We stated our case on Wednesday regarding the decision of the Eagles to make quarterback Mike Vick the recipient of the team’s Ed Block Courage Award.
Others have made their views known, too.
Coach Andy Reid had this to say about the situation on Wednesday, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer: “Everybody is going to have their opinion on it I’m sure. Until you’ve
been with him for the hours that his teammates have been with him and
seen him through all these different things that he’s had to go
through, that time-tested part of it, you can’t appreciate it. I don’t
expect everybody to understand it.”
Quarterback Donovan McNabb ignored the criticism of the decision. “I don’t care what people say on the outside,” McNabb said Wednesday, also per McLane. “That was something voted on by his peers.”
On Thursday’s edition of The Dan Patrick Show, former Bucs and Colts coach and Vick mentor Tony Dungy defended the decision.
“The Ed Block Award is probably the most prestigious award in terms of the players because they vote on it themselves, and it’s not necessarily for things that happen on the field,” Dungy said. “There are things that players know that each other are going through that maybe the public doesn’t know, and to be voted on unanimously I think that says a lot.”
Rich Eisen of NFL Network, in a separate appearance on Patrick’s show, said that he was “disappointed” by the decision.
“What’s courageous about what he did?” Eisen said.
And Eisen makes an excellent point — he thinks the involvement of Vick will “ruin” the annual Ed Block Courage Award Foundation’s annual dinner and awards ceremony.
Meanwhile, Phil Sheridan of the Philadelphia Inquirer has a great take on the decision, identifying the other more deserving candidates on the team (such as Brian Westbrook and Jeremiah Trotter), and sharing quotes from other 2009 winners projecting pure humility.
For example, Browns receiver/safety Mike Furrey said, “I don’t think it’s something I deserve.”
So what did Vick have to say?
“I’ve had to overcome a lot, more than probably one single individual
can bear,” Vick said. “Take a look at what I’ve been through. You ask
certain people to walk in my shoes, they probably couldn’t do it.
Probably 95 percent of the people in this world — because nobody had to
endure what I’ve been through, situations I’ve been put in, situations
I’ve placed myself in, decisions that I’ve made — whether they were
good or bad.”
Yeah, Eagles. You made a great choice.
But, hey, at least it’ll help the team snooker someone into giving up more than they should in trade for Vick come March 1.
He makes himself sound like a victim.
What does this have to do with football? Posting this crap after the fact is a joke. Eisen and his Alicia Lane photos give him plenty of room to talk.
Florio says: “Yeah, Eagles. You made a great choice.”
Tony Dungy says “There are things that players know that each other are going through that maybe the public doesn’t know, and to be voted on unanimously I think that says a lot.”
Basically Tony called Florio a member of the public and uninformed. And you know- he is likely right. How much effort did Florio make to talk to various Eagles players to get their take on the matter- to defend their decision? Answer: like the majority of Florio’s efforts- little to none. It is always easier to express an opinion than it is research and write a truly unbiased examination of the situation.
But then again Florio is much more into quantity over quality and generating webhits than he is into journalism.
A lot of people dont know this but Ed Block was also a dog killing std spreading machine.
This award nomination is actually very appropriate.
This is a joke…what did he over come? jail? C’mon I’m sure someone got over the flu or a case of diarrhea that is more deserving than the Dog Killer!!!!
Y-A-W-N
“Look what I have been through.” All of it of your own making. Nobody MADE you fight dogs. The only reason you are doing community service is because someone MADE you. Unlike all the other players who are doing good because they want to give back, not just stay out of jail.
More proof that Vick has not changed.
It WAS a prestigious award. Now, it is just a joke.
What debate, he already won the award. The people who make the choice are his teammates. If their opinion is that he deserves it, then it is done. Their opinion is just that, their opinion, and in this case the only one that matters.
What a joke. Why don’t they give stallworth an award for running that guy over while they are at it? At least his crime was an accident. Vick is only sorry because he got caught. He’d still be killing dogs for fun if he hadn’t.
The players voted on it? Half the Eagle’s players have probably been to dog fights and had a great time. This is their way of sticking it to the doggie-loving white people who tore Vick down.
Vick was only sorry because he got caught. He only does the public appearances because he has to. The Eagles only signed him for their own selfish reasons and to look like they actually care enough to rehabilitate someone and turn them into a better person. Do you think that an organization who let Brian Dawkins walk actually cares about it’s players? The Eagles should be ashamed of themselves and this is coming from a life long fan.
I will restate my earlier comment. He should share the award with the courageous snowball throwers referenced in an earler PFT blog. Class act, Philly.
Way to keep it classy, Eagles. Just proves you and your fans are the biggest scumbags in the NFL.
to turn your life around takes courage no???
As an Eagles fan who HATED the move I have a lot of respect for what he has done to change himself.
Good for 7
Maybe the ‘courage’ they’re talking about involved Vick ‘courgeously taking it in the ass’ night after night in prison?
WOW! I guess we don’t live in the “forgive and forget” world anymore.
You people are ruthless.
If you don’t want him to have the award, make it so the players are not the one’s voting.
The players voted, Vick won it. And it was unanimous at that.
So this is either the Eagles giving a huge middle finger to everyone else, or a group of men who voted for a fellow teammate that they have been with all year long.
I’m going to go with ladder and say that Vick’s teammates see something in him that we on the outside can’t.
“Everybody in the world loves Michael Vick” – Michael Vick at the NFL Draft after a reporter asked him about his involvement in an alleged dog fighting conspiracy.
