Vick admits he was lazy
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Vick admits he was lazy
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
Just finished watching Michael Vick's interview on 60 Minutes.
It was the second time he spoke at length since being released from prison. The interview was taped prior to the Eagles signing Vick. He spoke to the media in Philadelphia Friday.
It's clear that the fan base here is divided on the addition. And so it's probably pointless to discuss how believable Vick sounded tonight. It doesn't really matter whether he seems truly remorseful for what he did to the dogs, whether he's been humbled by what happened to his career, or neither.
The truth is that there will be an answer to all these questions about second chances, guilt and remorse. But it probably won't come any time soon. Down the road, we'll be able to tell, but it won't be after listening to Vick speak. It will be after seeing what he does the rest of his career, and really, the rest of his life.
Vick didn't really speak much about his playing days with the Falcons when he addressed the media in Philly, but he did talk about his work ethic as a quarterback with James Brown.
Here's the exchange that I found interesting:
Brown: You know what your reputation was like when you were playing?
Vick: Yeah.
Brown: What was it?
Vick: That I was lazy, last guy in the building, first guy out. I know that. And I hear everything that people say. And that hurt me when I heard that, but I knew it was true.
Brown: It was true?
Vick: It was true.
Tony Dungy was also part of the interview, and he said he talked to Vick about his work ethic with the Falcons.
"I think everyone looked at it that way," Dungy said. "Tremendous athlete. Tremendous talent. Very, very gifted guy who relies on his natural ability. He was exciting and probably didn't scratch the surface of his potential. And he and I talked about that for a long time in Leavenworth. He talked about not working out, not training, not studying, kind of taking things for granted, the gifts that the Lord had given him, just really living on that and not working at it."
When you consider who's talking, the words take on even greater meaning. Dungy spent seven seasons with the Colts and Peyton Manning, the guy who's obsessed with football, the guy who is always praised for his hard work and study habits.
If you're willing to give Vick a chance as a member of the Eagles, Dungy's words should excite you a little bit. Vick has to work here. Nothing's going to be handed to him. That's not how things work with Andy Reid and company. In Atlanta, the Falcons needed Vick. He could do whatever he wanted, and he was still going to be the quarterback. Especially since he won games. But probably even if he lost games. Because he made the Falcons relevant and was the face of the franchise.
Here, Vick needs the Eagles. If he doesn't work hard, it reflects badly on Reid. It reflects badly on Jeffrey Lurie. It reflects badly on Dungy.
And most importantly, it reflects badly on Vick, which could mean the end of his career.
A clip from the interview is embedded below.
***
** Nice job by JB on the interview. He pressed Vick on a number of topics. He asked whether he was sorry about what happened to the dogs, or what happened to his career.
** He told Vick that people would question him when he said he's found the Lord.
** And Brown asked him if he was really talking to Vick, or if he was just talking to a guy who was delivering answers that were prepared by his team of attorneys and public relations advisors.
***
I know some of you are already tired of reading anything with Vick's name in the headline so earlier I wrote about the positive things we saw from Thursday night's preseason game.
Still difficult to gage remorse, but that would be difficult to analyze almost 2 years after everything. Did seem honest, so ill give him that.— CrayzeeGuy- Words are easy. Work is hard, and it's not clear to me he's ever worked at football in his life. He finally went to the NFL and played against athletes who were just as gifted, but actually had a work ethic. I'm predicting he'll do well enough this year and next year, same old Vick. Perhaps the eagles can draft him for a 2nd rounder.— fmMD
- He worked hard at killing and torturing dogs. What a joke.— Dr. Michael
- Why are the comments being removed? Mine said Vick worked hard at killing dogs. The Eagles are now a joke and I am embarrassed being from Philadelphia.— Dr. Michael
Comment removed.- Dr. Michael, are you someone who doesn't make mistakes? Do you feel like a big shot by putting DR in front of your name?— bigbagoonglover
- Comment removed.
- right, and meantime the cowboys or giants would've signed him, philly10. and why do you type in caps? it's annoying. i would rather have vick on the eagles than see him anywhere else. he's as dangerous an offensive weapon as there is in the league. the dog thing is disgusting and unexcusable, but let him prove his remorse and turn this into something good for the animal humane society or spca or whatever. and don't these journalists use spellcheck for god's sake?! QUESTOINS? yikes...— canada51stSTATE
- i agree in terms of talent and upside no one in the NFL touches Vick. ..— mongoS
- Comment removed.
- "bigbagoonglover"- You need to come up with a better argument other than haven’t you ever made a mistake before. We’ve all made mistakes, but murdering and torturing animals repeatedly doesn’t really qualify as a mistake in my book. It was a choice he made over and over again and the fact that so many people can call it a mistake really disgusts me. Yes he served his court appointed time, but it doesn’t make the inhumane things he did never happen.— Philylily
- With Vick on the eagles. the offense is going to be unstoppable.— Boka
- People want to keep making this about a guy who made a mistake, IT IS NOT!!! It IS about a person who did things that require a psychopathic personality. Serving 18 months in prison does not make that go away intense voluntary psychiatric therapy might.— fff
- maybe if they drown,electracute,beat and kick mike vick,will he have peace then?— soliteryman
- you know, dr michael, after reading your posts the last few days i'm also embarassed that YOU are from philadelphia. at least you are not alone at that. have you ever considered alaska?— atimelost
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