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Tue. Jul 24, 2007

Read Between The Lines, and You Won't See Vick Between The Sidelines

At 4pm today, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, GM Rich McKay, and coach Bobby Petrino started a press conference over the Michael Vick situation. It’s 5 as I type this, and they’re still going. They said they’d stay and answer questions about Vick as long as they asked them, even bring in dinner. They said there were a lot of things they couldn’t talk about … but they talked a lot. There was a lot of “tone” between the lines. However, after answering everyone’s questions today, from now on they only want to talk about the team and the coming season.

That’s your first clue. After today, the three men at the top of the Falcons food chain are done talking about Michael Vick.

The most telling words to come out of Arthur Blank’s mouth? ... “no one will compromise what we stand for.”

The easy out would have been to request/demand that Vick take a paid leave of absence until his case is settled. Blank made it clear he told the NFL that “a paid leave of absence is not an option we considered appropriate.”

Blank said they were pursuing “maximum discipline,” which under the player’s agreement is a 4 game suspension without pay. Blank said they’d already drafted the letter, when NFL Commissioner Goodell stepped in yesterday to ban Vick from training camp until the NFL completes an investigation, and also asked the Falcons to hold off on any punishment.

They were ready to pull the biggest trigger they had short of cutting him. It would have kept him out of the Falcons complex until early October. And if the “fast track” status of this case is true, well, Vick’s likely to be tied up with a trial by then. Or worse.

I think that was their plan. Until the commissioner stepped in to play Bad Cop first. And still ... they felt the need to tell us today they were ready to suspend him.

Blank also claimed Vick “did not retain a lawyer until yesterday, Monday” which made dealing with this even more difficult.

Later, Blank said “we feel comfortable with Michael not being in training camp.” As opposed to the alternative, which frankly, would be well beyond “uncomfortable.”

Petrino had a lot of coaching platitudes to offer, but he also pointed out they “have to have 4 arms in camp to do the drills.” They’ve got three today, and camp in two days. McKay said they’d contacted Steve Bartkowski and David Archer. He was joking. I think.

Blank also noted his personal advice to Michael would be that he has to “focus on his defense” and it will be “very difficult for him to do that and be focused on football at the same time.” Not to mention impossible for the rest of the team to focus, too.

Blank remarked, “His name is in the indictment like 50 times, I’ve counted it, I’m aware of it [sarcastic chuckle]” ... and he looked to me like a man who felt he’d been suckered.

McKay said he hasn’t talked to Vick in three weeks. Mr. Blank said he talked to him last Wednesday night, but not since. Stunning, and telling.

And they won’t be talking about him any more after today. Until this is settled.

Well, you don’t have to hit me over the head with a baseball bat. I’d say there’s a 95% chance you will never see Michael Vick in a Falcons uniform again.

Because that’s the conviction rate for federal prosecutors, like the ones after Vick and his co-defendants.

Update, 7/26: Today Vick plead not guilty, his lawyer asked to postpone the trial past the 70 day start-up standard, and it was set for November 26. So, best case, if Vick is acquitted he might get in two or three weeks of practice before the 2007 season is over. In other words, his 2007 season was over by the time he left court today. Regardless of guilt or innocence. But then, every mentor he’s had, from Dan Reeves years ago to Arthur Blank last April, has told him it was his associations that would kill him. And for this year, they have indeed made him dead to the NFL.