Seriously Mike, Y-A-W-N
Is all you do is hate on people that have made mistakes? What the hell did Westbrook do, or Jeremiah Trotter do? Mike Vick is not being honored for the mistakes he has made. He is being honored, BY EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT DEALS WITH HIM ON A DAILY BASIS, because he has taken the opportunity to rehabilitate his life and ran with it. He IS a good example of showing that just because you’ve made bad decisions in life, as horrific as they may be, that doesn’t mean you have to continue on that path. That doesn’t mean you can’t learn from your mistakes, THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU CANT BE A POSITIVE EXAMPLE TO THE URBAN YOUTH THAT PROBABLY LOOKS TO HIM THE MOST.
I will agree his comments upon receiving the award were not appropriate, but you and Phil Sheriden also left out a few comments.
The whole season Micke Vick has used the words “Humbled”, “grateful”, “lucky for a second chance”, etc. so lets not freak out because he isnt the most educated orator like some lawyer would be.
A LAWYER!!!! IS THERE ANY WORSE KIND OF PERSON???
Hahaha. Florio is such a hypocrite and a tool.
Lastly, it is an in house award, so everyone should just STFU.
A LAWYER!!!! IS THERE ANY WORSE KIND OF PERSON??
————————————————
How uneducated are you?
Vicks Comments were a complete and utter failure.
over come what has happened to him and what he has gone through?
because you got caught?
you CHOSE to do what you did, Mike and that should pretty much tell people how remorseful Mike REALLY is.
“I’ve had to overcome a lot, more than probably one single individual can bear,” Vick said. “Take a look at what I’ve been through. You ask certain people to walk in my shoes, they probably couldn’t do it. Probably 95 percent of the people in this world — because nobody had to endure what I’ve been through, situations I’ve been put in, situations I’ve placed myself in, decisions that I’ve made — whether they were good or bad.”
—————————————–
UnBelievable….You only stopped cause you got busted. Courage my ass…
He won it unanimously? Every person on the team voted for Mike Vick (including himself)?
Mike may also want to realize that well over 95% of the people he thinks couldn’t walk in his shoes never would’ve gone down a path that would require them to walk in those shoes.
His people need to teach him some humility and modesty. It’s awfully nice of him to tell us how strong he is to have handled all of his “problems”.
He obviously deserves it for acting like a normal, decent human being. That apparently has been very difficult for him.
Eagles should be banned from all awards
Jbell says:
December 24, 2009 1:55 PM
Seriously Mike, Y-A-W-N
Is all you do is hate on people that have made mistakes? What the hell did Westbrook do, or Jeremiah Trotter do? Mike Vick is not being honored for the mistakes he has made. He is being honored, BY EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT DEALS WITH HIM ON A DAILY BASIS, because he has taken the opportunity to rehabilitate his life and ran with it. He IS a good example of showing that just because you’ve made bad decisions in life, as horrific as they may be, that doesn’t mean you have to continue on that path. That doesn’t mean you can’t learn from your mistakes, THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU CANT BE A POSITIVE EXAMPLE TO THE URBAN YOUTH THAT PROBABLY LOOKS TO HIM THE MOST.
I will agree his comments upon receiving the award were not appropriate, but you and Phil Sheriden also left out a few comments.
The whole season Micke Vick has used the words “Humbled”, “grateful”, “lucky for a second chance”, etc. so lets not freak out because he isnt the most educated orator like some lawyer would be.
A LAWYER!!!! IS THERE ANY WORSE KIND OF PERSON???
Hahaha. Florio is such a hypocrite and a tool.
TOO BAD THE DOGS CAN NO LONGER RUN WITH THEIR LIVES…
Vick is a turd. The last thing I think of when it comes to him is courage. What a douchebag. Nice going Eagles.
Most of the NFL and Eagle players dont think Vick did anything wrong and they voted him this award just to say in your face NFL FANS. this shows you the character of most of the NFL players of today.the key word is “most ” not all. there is a big difference in the character and value’s of most NFL PLAYER’S and there fans.
Vick is and will always be a POS. Walk through HIS shoes? Commit a federal felony and pay for it at Club Fed? Check out the recipients at the Make a Wish Foundation or go to Johns Hopkins and visit a few terminal patients.
Mr Vick, you are a self serving ghetto punk.
Crazy thing is, as someone who obviously didn’t “get it” in his early pro days, I was pretty certain he’d come out of this experience and now “get it”. At this point, it’s obvious he’ll never get it and that the problem is simply that he is exceedingly clueless and, to be frank, dumb.
As bad as his quote is (and it is bad) I think he’s actually trying to be humble in saying it. It’s just that’s he so un-intelligent he doesn’t even realize what he said is not at all humble or thankful, but rather self-serving and aloof.
Great athlete. Dumb as rocks. Will start somewhere though, as the physical ability is too good for 32 teams to pass up.
Oh yeah, GREAT point Insomniac.
How in the world do you win that unanimously?
Vick voted for himself.
LOL what a LOSER.
@Jbell-
He didn’t “take every opportunity to rehabilitate his life.” That opportunity was unfairly provided for him. He merely did what was required and was handed a pay check.
Taking an opportunity means taking action on your own accord, not having an opportunity simply handed to you. Hell, any one of us on this blog would have done what he’s done should someone have been willing to give us that same opportunity. He did nothing special to deserve such an award.
This award now carries about as much prestige as the Nobel Peace Prize.
