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Trying to make sense of the Vick addition

Sitting here a few hours after first hearing the Michael Vick news, and I'm still having a difficult time making sense of the whole thing.

This franchise is calculated in everything it does. From rookie contracts to free agent additions to the way it discloses injuries to the press.

During training camp, one writer from out of town commented how the Eagles run their team like a government agency, not a football outfit.

With the signing of Vick, they have invited a media circus. Everyone will be at the NovaCare Complex Friday -- CNN, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, you name it.

There will be protests. There will be fan outrage. There will be controversy.

Jeffrey Lurie, Joe Banner, Tom Heckert and Andy Reid obviously took that into account when they decided to bring Vick in. And somehow they thought it was still worth it.

Even though they have not seen him on film. Even though they say he's a quarterback, and they already have a quarterback (and a backup for that matter). Even though he has not stepped on the field since the end of the 2006 season.

Check out what McNabb said when asked if Vick's addition would reduce his own role as the QB.

"If I'm playing quarterback for 65 plays, and we have 70 plays, and he takes five snaps, I mean I think I can rest with five snaps," McNabb said.

So that's what this is about? Five snaps a game? That's worth the risk? The circus? The controversy?

To be clear, I'm not saying they definitely should not have made the move. I'm just trying to figure out their reasoning. Someone help me out here.

Other notes from Reid and McNabb tonight:

** McNabb: "There's no threat for me. There's no threat for Kolb. It's an opportunity for us to add another weapon to our offense, and to our team." Doesn't exactly sound like he thinks Vick is coming in as a QB, does it?

** Yet later he said: "I think people look at the Wildcat as a copout. He's a quarterback. He's not a utility guy. He's not a receiver. He's not a running back. ... The Wildcat offense works in college. It was something that came out last year. Some teams started to do it, but I don't think that it'll last that long."

** We generally try to separate the personal lives of athletes and coaches from their professional lives. But after listening to Reid tonight, there's no question that his family situation played a factor in his decision to bring in Vick.

"Well I'll be very honest with you," Reid said. "I've kind of followed Michael's situation very close with the things that my boys've been through. They were right around the same time so I've had a chance to kind of follow that and I know the things that Michael's gone through. On the other side of that, the things that can happen there, the changes that can be made."

** Reid: "I didn't work him out. He looks like he's in good shape."

Did he see any film?

"I didn't," Reid said. "I talked to some people and didn't look at any film. I don't believe that he had any film, not that I was able to locate."

This is the strange part to me. How can they have any idea about what kind of role Vick can play when they haven't seen him work out at all?

** I wonder how Kevin Kolb feels about the addition, and I wonder if there are any updates with Kolb's injury.

** Reid said the team could carry four quarterbacks. I don't think so. A.J. Feeley's days are numbered.

** A year ago, if I would have told you this city would be home to Pedro Martinez and Michael Vick, you would have said I was spending too much time in Todd Herremans' van.

** By the way, I've received some e-mails/Tweets asking for my take on tonight's game. I barely saw any of it, but it's DVR'd. I plan on watching it tomorrow or Saturday and providing a full breakdown. If Vick's only going to be on the field for five snaps a game, you are correct. There are bigger concerns with this team.

** Vick's press conference is Friday at 11. Check philly.com for updates, live coverage, etc.