WOULD RATHER BE IN CLEARWATER
Donovan McNabb talked after Thursday’s preseason opener about the Eagles’ signing of Michael Vick, letting it be known he was behind the move and recalling that he hosted Vick when Vick visited Syracuse, before he signed with Virginia Tech.
Since then, with Vick joining the Birds on the practice field, McNabb has declined further comment, though he is scheduled for a news conference today. Tonight, McNabb posted some Vick thoughts on his blog at yardbarker.com.
McNabb again related the Syracuse story, saying he and Vick had remained in touch since then.
“Fast forward to today – I know what Michael was accused and convicted of and I don’t like it at all,” McNabb wrote. “I have had dogs all my life and consider myself a dog-lover. I am in no way excusing Michael for what happened but he was punished for his crime. He served his time and, at least I believe, has learned from it. I believe Michael is a changed person and that he deserves a chance at putting his life back together. A life, now, that will include being an activist to stop cruelty to animals.”
McNabb then blogged about the origins of the Eagles’ interest, shading the story slightly differently than management has. Eagles president Joe Banner has said head coach Andy Reid brought up the notion, after considering it quite a while.
“In mid-July before training camp started, I asked Coach Reid if we would be interested in having Michael join the Eagles and explained why I thought it would be good for both Michael and the team (Andy and I have an understanding that we will never discuss the details of our private exchanges),” McNabb wrote. “There was another time during camp where the subject was brought up again by me. It was not until Kevin Kolb was injured last Monday that I was given any indication that something might happen with Michael.”
That last part is interesting, because the Eagles have said signing Vick had nothing to do with Kolb’s knee injury, which apparently is not serious. Banner has acknowledged he contacted Vick’s agent, Joel Segal, last Monday, the day Kolb went down to an MCL sprain.
“I wanted Michael to come to Philadelphia and, in any way he can, help bring a Super Bowl championship to the city. There is no doubt he is a uniquely talented player that can add to our offensive weapons,” McNabb wrote. “For him personally, I want to see him continue to grow as a person, spend time with his family and reestablish himself as a leader on and off the field. Due to the nature of what happened and the attention it has received, it may not always be easy for him but he seems up for the challenge. Fortunately, with a tremendous individual like Tony Dungy in his corner, he will have the support he needs.
“I thank Andy for considering my suggestion. I also thank Mr. Lurie for taking the time to talk with Michael and making what he thought was a very difficult decision.
“Michael now admits he did a horrible thing – he’s not making excuses or asking for forgiveness. He only wants an opportunity to prove he’s a changed person and to help others.”
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To read our report from today's practice, click here.
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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