enjoyed watching dogs maul each other to death.
He's doing his time and any stories of redemption will remain to be seen.