It’s downright pathetic. Bad enough they had to sign this lowlife, but now they to shove it up our asses with this award. I agree that he deserves another shot. He served his time and hopefully he continues to live his life the right way. What in the hell did he do that took courage? Make a million dollars playing football 2-3 times a game? Wow, I can certainly see that. Oh, the poor guy took criticism for financially supporting the killing of defenseless animals. What are people supposed to say? That’s okay. He didn’t know what he was doing?? Bullshit he didn’t know. So he takes some criticism and now they give him an award for digging his own grave. What a disgrace!!!
Vick’s crap on life whether dogs or human continues…. its always about him in his world…”I”, “I”, “I”, “I”, He has no regard for life or anyone else except himself. Shame on the Eagles!! Shame on the Eagles!!
IF a white player had did what Vick did he would have been banned for life
Florio,
We all know you hate the Eagles. Just like all other Eagle haters, you look for any excuse to rip them. But, for Christ’s sake, let it go.
As for Eisen:
OH NO! Michael Vick’s presence is going to tarnish the reputation of a dinner and awards ceremony! The end is coming! The end is coming!
As if the hypocritical and corrupt empire known as the NFL hasn’t already been tarnished by more than one idiotic player, there’s worry that a dinner and awards ceremony will be ruined?
If this is all you people have to worry about then you must be living the great life. Give me a break. Find a real story to report on. I’m an advocate of this site and I love coming here for information, but there’s nothing worse than reading an article that’s beating a dead horse.
What the NFL has done is tarnish a meritorious award for great deeds of character and sacrifice. For an organization that has become fixated on appearance the NFL surely looked the other way when this award was handed out.
Then again perhaps the award was given as a token of appreciation to the Eagles for collecting the Michael Vick baggage and selling it to the public? The NFL owed them one.
GO STEELERS!
Most players abuse there pets because they are bitter about there fathers abandoning them.
Ugh…
Never thought I’d see the day when Philly players took on the idiotic mentalities of their idiotic, ignorant fanbase.
The guy paid for what he did wrong and I’m fine with that, but this….it screams ‘fraud’. How stupid can these Eagles players be?!
Florio, you dropped this in the wrong box. This is more TMZ worthy than it is football news worthy.
I love how he makes himself sound like a victim. Hey Vick, I’m not sure if you remember this. But you only went through that $hit b/c you got caught FIGHTING AND KILLING INNOCENT DOGS YOU JACKASS!!!!!!! If you hadn’t got mixed up into that nonsense then you wouldn’t have had to go through $hit. You’d still be a Falcon playing football making millions on top of millions. You did this to yourself. You deserve no award for overcoming what you’ve had to go through. Your award is having the opportunity to play in the NFL again and making more money. What a joke. Stay classy Eagles players. You guys should be ashamed of yourself.
I’m an Eagles fan, this award is a complete insult. The players can ramble on about how his teammates see him and how we are uninformed. The end of the day they awarded a convicted felon as a courageous person.
I for once agree with Rich Eisen which means I should be up for the award. Mike Vick got caught, went to prison, released from prison and was allowed to keep a large portion of his NFL money from the Falcons who were screwed by him and then the Eagles sign him for a million bucks. Vick is the best salesmen around and the Eagles are what Ringling Bros Circus used to say” there is a fool born every minute and the Eagles have used up their minute.
Yep, took a LOT of bravery and courage to look a puppy in the eye and keep slamming it to the ground until it died. Let him try that with me and see how “couragous” he is. Didn’t he have his own private cell and therefore avoided the “real” prison atmosphere? That was couragous. Sounds like his Eagle teammates are the same pussies he is.
Haven’t and won’t watch or purchase anything Eagle until the pussy is gone.
c’mon, don’t you think Vick’s suffered enough?…..We don’t. bowwow
idiotic mentalities of their idiotic, ignorant fanbase.
–Come to south philly and say that tough internet guy.
Put yourself in Mike Vick’s shoes for a minute. You’ve got 200 million in the bank, your being accused of killing dogs. What do you do? The normal person knowing their guilty denies it just because they do not want to lose it all. He is busted, got sentenced to 2 years in jail. He lost his 200 million dollars. He could have easily given up and gave in and ended it all, but instead he decided to spread the word on how wrong it truly is. He knows he messed up, he is ashamed of himself and would rather be the millionaire he once was but shit happens. He was at the highest of highs and lowest of lows. He is now just searching for a medium and by his peers voting him with this courage award surely says a lot. It takes more balls and guts to stand in front of people day in and day out and tell them what a bad person you once were and telling them what you did was wrong for many different reasons. So to criticize the man for doing the right thing, shame on all you haters. I’m sure other players on the team have been through a lot. That Defensive Tackle Dixon could have won it. He was on the streets living at one point and some how made it in the NFL. That could easily be Mike Vick now. Dixon never messed up and if he did, the Eagles would cut him. So giving Mike Vick the award is fitting.
If I were a winner of this award, I would never mention it again. I’d be ashamed.
*waits for all the Vick lovers to turn this topic to a race issue*
Travis Henry won this award too…nuff said.
“You ask certain people to walk in my shoes, they probably couldn’t do it. Probably 95 percent ”
Come on Michael, give yourself more credit, a lot less than 5% of the population has had a dog fighting operation…….
A lot of these people bitching about this have skeletons in their closets such as…. domestic violence, rape, murder, infidelity, DUI, and somemore shit! Our predecessors say “Don’t go cleaning up someone elses back yard until yours is clean!” Move on!
Unanimous Vote!? — so vick voted for himself — I suppose Ed Block also had a massive ego
Vick could sneeze and “you” people would have something to criticize him about.
