SportsGirl

I had the opportunity to attend the pre-season game against the Denver Broncos and I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised. The Boys looked to be in pretty good shape for the up-coming season. Now, in a side note, I have to say whoever designed Texas Stadium forgot one tiny detail…the fact that it’s located in TEXAS!! That has to be the most humid place on Earth. There is no form of air conditioning and on Saturday night, no air moving through. In the middle of August that makes for an uncomfortable viewing experience. Not to mention the crazy drunk lady sitting next to me, cheering loudly for the Broncos and offering me sips of her drink…

So mugginess aside, I was impressed with what I saw on the field. Tony Romo looked sharp, which I somewhat expect. What I didn’t expect was for Marion Barber to stand out like he did. His stats don’t tell the whole tale. I think he rushed for almost 60 yards in about a half a game. But the way he was able to break tackles and keep adding yards after he’d been caught was awesome! We didn’t see a whole lot of Julius Jones but I’m not disappointed. I predict that he and Barber will emerge as one of the best 1-2 punches in the league this season. And with Romo looking like he’ll prove that last season wasn’t a fluke, that might just mean we’ll actually achieve the post-season success we’ve been so desperately seeking.

As for the defense, their ability to rush the passer looks good. Even if they are breaking some code of ethics that John Lynch wants to whine about. I realize that’s a whole different topic but if the fans are paying regular season prices to see the pre-season game, it’s bad enough that the starters play for all of a quarter before being benched; to expect the teams to not play a physical game is just ridiculous. Now, I’m not sure if the Dallas defense really is this good or if Jay Cutler is going to be that bad. I like Denver, always been a Shannahan fan, and I’ve got nothing against Cutler so I’m hoping it’s a little of each.

So for now, my interest in the upcoming season has officially been piqued. I may actually have to openly root for the Boys! Still don’t like Wade Phillips but I realize I don’t have much of a choice in that matter, for this season at least. I’m hopeful that Bill Cower will decide that retirement is for the birds and he’ll discover that Dallas is just the place for him. Until then, maybe Wade can take a lesson from his father, the great Bum Phillips. Bum was reportedly seen at the Houston Texans practice talking with fans and media-types and passing out samples from his new Bum Phillips Smoked Meats collection. Awesome.

Today is a sad day for me, though it’s one I knew was coming for a few weeks now. Michael Vick has agreed to plead guilty in the dogfighting charges levied against him. I suppose there was a part of me that was hoping that he would stand, steadfast, proclaiming his innocence, co-horts be damned. A co-worker of mine asked me today was I was so passionate about this topic and it took me a second to realize why I care so much.

The answer is that I saw Michael Vick as someone who was in a position to be a great example to all kids that you can change your life if you want to badly enough. Now, I’m someone who doesn’t necessarily believe that one of the tasks required to earn an NFL-sized paycheck is to be a role model to the youth of the nation. That’s what parents are for. But if you’re in a position to show kids from the same set of circumstances you may have come from, that there is a different path than the one most evident, I think you should show them. As I wrote in an earlier post, Michael genuinely seemed disappointed that his brother Marcus squandered an opportunity to change his own life by refusing to give up his immature ways. And really, isn’t that a lesson everyone needs to learn? This isn’t a racial issue; it’s a much bigger issue. If the circle you run with can’t support you when you find a different way of life, then what does that say about the nature of your friendship? I just thought that Michael Vick could be someone who would show those, like his younger brother, that we all reach a point in our lives when you have to do what’s best for you and your family, not necessarily stay true to some idea of your roots that gets you no where. And he failed at that. And that disappoints me.

I read an article by Peter King about Arthur Blank’s reaction to all of this and it made me think that we’re probably only seeing the tip of the iceberg in terms of fallout from this. The Falcons as a franchise could be set back 4-5 years from this. I’ve always been a Joey Harrington fan (I know, I’m about the only one!) so I’m really hoping that he can surprise everyone and have a great season. I mean, for goodness sake, the man is a concert pianist! What more could you want from a quarterback?

