Just hypothetically speaking, I'd bet that, if asked by the managers and coaches of the Atlanta Falcons camp, Michael Vick would jump at the chance to return to the team that incubated his football career. Pregame comments like "It's still my city," affirm that theory. This is where he'd spent six whole years of his profession before he was taken down on dog-fighting charges.
The ex-quarterback of the Falcons, number 7 then and now number 7 with the Philadelphia Eagles, was exactly what the Dirty Birds needed in Sunday's game — a tried-and-true quarterback to propel the team toward a victory. But with Matt Ryan out because of an injury, and Chris Redman a fallible Falcon trying to play the role of quality quarterback, nobody really wonders why the Falcons fell short of soaring above the Eagles when the two teams tangled talons on Sunday, December 6.
Atlanta fans seemed ambivalent about their chance to see Mike perform again in the Georgia Dome; some cheered, some booed. But regardless of what the fans feel, the man has paid the debt he owed for disobedience against federal dog-fighting laws (18 whole months holed up in a federal prison), and his opportunity to shine again now seems promising and boundless. Was it a bit of poetic justice for Vick to score his first touchdown since returning to the NFL against the team that sent him packing in 2006? The final score, 34-7 in favor of Philadelphia, came as bitter embarrassment to the Falcon owner, manager, head coach, players, and others.
Or maybe Vick's performance was just a bit of showcasing of talent in front of the Falcons or any other team that's looking for a good player. Anything's possible. Beyond the many fans who taunted Vick as he entered the field, some would welcome him with open arms back to Atlanta any day. Vick's final comment: “I will never forget this day. I’ll never forget coming back to the city of Atlanta. I’ll never forget seeing all the landmarks I saw every day for six years. ... You don’t always get a chance to experience something like this in a lifetime and it’s something I’m going to cherish.” Sounds pretty nostalgic and sentimental to me!
