Vick, TO among most disliked athletes
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
Vick, TO among most disliked athletes
Jonathan Tamari
Sometimes when you spend a lot of time immersed in a subject, you lose sight of how it looks to the rest of the world. It’s the forest and trees thing.
For reporters covering the Eagles – at least this one -- that’s the case with Mike Vick, who has won yet another unpopularity contest, being named in a survey as the most disliked athlete in America. (Also in the top 10: Plaxico Burress at three and Terrell Owens at 10, despite not even playing this year).
The results, released today by Forbes, show that Vick is well-known nationally – he has around the same level of recognition as Peyton Manning – but that casual fans overwhelmingly still don’t like him. That’s not new by any means, but it is a reminder of how Vick is viewed nationally after a season in which the quarterback, by my estimation, was treated by Philadelphia media and fans like any other big-name athlete: his play was constantly dissected and debated, but the arguments generally began and ended with what he did on the field.
This was a stark change from 2010, when Vick returned to national prominence and for a time was in the discussion for NFL MVP. That year was Vick’s first big step back onto the national stage since being released from prison after his sentence for dog-fighting, and there were heated reactions to just about anything written or said about him. Any story on this site, no matter how focused on football, would still lead to a vicious back-and-forth in the comments that would quickly turn to his dog-fighting conviction, arguments over punishment and forgiveness and, like clockwork, race-baiting.
This past season was different. There were still varied opinions on Vick – how responsible was he for his turnovers? How much blame did he deserve for the Eagles’ struggles? But these were the kind of arguments that surround nearly any quarterback on any disappointing team. While there were occasional reminders – at one Vick endorsement event in Philly one woman pointedly asked what he was doing to help dogs trained to fight – for the most part it seemed that Philadelphia decided the debate had been well flogged and just moved on. Vick was cordial, as always, with the media. Despite his star status he’s one of the better guys to talk to in the locker room, again, influencing the way he's seen by reporters, and aside from the day he signed his big new contract and truly seemed to have come full circle, I can’t remember very many questions about his “journey” or “coming back from where you were” or lessons learned in prison.
Many still disliked Vick, many still loved him, but the two sides seemed to realize that there was no convincing the others and left the arguments to the game.
(And, for football fans that seems to be the case overall. According to Forbes, 60 percent of “hardcore” NFL fans do like Vick). Maybe that’s because big football fans care more about his play than history. Maybe they’re more aware of his off-field work, which was constantly highlighted on pregame shows during 2010.
In either case, the survey is a reminder that even if the Vick arguments seem settled here – particularly among football fans -- and are now part of the background rather than in the forefront, his crime still resonates with many Americans.
Wow, some of you people are ridiculous. Regardless of his on the field play, the guy has seemed genuinely sorry for what he did and he has tried to help bring awareness of the issue to people. If God is willing to give second chances I think we should be too.— phillyfan27- looks like black men made the top 8 on the list.— bill the pill
- I am an Eagles fan but I hate that this guy is on our team. I can't even look at him. He is an ugly man. Creepy, thug eyes! I hope this guy gets a head shot and is out for good so I can love my team again.
- You hope that Vick "gets a head shot", but you would condemn him for killing dogs. Well, he's a human being, whether you accept that he is or not, and your dislike of Vick and your obvious wish for his death is even more abhorrent than his acts against the dogs he killed! No wonder our world is in so much trouble because it is hatred like this, and our inability or unwillingness to forgive, that promotes and facilitates intolerance everywhere!!! — SR31143
- Who could we trade, and how much money would it take to get Flynn down here, and get rid of Vick? Vick did his time, and the "good" he is doing now is basically like community service. The better his character gets, the less he will do. I think he could be good somewhere, just not in Philly.— jdenlinger
- I am older and have been an Eagles fan my whole life even though I now live away from the area. But have found it very hard to cheer for the Eagles since they got Vick - not an admirable person. Andy Reid is also hard to admire as a coach or personality. May be ridiculous to ask for a nice personality as well as athletic ability but don't think Vick was ever a very good quarterback or a good personality and Andy Reid has basically failed as a coach in light of some of the skilled players he has had. Will be a big fan again when they go away.— leenyg
- Bring in a real QB; his name is Peyton!— JBinPA
- These people who are so full of hate....are the ones who "sup on their own vomit". Its the same with every issue in life where people reside in the realm of hate: their angst is their own condemnation, rotted fruit from contaminated soil.— mrlars737
- Can't wait for the day when I get to wave goodbye to Vick and the idiot who signed him and made him the starting QB, Andy Reid.— Dragon13
- "60 percent of “hardcore” NFL fans do like Vick!!!"
— mrlars737 - A little perspective:
Congress' Approval Rating - 5%
President's Approval Rating - 50%
Mike Vicks Approval Rating - "60% of “hardcore” NFL fans"
NOT BAD!!!
— mrlars737 - As far as I am concerned, what Vick did (or at least admitted to) was reprehensible. As a pet owner and a person who has experience in animal shelters I have seen first-hand what abuse and neglect of animals is like. That said, Vick 1) did his time in prison; 2) he lost a $122 million contact; 3) he found himself under a mountain of debt; 4) he also found himself a man with no respect (I wonder about self-respect) left.
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He got a second chance, and has made the most of it. I do not believe he should be banned from the NFL or doing whatever he can to make a living, considering that the Eagles were willing to give him a try.
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I admit I was surprised he could still play; so there you go. In terms of his public persona, I think he speaks like he memorized lines from a script, but throws in comments like he has to play "his game." That leads me to think he remains undisciplined when it comes to football; but then Reid thinks a lot like Vick does in that respect, so I can't see a problem there.
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If anything, Vick now realizes he better straighten up and stay that way. He also knows millions of people will never forgive him what he has done. For me, it's forgive, but not forget.
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One last thing: people are capable of change, and time will with Vick. If you wish to hate him the rest of your life, and grind your intestines into hamburger with that kind of obsessive sickness, you better think about it: your hating Vick is not going to change him, and it won't make him go away either. It's not worth it, and neither is Vick.— MidStaterUXB - All I care about is that he can't read defenses, can't see the field, can't pick see the open man and can't deliver the ball quickly. He runs fast and can throw the ball hard--but that's not what makes a quarterback.— West_Philly_Fan
- Bill the pill, I really don't like to interject race into a conversation about another topic but, since you brought it up, I just want to make this comment. Yes, black men did make the top 8 on the list but I would guess that the number of whites polled far exceeded the number of minorities and, that said, I'm not at all surprised by the results!— SR31143
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