Vick reality starting to sink in

By: T. Love

Last Friday was the beginning of the final chapters. Joey Harrington, on his third team in three seasons, led the Atlanta Falcons onto to the field for their preseason opener versus the New York Jets. Garnering the unlucky 13, a visibly nervous Harrington led the Falcons through the tunnel and onto to the field at the Meadowlands. That is when I started to realize that I wasn’t waking up from this nightmare, the Michael Vick Experience is over, Michael Vick is no longer the quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons.

Despite the events of Friday night, the numerous reports by the talking heads on BSPN, lame protests by PETA, continuous hate by friends, family members and coworkers; I continued to keep my spirits high.

That was until last night, the kung-fu kick to the face that pretty much delivered the final blow.

EA Sports rehashed and released its latest version of Madden Football on Tuesday, so naturally I was itching to play. I went by my buddy Robert’s to get on the sticks and as we waited for the bootlegged copy to start up, the trouble began.

The teams were set, Falcons vs. Eagles. Eagles win the toss and defer to the second half. The ball is kicked and Allen Rossum returns to the Falcons 30. The offense takes the field… and I push “start”. It had to be done. Vick was pulled from the game and Harrington was sent in as the starter. It was absolutely devastating. It all came full circle.

No longer will Michael Vick throw that 1,2,3 uppercut combo leading the team out of the Georgia Dome tunnel with flames and fireworks going off to T.I.’s (or TIP, whichever you prefer) Bring Em Out, no longer will No. 7 juke and jive to make a play out of nothing and give this fragile fan base something to cheer about. Extinct is the deep ball that causes a collective gasp in the Dome. No more sellouts, hello blackouts. The end of tapping R1 to escape a jam, a quick flick on the juke stick, three steps in the pocket and hitting square to bomb the ball 50 yards down the sideline on a go route. It is all over.

No. 7 probably will be juking and jiving in cell block 8 for the next year or so… Oh well, back to the Playstation matchup.

On the first play from scrimmage, Harrington failed to recognize the corner blitz and Lito Sheppard destroyed the QB knocking him out of the game. I hope this isn’t the way the team’s season is going to play out, but the positive coming out of the destruction of Harrington was D.J. Shockley going under center.

Shock had a modest day throwing the ball, but he did not complete the game after it was stopped following his fifth touchdown pass. I think he was around 350 passing yards as well.

Watching Shockley and Harrington take snaps was difficult. We have been watching Vick handle those duties for the past six years. No more.

The silver lining?

Watching Shockley dominate helped me remember, winning cures everything. Without Vick, the Falcons must win football games to rejuvenate the fan base. Morale is low, but that is nothing winning can’t cure.

Following my excitement and watching the only game the Falcons will probably dominate this season, I was quickly slapped back to reality after being annihilated in three-straight games of cricket on the dartboard.

The Falcons need to start winning now. Friday would be good even it is preseason.

All of this from a video game, maybe these things are getting better than I thought.