I suppose it will be interesting to see what sentence is handed down to Vick and how much time he actually serves. But it will always remain a sad day to me because I wanted so badly to believe that Vick would be above this kind of repugnant behavior.

Football, that is. Well, pre-season to be exact, but still it’s something other than baseball. (no offense baseball) You know, I’ll happily attend a baseball game, especially when I know the hot dogs will be good. But I just can’t get into watching baseball on tv. Maybe it’s because we’re currently celebrating Barry Bonds’ assention into Home Run King status. Gag.

But my beloved football is here again! Of course, I’m watching the Cowboys and so far through a quarter and a half, I’m pleased with what I’m seeing. Now, if you lived here in Dallas, you’d probably be as sick as I am with everyone practically drooling over this year’s squad. I’m not ready to annoint them as the NFC champs. But from what I’m seeing, I’m definitely of the mindset that they at least stand a chance. Other than the fact that poor Marion Barber can’t seem to gain a single yard, the offensive line isn’t doing a bad job of blocking, even with some backups at tackle. I like what I’m seeing with Tony Romo; so far he’s making good decisions and is completing some long passes. Not bad, Boys! Not bad.

Now again, we’re talking about 2 quarters of pre-season football. Last season I think the Boys had the right pieces, it was just execution that stood in their way. Yes, they want to blame it on Parcells and say he stifled the offense. But having a “genius” defensive minded coach as your leader doesn’t automatically guaranty you’ll execute well. Still can’t get used to the fact that Wade Phillips is the man generating so much excitement here in this city, but hopefully I’ll be proven wrong. The big D gets so darn gloomy when the Boys aren’t doing well!

Well, of course, like any sports fan, I’ve been paying tons of attention to the developing situation involving Michael Vick and his alleged dog fighting ring. And like all sports fans I’m growing a little weary of the CONSTANT coverage of the same details, day in and day out. Even my beloved hosts Mike and Mike are beating the dead topic to death (pardon the pun). The problem that I’m having though is that I don’t know what side I fall on with this whole situation.

Obviously I, like most rational human beings, find dog fighting repugnant so there’s no question on that part. But I’m not sure what I’d do if I were Arthur Blank or Roger Goodell. I understand that having Vick on the field this season will create a media circus for all the wrong reasons. But keeping him off the field when he hasn’t been convicted of anything seems like an injustice to the justice system!

What’s troubling to me is that we watched in the Imus situation the advertisers wield their power over an offense that wasn’t the worst thing we’ve heard on the radio (not that I condone what Imus said but it seemed a bit capricious to censure him so sternly when I hear my local “shock jocks” use language ten times more offensive). And the fact that they’d now use their power to pressure the team’s owner or the commissioner doesn’t sit well with me. I would think that these large companies would feel more obligation to remember that whole “innocent until proven guilty” thing that our courts are sort of founded on and would wait to pressure the league once Vick has actually been convicted, if that ever happens. Because of that I have a hard time wishing that the league or the Falcons would suspend Vick before the season.

On the flip side, if he is guilty of what he’s accused, I say ban him from the game permanently. Anyone who would go to such lengths to fight some dogs and treat those animals in an unspeakable fashion deserves the max punishment you can throw at him. You know, what’s also disappointing is seeing how Mike Vick tried to act as a mentor to his younger brother Marcus, who wouldn’t surprise me to learn he was involved in the dog fights. You’d think that after seeing your brother p#$% away his chance at playing pro football would be enough to make you realize how lucky you are to have the opportunity in front of you that you have; you’re one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the game and you have such a unique talent that most teams would be willing to re-tool their entire offense to fit you in the scheme. 

So, I’m finding it very troubling that I don’t know how to process this situation. I can only hope that more details will come out that will provide a clear direction for the Falcons and maybe then I can make up my mind on what to do with Michael Vick.