Posted on 11/27/2006 2:00:56 AM PST by mcg2000
ATLANTA -- Michael Vick apologized for making an obscene gesture toward Atlanta fans as he walked off the field after the Falcons' fourth straight loss Sunday.
Vick used both hands to deliver the gesture and flashed an angry look toward the handful of fans remaining in the Georgia Dome. Those who hung around booed the home team loudly after its dismal 31-13 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
"First and foremost, I would like to apologize for my inappropriate actions with fans today," the quarterback said in a statement released by the Falcons. "I was frustrated and upset at how the game was going for my team, and that frustration came out the wrong way."
Vick was the Falcons' main offensive threat with 166 yards rushing, just 7 off his NFL record for a quarterback. He had another rough day passing, completing nine of 24 for 84 yards, but that wasn't entirely his fault.
The Atlanta receivers dropped at least five passes, and the offensive line didn't provide much protection. Vick was sacked three times and hit a dozen more behind the line of scrimmage after throwing passes.
Leaving the field, he let his frustration get the best of him.
"That's not what I'm about. That's not what the Atlanta Falcons are about," Vick said in his statement. "I simply lost my cool in the heat of the moment. I apologize and look forward to putting this incident behind me."
Vick did not address his actions at a postgame news conference.
Reporters were not aware that he made the obscene gesture until afterward, when replays of him leaving the field began airing on television.
"I can't explain how I'm feeling right now," Vick said during the news conference. "Losing the game says it all. It is not a good feeling when you lose four games in a row, and when you lose a game that you had a shot at winning."
Vick said he did his best to keep the Falcons (5-6) from losing again. This is the first time since 2003 that Atlanta has been below .500, and the team appears headed for another second-half collapse.
Last season, coming off a trip to the NFC championship game, the Falcons won six of their first eight games. But they went 2-6 the rest of the way, missed the playoffs and failed to break the franchise's ignominious streak of never having back-to-back winning seasons.
With the next two games on the road, Atlanta seems headed for another disappointing season.
"I was just out there fighting for this team, for pride and for this organization," Vick said. "We have to keep fighting. We have to show some resolve."
No, but I visit one every 6 months. :0)
you've got mail .........
You know how Peyton Manning is called a choker in the playoffs and Brady is regarded as clutch? I dug up their lifetime playoff stats and here's what I found. It's interesting, and stats don't tell the whole story, but you might be surprised:
Here are Manning's career postseason #s:
COMP 193
ATT 321
% 60.1
YARDS 2,462
YARDS/ATTEMPT 7.7
LONG 87
TD 15
INT 8
SACK 13
SACK YARDS 109
Rating 89.3
RUSHING ATT 11
RUSHING YARDS 33
AVG 3.0
RUSHING TD 2
FUMB 2
FUMB LOST 0
Here's Tom Brady's:
COMP 225
ATT 367
% 61.3
YARDS 2,493
YARDS/ATTEMPT 6.8
LONG 73
TD 15
INT 5
SACK 16
SACK YARDS 105
Rating 89.4
RUSHING ATT 30
RUSHING YARDS 51
AVG 1.7
RUSHING TD 2
FUMB 4
FUMB LOST 1
Typical bostonian whining even when they win. Of course they were probably emboldened in their whining by Troy's comments during the broadcast. You'd think that as a quarterback Troy Aikman would be able to spot pass interference. His statement that the pass intereference calls were questionable was pretty stupid. Both calls were very easy calls and the interference was pretty blatant. The defensive back used his arm to push the receiver's arms and try to position the receiver away from the ball, and did so both times prior to looking back for the ball. In both cases, had the DB looked back for the ball BEFORE making the contact it probably would have been a non-call, but the way the plays went down it was a good call in both cases. It was ironic that both plays happened so close together.
The Cowboys will have a bye in the first round of the playoffs. LOL!
My favorite running-quarterback was Bobby Douglass when he was with the Chicago Bears.
Only if Romo stays healthy. No other team is as dependent on one player as the Cowboys are.
Quite a dramatic change both teams have made since that MNF game against each other earlier this year.
You better check this thread before commenting on Bostonian whining -- there are two Bears fans who haven't stopped whining in this thread, which by the way has nothing to do with the Pats/Bears game.
As for the pass interference calls -- I understand from the land of Michael Jordan where no one can get anywhere near a 10 ft radius of the superstar before the whistle blows that you would consider both to be clear pass interference, but from where I was sitting it clearly was not. They were both going for the ball, therein lies the difference.
I mentioned it only as a counter to the school girl whines of cheating and such in this thread.
The Bears lost. Get over it already.
I didn't indicate that I was not interested, just for reasons diameterically opposed to yours.
There is something deeper going on here. If you want to cluck your tongue, "tsk, tsk" and be appalled at such gross behavior, that's fine. You can go even further and be "understanding" since he apologized and wants to move on- whatever that means. The reporter who filed the story and the people who engage in the story, on whatever level, simply give credence to the trivial.
These stories, the broadcasting of end zone dances and other coarse behavior do not enhance the lives of anyone.
I think it is still valid to not give notice to this kind of stuff. Just leave it with the few fans that saw it firsthand and Vick. But the whole country is in the "gotcha" mode. Enough already. Leave to the pin-heads.
probably not! they are only 4-3 in the NFC. Saints are 6-1
He's paid to throw the ball and involve the other 10 players on his team. The rest has been discussed in my other postings.
Are you sure you posted to me? If so, you'll have to explain??
No.
Check salutation on post No. 151.
I have to openly disagree with your Utopian-esque response.
1. Professional sports teams are subsidized by the working families of America. The multi-millionaires do owe a minimal debt of a simple gratitude or respect to the community.
2. Children are impressionable and (if you haven't noticed) Vick's jersey is a mainstay on the NFL sales charts. Been to Atlanta lately? If not, I'll tell you the children throughout the town look up to him. An potential of a positive role model for the innter-city kids is incredible. Moments like this (bucking the system/authority) are what undermines his credibility with most adults - or responsible people.
3. Television broadcasts (Ex: NFL games) are merely fillers for the commercial sponsors. I'm sure you know that ... so why under God's blue skies would you think this wouldn't be broadcasted??? More importantly, why would Michael Vick not think this would be publicized??? Dwarnism on the professional level ....
We could go on all night, but I have other things to do. I agree with your premise .... just not where you take it.
And btw ... if you haven't noticed by my response ... I've been heavily sampling some of (Ron) Mexico's finest (Corona)!
Get rid of all the BS and keep the game on the field, right? Wish it were ... and to think we're only on the verge of athletes getting into "reality tv".
Michael Richards...and now Michael Vick?
It's been a tough week for Mikes.
Yes, but that won't matter when the Cowboys beat the Saints in their head-to-head matchup next week.
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