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Welcome to 360 Sport, the place to go with up to date analysis of all the major doings in the MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL.

Hello everyone!

First of all I'd like to welcome you guys to our newly renovated 360sportblog. Started 3 years ago by Ian S and myself, this blog now welcomes some new and bright stars in the blogging scene. As you continually follow our site, you will notice the vast variety that all of the articles will bring to the table. From basketball to hockey, football, and baseball (just to name a few), our blog will help you become more knowledgeable and impressive in your sports knowledge. Hopefully you will return each day, week, and month to see the best that this blog has to offer.

Thank you for reading and enjoy the circle-to-circle coverage provided by the 360sport blog.
-Scott H

December 7, 2010

Vindicated Vick-adelphia


In my last entry, I ended with an omniscient “told ya so.” Today, not so much.

In August of 2009, I was that wronged Philadelphia sports fan. The one who whined and complained and loathed the fact that the Eagles, a pretty upstanding organization, in my eyes, inked Michael Vick to a contract. Never mind the fact that it was a one-year contract. The fact that they inked him at all was enough to set the city ablaze.

And let me tell you one thing about this city and her sports teams: we’re never divided.

Michael Vick the dog-fighter. Michael Vick the gambler. Michael Vick the prisoner. Michael Vick the Eagle? It didn’t have a pretty ring to it. Hey, I’m all for second-chances, but let someone else take him. Let someone else give him his second chance. There are 31 other teams in the National Football League. But he had to come here.

A year and a half later, those sentiments are little more than past memories. No more protesters outside of Lincoln Financial Field, no more skeptics in the newspaper, and even an ironic “Most Vegetarian-Friendly Stadium” award from PETA. And, dare I say, I’m a fan. Vick has done the impossible, and magically changed the preconceived notions of the Philadelphia sports fan, a Herculean task. I’m still not sure how he did, but he earned the respect of one of the cruelest cities in the nation.

When Donovan McNabb left Philadelphia, there were no tears, no sentimental farewells, just a simple “good riddance”. As Vick stepped into the starting role, however, there were concerns. He hadn’t touched the pitch as a consistent starter in four years, and there were legitimate doubts as to how he would perform. But those legitimate doubts were very quickly transformed into legitimate results, with his passer rating so far this year hitting 108.7. After garnering an NFC Offensive Player of the Month award in September, Vick was injured in the marquee return of McNabb to the city of not-so-brotherly love. When Vick seemed ready to return, the city debated who should be the starter, Vick or Kolb. I asked my cousin who we should be rooting for, and he responded, without hesitation, “Vick.”

He’s been the comeback kid. The saving grace of this football team. And I’m actually glad it was the Eagles who have given him a second chance. The guy’s been focused on his job: playing the game of football. He served his time in the doghouse (pun absolutely intended), and became the hardest worker on and off the field to improve himself.

Vick’s game back in Week 10 was the performance of a lifetime. 333 passing yards, four touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and 80 yards. The Hall of Fame asked for his jersey after that night. Watching it, I was a fan. He got me. For the first time, I didn’t see Michael Vick the dog-fighter. I saw Mike Vick, the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles.

He may have fumbled the football back in 2006, but he certainly recovered his life and his career. The Eagles taught the city and the league a lesson and proved that he atoned for his mistakes and was intent on showing the world, and himself, what he could do. I was wrong about Michael Vick. He’s proven redemption, or something like it, exists in the scrutiny of the media spotlight, and you can come out on the other side a better person. And hey, if you become a franchise quarterback in the process, I’m not going to complain.

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