Everybody knows it’s only because of his skin color and jealousy.
Everybody was saying how easy it would be to replace him in Atlanta and that SORRY chump playing quarterback couldn’t lead the Falcons to the toilet, but the toilet is what his career is headed.
Just angry white people have a problem with Vick and it’s only because of hatred and racism and before you say the normal excuse “don’t play the race card”.
Well the race card is not being played, “you” people dealt it – so get over it, ATHLETIC black quarterbacks are here to stay
Vick is a weak bitch. People that support him are bitches. This isnt about what he did to the dogs, I wont even go there. He has done nothing in his life but make the worst possible decision. Everybody that has said that he makes himself sound like a victim is COMPLETELY right. All this bitch does is cry about what hes gone through. He hasnt gone through anything that he hasnt chosen to put himself through. He is far from even a decient person. Nobody can name one thing this dick has done that he hasnt been forced to do. He is a peice of trash, aside from the dog issue. Its probably not all his fault, after all look at the rest of his family. All trash. For the peope that say I have no right to say this, MOST people in this country and in the world havent made the horrible choices that he has. He doesnt deserve the money, he doesnt deserve multiple chances.
so he grows up in the ghetto, treated like royalty, goes to jail because he lacked guidance, serves his time, finally has guidance in his life and we are to assume he does not deserve it
I’m gonna make an assume then.. We have a few racists on this board who are quick to refuse to believe someone who has committed wrongs and become a better person…
of course it was Jared Allen coming back from multiple DUIs, or Brett Favre and his addition it would be different.. but we can also pretend those situations didn’t effect anyone but themselves.. right?
Serves the nfl right for bringing Ron Mexico back.
Poor Ron all he’s been through. They should have given the award to the dogs that survived his treatment.
Now they really overcame adversity.
why is everyone assuming that vicks a horrible person when they dont even know him? i guarantee you 100% of people posting on this site have never even seen him in person let alone spoken to him. he spends almost all his time with his teammates, and they clearly know something we dont about vick. im not sitting here saying that vicks a good person but im saying that nobody in the world knows him better than his family, his team, and tony dungy.
as for the awards meaning, hes shown more courage than anything ive seen this year. not that hes particularly courageous, but i havent really seen anything so courageous as wanting to come back knowing that douchebags and tools (see above posts) will be spewing nothing but hate at him.
so shut the hell up and actually get to know him before you say something about him.
Vick’s own quote tells me that he is, in fact, an unmitigated moron. He deserves a life outside of football and perhaps he’ll begin to understand how blessed he has been. Wait, no he won’t. Jackass.
Mike Vick will owe Andy Reid his life after this season. This whole year for Vick is about building his credibility in the public eye. This award is just another way to do that. Maybe he deserves it maybe not but i don’t think so. There are many players other than Vick who could have won the award. I have to wonder why Andy is so willing to help?
it’s 1984. that’s what it is.
up is down and right is wrong. and down is up and wrong is right.
welcome to obamaville.
Whether for right or wrong reasons his teammates made that choice. No one forced them to choose him as the team’s choice for the Ed Block Courage Award. If you don’t want people like Vick receiving it then don’t give players the choice to chose who they feel should get it. Apparently behind everything we know that happened during the season his teammates were very impressed with he’s at now.
I do agree his acceptance speech doesn’t show any humility but it’s done with. No matter what is said or done at this point can you revoke that award from him. Which is why I think at this point it should be dropped much like other topics you keep dragging along for weeks. I typically like your reporting and agree with it but your major flaw Florio is you take a story until it’s a dead horse and keep beating on it.
Well, obviously Vick is a paradox. The award voted on by the team stands for itself.
And he knowingly infected women with herpes, just because he is that kind of mean. And he got pharmaceuticals under a false name “Ron Mexico.” At least it wasn’t “Steve Smith.” And he smuggled drugs through airports. And he a ran a large, illegal gambling enterprise. And he lied to everyone about everything (and probably still does.) Oh, yeah, he also slammed dogs to the ground to kill them. And that was just the time he got caught.
But his teammates seem to like him.
“I’ve had to overcome a lot, more than probably one single individual can bear,”
Oh the horror, having to overcome the mistakes you yourself made!! Then being made to face them by a court of loaw…the courage!
I don’t hate Vick because he made a mistake, I hate him because he is a sociopath.
Maybe the Eagles voted for Vick because they didn’t know the name of the fans who pack the batteries in the snowballs before they throw them.
Scumbags all.
Jaydub says:
December 24, 2009 2:21 PM
Ugh…
Never thought I’d see the day when Philly players took on the idiotic mentalities of their idiotic, ignorant fanbase.
———————————
So, I’m assuming you have long considered NFL players to be rhodes scholars, high IQ,”i could have been anything i wanted” types of minds huh? Don’t mind the fact that if it wasn’t for sports, most would be handing you your Big Mac at the drive thru right now..It’s only in Philly, the rest of the NFL players have plans to be on the World Council someday..I assume whatever teams jock you sniff is full of briliant minds who just happen to be stuck in an NFL players body….Since you seem to like or just learned to spell idiotic….Let me say, you’re an idiot…..
Vick was the victim of a quintessential cultural frenzy. When it first came out that he mistreated some dogs, it got treated like he mistreated some dogs. Then the media got all lathered up, got their self righteous meathead readers/viewers wound up, and within a week you’d think that Vick had been stalking small children and eating their livers. All the sudden, a bunch of government PR people decided that the masses were looking for blood, and Vick got treated like the depraved criminal that he wasn’t. His reputation was ruined, his career derailed, his income was taken away– and then he was mocked because he couldn’t pay the bills he had acquired based on the income he had ripped away from him. It was the perfect snowball. The media fed themselves a story, perpetuated it by making Vick look worse all the while, and the masses lapped it up to feed their need to find a good villan to distract themselves from their own imperfection. This all happened for the never ending a shameless thirst for readers, viewers, and hits.
