IS TAKING DOC TO SEE THE DOC
This is a letter sent Friday by the Eagles to their suitesholders and premium ticketholders.
As you are aware, the Eagles confirmed last evening that we have signed Michael Vick to the team. You are our most valued customers and we understand that this decision may result in some personal soul searching for you, along with some public debate in the coming days and weeks. We do not want this to distract from the relationship we have with you, and we remain fully committed to putting the highest quality product on the field and delivering wins to Eagles fans.
We have seen a tremendous outpouring of support from fans, but we also acknowledge there are some people who will struggle with our decision to give Vick a second chance. I am attaching here a statement that Joe Banner our President, wanted to share specifically with you. Please connect with us directly with any questions or concerns you may have and we will help however we can.
"We appreciate that this a complicated and personal issue for many fans and Eagles partners and premium clients. It was complicated for us as well, and we sought the counsel of several quality character individuals when making this decision. Tony Dungy, Roger Goodell and the head of the National Humane Society have invested considerable time with Michael Vick and feel confident that we have made the right decision to give him a second chance.
“The ultimate decision upon us was this — if a person made a terrible mistake and then paid their debts to society, was deeply remorseful and turned their life around completely, and not only lives a life or virtue themselves but is investing time to make sure others don’t make the same mistakes, would you be willing to help this human being move forward? Would you give them a second chance?
“We appreciate the complexity of this creates for some partners and premium clients and ask that you join us in our support and optimism for Michael as he commits himself to showing Philadelphia and the country he is a changed human being.
“I encourage you to visit philadelphiaeagles.com when you have a moment to watch the replay of the press conference which is happening today at 11 a.m. You will see the Michael we have come to know — someone who is remorseful and committed to showing everyone he has learned from his mistakes and that he is a changed person.”
Les
Bowen has covered the Eagles for the Daily News
since 2002.
Before that, he spent nearly 13 years covering the Flyers. It took Les
only a few seasons after the switch to figure out that there was no
penalty box at the Linc, and that the time really wasn't his, despite
what Andy Reid kept saying. Les came to Philadelphia and the Daily News
from Charlotte in 1983. In the intervening years, he has pretty much
lost track of NASCAR, and his accent. He, his wife Barbara, and their
two sons live in Haddon Township, New Jersey.
E-mail Les at bowenl@phillynews.com
and follow
him on Twitter.
Paul
Domowitch has been with the Daily News since 1982.
He has spent most of his nearly 3 decades with the paper covering the
Eagles and pro football. For the last 10 years, he’s been a
selector for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A native of Wilkes-Barre
and a graduate of Wilkes University, Domo started his career in Texas,
working first for the Midland Reporter-Telegram (1976-78), and then for
the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where he covered some god-awful Texas
Ranger baseball teams. His first beat at the Daily News actually was
boxing, which he covered just long enough to lose 2 sports coats to
blood spatter before moving on to football. Domo and his wife Shelley,
a University of Oklahoma grad who still hasn’t gotten over
that Fiesta Bowl loss to Boise State 5 years ago, have 2 terrific
daughters -- Allison, 28, who is an attorney in South Jersey, and Amy,
25, who works in administration for a professional baseball team.
E-mail Domo at PDomo@aol.com and follow
him on Twitter.
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