Ineligible Man Downfield

Being as we are, downstream and downfield (sometimes with an illegal man or two) from the action, we are behind a bit in the news.  However, that is not necessarily a disadvantage because our focus is on the analysis of news events and stories.  We get to absorb the whole story and make an educated comment.

And so we begin:

The Michael Vick Experience at the outset was touted as a revolutionary change at the quarterback position.  Not only could Vick pass, but he could run like a speedy running back when called upon, making it tough on the defense to keep track off.  All was well as long as the Atlanta Falcons won games and made the playoffs.  Times were good not only for the team, but for Vick himself, earning him millions of dollars in terms of his playing contract and endorsement deals.

Well you know what they say about money:  More money, more problems!  And boy did Vick conjure up some problems. It started with spats and verbal jabs at fans.  The team soon began to lose games they were expected to win as favorites.  Then it escalated to the infamous dogfighting ring he ran.  Amazingly, if that were his only problem, he’d be relatively okay however we soon found out that he blew all his money.  On top of that he lied to the commissioner Roger Godell about his crime, became suspended indefinitely byGodell, and for awhile we thought his career was over.

Surprise, surpise!

The Michael Vick experience is rebooted onto Version 2.0.  He did his time and now is “supposedly” reformed.  Godell gave him a second chance.  I do not know for sure if he is truly reformed (and we may never know), but he seems sincere about it.   I believe in giving people second chances based on that act alone (but that’s me).  If Tony Dungy, a highly respected coach says so then you got to give the guy the chance. It can’t hurt that Dungy is mentoring him either.

That doesn’t mean however that he will necessarily play quarterback or quarterback on the par that he was before.  Since he left, the league became introduced to the Wildcat offense (through the Miami Dolphins) and many believe that he will perform well in that type of scheme, but not as a full-time quarterback.  He claims that he wants to be known only as a QB and nothing else.  I might give him the chance, but for this year he is going to be a decoy.

Yes, you heard me say it, decoy!

Being away from the game for that long and wanting to play a such a critically skilled position requires a lot of training and in Vick’s case, “re-training.” Remember this guy just came out of jail and has lost a lot of football time, especially when you consider the ever increasing athletic ability of today’s players, even in a two-year time span.  He might be able to play next year as QB. At the very least his troubles of yesteryear are in the past (or so we hope).  He gets to go back to the job that many of us wouldn’t have been able to do if convicted of similar crimes . (The luxury of celebrity-hood).  I consider that lucky in itself  and he should cherish that moment this time around.

The road to redemption is not an easy one, but if one toils and works at it, the reward will be bountiful.   It may not be what is expected, but it is better than before:  A changed person working toward the good of society.  We see that today as he is advising kids to stay out of trouble.  To that I say bravo.

The new Michael Vick Experience ensues.  I wish him luck and much success.  There are those who may disagree with me, but to them I say, you can’t put him in the doghouse forever now can you?  That would be cruel treatment, even to a real dog.

This reminds me of a song that supports such a change from a fellow Atlanta native who is going through similar circumstances.  Boy is the world is full of coincidences or what?

Please do enjoy:

Ever since the Miami Dolphins ran the “wildcat offense,” all the rage is about what version of the wildcat offense does your football team play.  So off the top of my head, I can count several teams including the Dolphins who have used it:  Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens and a whole host of other teams.  The total stands at about 16 or basically half of the teams of the NFL.  The Philadelphia Eagles are the latest to use this formation with the addition of the versatile and controversial Michael Vick.  Some teams should use it such as the Chargers with the more than capable LT as the hybrid quarterback/running back.

Why such interest?

I think the answer is quite simple.  Its the same reason gadget plays (made famous by Ken Whisenhunt) work.  The answer is leverage.  If the defense does not know what the offense is going to do, the advantage defaults automatically to the offense which helps them score more points.  Unlike gadget plays which are used once or twice in a game, teams are using the wildcat more regularly.

Isn’t the wildcat a college play?

Sure, the wildcat is used more often in college and high school, because not every school has a capable quarterback that can throw the long ball. (Some NFL teams such as the 49ers or Lions should look into this).  With that said, the obvious question would be since this offense has been around for so long, wouldn’t coaches have a defensive scheme for it?  Yes and no.  The college game is different from the pros where defensive coordinators already have it on the books.  It was inconceivable that a college play such as the wildcat would have succeeded in the NFL that it was assumed unnecessary for defenses to plan for it.  However we know now how that turned out.  Some assumptions need to be tested and this passed with flying colors.

Significance of the wildcat

So what is the importance of this discussion anyhow?  The NFL has relied on the same number of plays over the years and the wildcat represents possibly a new revolution in scheming in the NFL.  New plays and formations may change the game, making it more exciting.  (Aside:  Dang, Roger Godell should hire me for my type of analysis!).  What if we line up with two quarterbacks or what if we only line up with 3 running backs?  Wouldn’t that be intersting?

This begs the following question:

Can the spread offense work in the NFL?

Baseball is definitely our nation’s pastime and is certainly past its prime.  According to various sources including the Bleacher Report, Bud Selig is getting good money for being the commissioner of baseball.  Naturally, being commissioner would afford you many good benefits including a decent pay.

However as we know now, that pay is “a bit absurd” to say the very least.  As Bud is having a dog-gone good time, baseball’s viewership has plummeted and its image languishes in shambles.  Remember, this is the same Bud Selig that has owned (indirectly) the inept Milwaukee Brewers up until recently.  This is also the same Bud that doesn’t seem to have a clue how to handle the illicit drug use by baseball’s “all-star” players such as Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and now newly discovered Alex Rodriguez.

Your best players are all dopers.

What an image!  What an image indeed.  All-star pill pushers!

Talk about a lost of credibility and sound management.  That reminds me of the Detroit Lions but ten times worse.  It is time for baseball to remove Bud Selig and replace him with someone else.  Though football has some quirks and kinks (a.k.a. referees), they sure run a tight ship in terms of their image, earning ever more money and gaining even more viewership.  Roger Godell doesn’t get paid as much as Bud, yet the NFL thrives.  The NFL is “the” model in sports entertainment that others should emulate.  Maybe babseball can get an executive from the NFL to put baseball back into some “positive” limelight.

It is time for the commissioner to go!  Your image is already in the dirt.  It is nonsense to beat up a dead horse even more.  You must go now to save your sanity.  Oops, maybe that has been lost already.

Since we’re also on the subject of illegal steroid use, it is funny that A-Rod was caught with a positive steroid test.  We all know that he was a headcase and a self-serving drama queen, but now steroids too?  I guess his “roid rage” presented and manifested itself through his drama queen-like state.  I guess all those good stats and the 2003 MVP title were due to positive results and, boy were those results “positive.”

What a sad state of current affairs for baseball.  Positively inept indeed.

What can I say?  I’m speechless almost to the point of “shock and awe“.  Okay maybe not to that extreme, but I am certainly disappointed at the Carolina Panthers for putting forth a lackluster game against the Arizona Cardinals. The game was basically over by halftime with Jake Delhomme chucking giveaways like he was Santa Claus, the man incarnate.  Meanwhile, Kurt Warner was throwing TDs and partying like it was 1999:

In my opinion if the Panthers had stuck with the running game of DeAngelo Williams and Johnathan Stewart, the game would have ended in Carolina’s favor.  Instead, an anxiety attack hit after the first few turnovers and the Panthers tried to air it out like they were the “Greatest Show On Turf” of Warner’s Ringling Brothers past.  Argh, how frustrating! Continue reading