He is the victim of American Hypocrisy at its finest. The fact that he has swallowed hard, owned his piece of it, and, by all accounts, tried to make himself better despite the travesty of it all makes him about as courageous as I can imagine.
Good for Mike Vick.
wow.. a lot of paper tigers here
so every single player on a team votes for a guy, but all you paleolitics assume that he doesn’t deserve the award
of course the charitable work and money he has donate has helped no one.. correct?
enjoy the 1st place eagles as they rout Denver and then finish off the great Dec goliath that is Dallas
Jimmy Smith lives in his mother’s basement.
I don’t hate Vick at all, I’m not a fan either. But I don’t thik Vick gets it and I don’t think he ever will when it comes to being a good QB or when it comes to excepting responsiblity for your actions.
Admiting what you done is wrong while at the same time making yourself seem like a victim shows he doesn’t get it. His words should be so humble but instead they are almost arrogant.
Its a shame because he has all the tools to be a great QB but I doubt he ever will.
JimmySmith says:
December 24, 2009 2:57 PM
Maybe the Eagles voted for Vick because they didn’t know the name of the fans who pack the batteries in the snowballs before they throw them.
Scumbags all.
——————————-
Great Post Captain Troll…Truly Brilliant..Tell me, was it your compulsion to just having to say something, or the fact you truly thought your comment was genius?..Now lets get the other two basement dwellers to chime in……
It must have been the O.J. jury that made this vote.
Turd culture values all the way around.
Wow.
Was the quote by Vick taken out of context or something? Because if he really said that and means it… the only conclusion I can come up with is that he is a sociopath. Up until now I thought everyone should give the guy a break because he has served his time, but wow apparently he is a victim who is the toughest being on the planet.
TRAMO says:
December 24, 2009 2:06 PM
Most of the NFL and Eagle players dont think Vick did anything wrong and they voted him this award just to say in your face NFL FANS. this shows you the character of most of the NFL players of today.the key word is “most ” not all. there is a big difference in the character and value’s of most NFL PLAYER’S and there fans.
Unfortunately, this is probably exactly what happened. Its sad really. Who cares what he overcame. Anything he had to overcome he brought on himself. He has paid his price. I have no problem with him getting the opportunity to play again, but winning this award? For what? If we don’t see it because we are not in the locker room, maybe someone should enlighten us with specifics. Wouldn’t that ultimately help Vick’s image? Very disappointing. Maybe Tiger will win it next year for finding the “courage” to appear in public again. Congrats on making a mockery of the Award and diminishing what should have been a great honor for the other winners.
Florio says:
“But, hey, at least it’ll help the team snooker someone into giving up more than they should in trade for Vick come March 1.”
————————
Ummmm…………no it won’t.
Tony Dungy — hardly impartial — should just shut the F*** up. I am sick of his “Mike Vick” evangelism.
I am a LIFELONG PHILADELPHIA EAGLES FAN.
I am HUMILIATED THAT THE EAGLES WOULD permit Vick to be nominated and then publicly promote it after he was selected.
It IS A DISGRACE.
Ya, and Andy Reid is “Father of the Year”, too.
It’s pathetic. I root for the Eagles for what they do ON THE FIELD. What they do off the field … with their empty, self-serving rhetoric, they should keep to themselves.
THEY HAVE DISGRACED THEMSELVES.
Not that Rich Eisen is a role-model … but what does that have to do with anything?? As he said: “What was courageous about what Mike Vick has done”??
He broke open the skulls of dogs with his two hands and the concrete at his feet. He should be rotting in a jail cell if we didn’t have EVEN WORSE DEGENERATES to have to incarcerate.
THE NFL IS THUMBING IT’S NOSES AT ALL OF US.
JimmySmith says: December 24, 2009 2:57 PM
I don’t hate Vick because he made a mistake, I hate him because he is a sociopath.
—————————————————————
Exactly Bro – I couldn’t care less is he’s black, white, green, pink or blue. I couldn’t care less what kind of background he comes from. I couldn’t care less what team he plays for.
None of that is important – what IS IMPORTANT IS that he is a sub human, sadistic, unfathomably cruel, sick excuse for a man. That he for SIX YEARS killed animals with his bare hands for FUN. SIX YEARS is no mistake! Dante Stallworth made a mistake – Mike Vick is a low-life that KNEW EXACTLY what he was doing, he heard the cries, the screams of those animals in tortuous pain. He kept at it for SIX YEARS! No excuse for what he did, no matter what the defenders say,
Why feel bad for someone who had to overcome crap that they caused for themselves? I’m done with Vick, he is a scumbag p.o.s. and will rot in hell one day.
perhaps this will inspire William Townsend to turn his life around :
Liberty County law enforcement had also investigated William Townsend’s possible involvement in the death of Thomas Weigner, Jr., a man well-known in the criminal world of dog fighting. Weigner was brutally murdered during a 2006 home invasion, when he was tied up and shot in the leg then allowed to bleed to death. At the time of Weigner’s murder, authorities were investigating a possible link between him, Townsend, and former NFL star Michael Vick.
http://tinyurl.com/ygo3aza
…………………………………………..
