After the jump, you can view the entire email chain. Nothing was changed for the sake of this post (besides cleaning up spelling) and the email wasn't originally intended for us to publish. But alas, good points were made and the public deserves to know, dammit! So do your best Larry Mendte impersonation and get a candid look at my inbox from this morning.
From: chris
To: Wetz; maurice
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2010 08:56:43 -0500
Subject:
Am I wrong for wondering why people can’t keep Vick 'the football player' and Vick 'the man' separate? I honestly don’t understand it. Like the Daily News cover today with the classy ‘Top Dog’ headline. Am I in the wrong to not still hold him accountable of his actions that he’s PAID HIS TIME FOR? It just seems crazy to say and un-American to keep vilifying him. People don’t have to like Vick the person, but you’re watching football for entertainment. Let yourself be entertained. If Braveheart comes on, I’m still going to watch it even though Mel Gibson is crazy, racist, and hits women and children. I’m still going to enjoy the shit out of Michael Jackson’s music, but I wouldn’t have let him watch my kids. I just think people need to set the two apart. The entertainer and the human should be kept separate and it kind of pisses me off that the media (and quite a few average citizens) don't. I’m just tired of the tongue in cheek headlines and awful canine references. Big Ben rapes women in bathroom stalls and that seems ho-hum compared the headlines Vick continues to get. I dunno… what do u think? Am I the one who’s crazy here?
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From: Wetz
Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 09:29 AM
To: chris; maurice
Subject: RE:
I think it's just the same old tired act of the lazy American media. They play to people emotions, and people don't like what Vick did. Silly headlines like that get attention and keep people interested, even if the story is always the same. I agree with you completely, I hate what Vick did cause I love animals and hate bad humans, but I'm still going to root for him as an Eagles player. But most people don't care, they just want him to fail cause of the brutality he showed to dogs. I can't fault people for that, but it does get a little tired when people won't shut up about it. It just seems that people enjoy being vocal about their disapproval of Vick. I know what he did was terrible, but he paid his price to society. Move on and just watch football.
Another thing that is annoying me...why do people believe Andy Reid sometimes but not others? I've read so many stories this morning about how people hate this move, because it's stunting Kolb's growth and shows the lack of a plan. There is no way Andy Reid or Joe Banner thought Vick would ever look this good again. They signed him as a cheap investment...if he gets good again we'll use him, if not, what's a few million bucks? Well, Vick looks good. The offensive line is awful. And Kolb just doesn't seem comfortable AND is coming off a concussion. Just cause Andy says this doesn't have anything to do with the o-line, or Kolb's concussion, or Kolb's lack of an arm, doesn't mean it doesn't. It does. All of that, combined with Vick playing very well so far, made this a move Andy just wants to try. People always hate on Andy cause he never folds and takes a chance, cause he is set in his ways and always sticks to "his plan." Well, he's going off script now, which I applaud. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see Kevin Kolb sucks balls. Andy is probably realizing that he'd rather take a chance with Vick over going down in flames with Kolb. Sounds like a good idea to me. Fuck the "future"... I want to win now. Vick gives the Eagles the best chance to do that. (Now it might be true that the Eagles should have just kept McNabb, but that's neither here nor there.)
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From: chris
To: Wetz; maurice
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2010 09:37:54 -0500
Subject: RE: RE:
I couldn’t agree more. There was maybe a 10% chance Vick regained his abilities to the point where he was when he went to prison. They paid $2M to take the chance on him becoming what he was. Why else do people think they did that? Vick was never just QB #3.
Well it sure looks like those abilities are back, and if that’s true, how can you fault them for starting a player who was a top QB in the league before he went away? Granted, he’s not ‘conventional’ but he won a lot of games and his athletic abilities fit this offense (as it’s currently constructed) better than Kolb's. It’s as simple as that.
I hate that I've heard people say, “so the Eagles will now make the playoffs and be bounced in the first round". That thought process is so incredibly flawed. If Vick is the difference of 10-6 and 8-8, then you do it so you make the playoffs. Everyone should know by now that playoff success hinges greatly on momentum and how things a ‘clicking’ in December. For someone to make the call right now they’ll get bounced in the 1st round is completely baseless.
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From: Wetz
Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 11:21 AM
To: chris; maurice
Subject: RE:
Yep. If you can make the playoffs, you go for it. You don't take "development" or "rebuilding" over a legit shot to make the playoffs. Are the Eagles a championship team? The answer is no. But the Cardinals sure weren't in 2008 and neither were the Jets last year. But they got to the playoffs by the skin of their teeth and then made a run. It's always worth the chance.
In the end, I can't see any negative coming from riding this Vick thing out. If he ends up sucking in a few weeks, oh well. Kolb isn't going to do any better behind an O-line that couldn't block Betty White. It's almost irresponsible to put Kolb behind this craptacular line. If nothing else, they'll sure be more fun to watch over the next three months. Sometimes you just gotta ride the hot hand. Kolb may be good down the line, but if we've waited this long for him, what's another few months?
(Plus, as I've always said, Kevin Kolb blows. No good QB ever came from Houston. Ever. Andy Reid is wrong on Kolb. Always will be. It's ok to admit when you're wrong. Maybe he's doing that now. Thank god. Vick might not be the answer, but Kolb never was. And someone tell John Clayton to shut up and stop looking so ugly. Seriously, the guy shouldn't be allowed on TV.)
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From: maurice
Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 11:48 AM
To: chris; Wetz
Subject: RE:
I'm black, so much like with Obama it's my racial obligation to support anything Mike Vick does now. And killing dogs is not as bad as raping human women in bathroom stalls.
Kisses!
-Maurice
PS - eff John Clayton's ugly raisin abortion face.
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