Vick will eventually screw up. All criminals do. Give it time and rethink about giving this guy anything but a kick in the ASS!
@zombierevolution
“But then again Florio is much more into quantity over quality and generating webhits than he is into journalism”
why do you read the site? i have noticed that you post several negative comments about the site and the proprietor of the site but yet you must be reading several articles as you are constantly posting negative comments. If you and your negative attitude did not log on to this site ever again, NO ONE WOULD MISS YOU. I imagine the people in your life that have to endure you may have a similar take as well? ask yourself, who am I and what have I accomplished in my life to constantly criticize and judge others?
Again, Screw Vick, and everyone that supports him. That is as nice as it can be put on Christmas Eve.
maybe they can give him the nobel peace prize this yr too… oh wait, that one was already wasted
to ALL the hypocrites on here who condemn Mike Vick and then turn around and eat chicken, pig, cow, deer, or any other kind of meat….BLOW IT OUT YOUR ASS!!!
I was in China last week, and the dog tasted delicious!!! YUM YUM!!!
Unbelievable. It would be amazing if Mike Florio could develop could develop thoughts and opinions with any kind of consistent logic or core values.
The same week where Chris Henry has passed away and many reflect on his previous problems and talk of a young man who had made mistakes earlier in life but was on the right track to getting his life on the right path is the same week we bash the Eagles for commending a man on the path of doing the same thing.
Mike Florio, people who visit this website visit it because it’s an excellent idea…a central hub of NFL news on one convenient, easy to read page…no one comes on here for your insight or you opinions.
There are a lot of good people in that Eagles locker room and he was voted unanimously by the people who know him…Mike Florio and Rich Eisen do not and have no right to say anything about who the Eagles chose to elect.
Michael Vick will have to pass away before the public views him as a brave person trying to get his life back together. Go to jail at the pinnacle of your career and change your life around for the better at age 30…pretty frickin courageous to me.
He didn’t turn his life around because he’s sooo courageous….he turned it around to get paid. He would have flipped everyone the bird if he didn’t need the money. F$$$ Michael Vick. Oh poor baby…waaa…the situations you’ve been in…f$$$ you! You chose the way you lived and now you’re going to make a ton of money because you’ve been sooooo courageous. You don’t know courage and you’re attitude of “poor me” is disgusting. Coward.
The real question is whether or not the teams followed the Rooney Rule before submitting their vote.
“idiotic mentalities of their idiotic, ignorant fanbase.”
“–Come to south philly and say that tough internet guy.”
Your Honor, I’d like to admit this fine piece of literature as evidence, which I believe proves my case beyond the shadow of a doubt
I’ve been to South Philly, and I’ve said plenty, tough guy. Walked away without a scratch too.
Impressed?
And Scoop you are a stupid piece of shit for saying “He mistreated some dogs.” Kicking a dog is mistreating it. He murdered around 100 dogs. You are a terrible person.
BlueEyeDevils says: December 24, 2009 2:41 PM
Vick could sneeze and “you” people would have something to criticize him about.
Everybody knows it’s only because of his skin color and jealousy.
Everybody was saying how easy it would be to replace him in Atlanta and that SORRY chump playing quarterback couldn’t lead the Falcons to the toilet, but the toilet is what his career is headed.
Just angry white people have a problem with Vick and it’s only because of hatred and racism and before you say the normal excuse “don’t play the race card”.
Well the race card is not being played, “you” people dealt it – so get over it, ATHLETIC black quarterbacks are here to stay
————————————————————
The hatred for Vick has NOTHING to do with skin color – why don’t “you” people & the other defenders stick to the issues – ISSUE is sadistic animal cruelty, electrocuting animals, hanging animals, slamming them to the ground over & over while they scream in pain, just for laughs. This was INTENTIONAL behavior for FUN. Why do I never hear any Vick defenders talking about this?? Because they know there IS NO DEFENSE for this, that’s why. Mike Vick DID NOT do his time for the abuse people, he did time for bankrolling a dog fighting operation, not for the sick & utter senseless cruelty which has always been the real atrocity. ABUSE & SERIAL ANIMAL MURDER are the issues here. For Mike Vick’s sake keep screaming race though, it always works to deter from the real problem…
@scoop – It’s the media’s fault? Yeah….right.
BlueEyeDevils says:
December 24, 2009 2:41 PM
Vick could sneeze and “you” people would have something to criticize him about.
Everybody knows it’s only because of his skin color and jealousy.
Everybody was saying how easy it would be to replace him in Atlanta and that SORRY chump playing quarterback couldn’t lead the Falcons to the toilet, but the toilet is what his career is headed.
Just angry white people have a problem with Vick and it’s only because of hatred and racism and before you say the normal excuse “don’t play the race card”.
Well the race card is not being played, “you” people dealt it – so get over it, ATHLETIC black quarterbacks are here to stay
__________
I am a white person and don’t particularly like the Eagles nor do I like Vick, BUT the Eagles saw fit to give him this award so I have absolutely no problem with that. Congratulations, Mike.
HOWEVER, what I DO have a problem with is a whiny racist pussy like “BlueEyeDevils” (should be BlueEyedDevils, you uneducated moron) coming on here and playing the “race card” like the little pussy that he is. Blame your own personal abject failures on your reluctance to do what it takes to succeed instead of blaming it on “The Man”. STRONG BLACK MEN like Robert Johnson and others like him in American business never let anything get in the way of their own drive to be successful and when weak ass punks like you, StinkEyeDouchebag, attempt to blame your welfare situation on someone else, it only diminishes the great accomplishments of successful black entrepreneurs nationwide. Find yourself a pacifer to suck on, BrownEyeDunglicker, because you will never measure up to ANY definition of what a REAL MAN is.
GFY, loser.
I am sure Eisen can name a few more deserving players on the Eagles, but as I said before it’s not up to people such as Rich Eisen, The great Mike Florio or any other figure in Sports media.
The Eagles as a team vote and decide who is most deserving of that award. Florio and Eisen have no say in it, because they have no clue on what happens in the Eagles locker room.
Now I don’t agree with Vicks speech, a lot of people in this world have gone through a hell of a lot worse then he has, stuff that they did not deserve whereas Vick put himself in that situation, but with that said he also pulled himself out of that situation.
Which is probably why his teammates admire him.
I’m sure this is Brett Favre’s fault in Florio’s mind
More than any single person could probably overcome? More than 95% of people could handle? Really? How about you have a cushier, easier life than %99.9 of the people on earth. You went to a white collar Fed prison…that’s it. You’re a phukin’ dooshbag that should hang yourself you pompous a$$.
More than any single person could probably overcome? More than 95% of people could handle? Really? How about you have a cushier, easier life than 99.9% of the people on earth. You went to a white collar Fed prison…that’s it. Pompous, self serving, and idiotic fool.
Obama wins the Nobel–Vick wins a The Ed Block Award–Florio wins The John C. Holmes Big Schlong Award—None of it makes any sense..
This award now carries about as much prestige as the Nobel Peace Prize.
*********
Bang-on, brother!!!
its Christmas…is it a parole violation for Mike to get in touch with Marcus??…or his uncle???
this is a good move though…will fit in great when they make the movie….hopeful next year we will hear more stories of courage & redemption to inspire us
somewhere in Montana Travis Henry wishes he could hire Mike’s PR people
Reid, McNabb and the Eagles organization are the GOLD STANDARD for being OBNOXIOUS and FULL OF THEMSELVES,
Ya Florio Im sure Eagles players were thinking about a draft pick, that could possibily take thier job, they could get for Vick if they voted for him.
Like I said a million times everything Rich Eisen says is a joke. That guy is worse then Florio he does what ever he can to start a controversy. He has jumped on every Eagles rumor over the past 6 years and always critizes the team, coaches, and city. I cant even watch the NFL network b/c of this idiot. I wish it was just Muchi and Deion and it would be the best show on tv.
I dont care if someone is a fan of another team or a former player. As long as you keep it professional I got no problem with it. I love me some Deion. Mostly b/c he is impartial and not a rumor munger, but guys like Eisen and sometimes Florio ruin football for us fans who want to know everything they can. So we cant ignore thier shows or websites. We just have to bear listening to their bs. Which sucks b/c their 2 companys are the best place to find football information.
I agree with Vick. He has been through a lot. Trying to decide if he kills a dog by slamming it on the ground or holding its head under water or electrocuting it by hooking it up to a car battery. I know it takes a lot of courage to do those things. It also took courage deciding if he should just lie about his dog fighting and dog killing to his boss or maybe the NFL or the police or everyone. It takes courage to fight dogs, kill dogs and then lie about it. And by the way it takes courage to collect 1.5 million from some team who is just stupid enough to give it to you then not produce any results. What a jerk. And by that I mean Vick, the Eagles and those stupid enough to vote to give him the award. The whole thing makes me sick.
I just get the feeling, that a lot of players think he paid his dues, and they really felt he had to go through so much more than anyone else wouldve..he didnt really SUCCEED, I mean his season was marginal, but coming from jail…and making it.
I think they have this thing with REDEMPTION. Not just with Vick, but with life in general…there’s a story there.
If Vick ran over a child or something I could understand….i f he sold drugs, and was freed on a technicality, then found god, and won it, i’d also understand…. I think the League really wants a story out of this guy…the media covers him…its like a drama, and the league continues the argument..y know… Eisen has every right to be disappointed, but people move on…the idea is people cheer him on for overcoming something…the award was unecessary, but players have each others back, PERIOD.
“Vick put himself in that situation, but with that said he also pulled himself out of that situation.”
More like he was forcibly pulled out of it, lying and screaming from his toes to his canker sores all the way. And we really don’t know that he’s out of it. All we do know is that the Eagirls have engaged a massive PR campaign to rehabilitate this trash’s image at the expense of what little integrity the organization had left after cornholing itself over the TO thing.
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/12468203/
Not if but when the epukes crash and burn will the team get together and hang vick bang his head into the ground drown him or kill him in the various ways the Prick did to those dogs?
And to all you Egirl fans STFU
Go back to your Row House and your chesse wiz
The race card went both ways with Vick. What he did probably would not have been thought of the same way if he was white. However, prominent black men in the media and on other teams all quickly jumped to Vick’s aid probably with the assumption that if they didn’t he would become a media target it would look bad for all black men. No one should debate that what Vick did was deplorable, and no one should debate that he has served his time in jail. He got his 2nd chance though. His 2nd chance was getting out of jail and the Eagles allowing him to be on their roster. He doesn’t deserve this award because what he did was in no way related to courage. It is shameful and paints a picture of stupidity to the people that voted for him to win this award. Courage is not enduring hardships brought on by your own illegal and inhumane actions. Courage is not something that is so easy to get all you need to do is break the law and be famous. Anyone who looks up to Vick is either misinformed, 12 years old, a sad excuse for a human being, or, the most probable, someone who wants to try and fit in with their untrue stereotyped view of black culture. It is sad and pathetic. The real victims here are the 99.999% of African Americans who view dog fighting as a disgusting crime and think Vick is a sad excuse for a person.
you’re right GoBowns… i’m sure the decisions he “had” to make are so difficult to make that well over 95% of us wouldnt make them… so he kinda told the truth in a twisted way.
ALSO, i’m sure it wasnt ez to figure out how to decide to best blow more money than the richest contract in NFL history could buy. Again, more than 95% of us wouldnt struggle w/these decisions.
BTW… why is it totally not surprising anybody that Vick voted for himself???
Modesty & Self-Depreciation: thy name is mike vick.
this says there is NO ONE ELSE on the Eagles worthy of this award, so they had to scrape the bottom of the barrel, … McNabbs comments are interesting because it speaks to the MINDSET of these football players, who think they have a sense of entitlement, and in McNabbs world, it’s easy to rationalise criminal behavior because you’re athletes and you’re used to having people cover up for your screw ups, and not taking responsibility for things you do,… this says as much about the Eagles & the type of people they are, ESPECIALLY MCNABB,,, for a guy who “doesn’t care what people on the outside say” it took McNabb HOW LONG to get over getting booed at the draft?
What’s the big deal? Obama won nobel peace prize and he did not deserve it so why are we worried about Vick winning an award. Remember different standards for some people.
I’m not pro-Vick, simply because I don’t believe he’s an honest person, but it looks to me like this is a non-issue and I think Florio is just looking to some hits on the site.
I’m glad that so many of the Vick haters are mentioning “Obamaville” and slandering the Nobel Prize.
It really only makes you and everyone on your side look like complete and utter wingnut morons.
Oh, wait. Right. That’s exactly what some of you punks are. Go let Glen Beck and Hannity tell you what to think and leave PFT forever.
damn man, let the man live already. and personally i dont know if i even heard of this award before vick won it.
I’m an ‘Ed Block Courage Award’ enthusiast. i get a weekly magazine with the nominees, interviews, as such. this one is a bit surprising, because I was expecting Roman Polanski.
@Whiterhino
I hate Vick and Glenn Beck. I voted for Obama. Shockingly people can make decisions and for opinions that have nothing to do with race.
Directly from Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courage
Courage, also known as bravery, will, intrepidity, and loyalty, is the ability to confront fear, pain, risk/danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. “Physical courage” is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, or threat of death, while “moral courage” is the ability to act rightly in the face of popular opposition, shame, scandal, or discouragement.
Courage is the mental and moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.
I guess he isn’t getting the award for moral courage. I once a had a buddy who told me he didn’t date fat girls b/c he had morals. I guess this is the same way people look at courage.
Let’s look at the opposite of courage – what is that cowardice. Here is the definition.
Cowardice, in general terms, is the perceived failure to demonstrate sufficient robustness in the face of a challenging situation. The term describes a personality trait which is typically viewed as a negative characteristic and has been generally frowned upon (see norms) within most, if not all global cultures, while courage, typically viewed as its direct opposite, is generally rewarded and encouraged.
Cowards are usually seen to have avoided or refused to engage in a confrontation or struggle which has been deemed good or righteous by the wider culture in which they live. On a more mundane level, the label may be applied to those who are regarded as too frightened or overwhelmed to defend their rights or those of others from aggressors in their lives.
Look at this and realize that he is a coward. Tony Dungy you have really disappointed me in backing Michael Vick here. I have taken alot of flack for my comments about Vick when I said he should be allowed back in football. He paid his price but come on. He is by far no Courage award winner.
STOP defending his getting this award and come to this realization.
>>>>>
As bad as his quote is (and it is bad) I think he’s actually trying to be humble in saying it. It’s just that’s he so un-intelligent he doesn’t even realize what he said is not at all humble or thankful, but rather self-serving and aloof.
Great athlete. Dumb as rocks.
>>>>>
This about nails it. The guy is a complete moron. He’s too dumb to even fake remorse or gratitude. I don’t think he even realizes he ever did anything wrong. That’s exactly how stupid this guy is.
Vick and his other co-felons would still be doing the same damn thing if their dumb asses didn’t get busted.
Vick hasn’t done a damn thing on his own.
Mike Vick treatment of those animals was despicable and sickening. But what I find more despicable and sickening is that kids in rural areas and urban areas of our country, are dying everyday and all those bashing Vick for his animal abuse sit by idle, and don’t say a word. I JUST DON’T GET IT……
To be fair to the eagles players that voted for him… He did threaten to electrocute their balls if they didn’t vote for him.
Vick does deserve the “Pacman jones thug life award 2009″ though. He and his horrible family have earned that.
Tom Brady must be sick to his stomach right about now…….sharing an award with this thug.
I’m tired of everyone busting Vick. Whatever, this is really not a big eal. Everyone overreacts so much in this country. Jeez. He won an award that was voted on by his teammates. A lot of us would not be able to understand the tough road to redemption that Vick is on. I’m not excusing his past actions in any way, in fact I find it disgusting, but give the guy a break.
Let’s see this for what it is: An idiotic organization that sees constant bad press (which is well-deserved) pointing out that they signed a criminal and he didn’t get into trouble for a whole six months. Time to toot that horn!
They ARE the Eagles, after all. From just below Laurie (never had a problem with him even though he looks like a Muppet) to the white trash and thug fans it’s not easy to view that organization in any kind of positive light. So this news is hardly surprising. Still, the award means squat to most people now.
Maybe Leonard Little should have won it the year after he killed that woman while drunk driving. After all, he really turned his life around after that.