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Finally, the Dems get a quarterback they can call their own. |
Posted on 01/07/2006 12:31:27 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
By HANK KURZ Jr., AP Sports Writer January 7, 2006
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) -- Marcus Vick decided to turn pro Saturday, one day after he was kicked off the team at Virginia Tech for transgressions on and off the field.
"I have decided to enter the NFL draft," the junior quarterback said in a three-paragraph statement released through his lawyers. "I am very excited about this opportunity and look forward to proving my athletic ability at the professional level. I believe I am ready for this challenge and the next chapter of my life."
Vick said he appreciated all the consideration and trust that Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer had placed in him during his stay at Virginia Tech, and said "I deeply regret that I allowed my competitive emotions to take control" in the Gator Bowl.
"To all of the Virginia Tech community, I sincerely apologize."
Virginia Tech cited the cumulative effects of Vick's legal problems and his unsportsmanlike conduct in the Jan. 2 bowl in dismissing him from the team Friday.
During the game, he was caught on tape stomping on the left calf of Louisville All-American defensive end Elvis Dumervil after a tackle. Vick claimed it was an accident, but school officials said Saturday they thought it looked intentional.
"We have received hundreds of letter from fans and alumni who are disturbed by what they saw," university president Charles Steger said at a Saturday news conference.
Beamer, who delivered the news of the dismissal to Vick and his mother in person, said he did not advise Vick on whether or not to turn pro, but told him during their meeting Friday that he would help him in any way he could when Vick made his decision.
The dismissal hit Vick's mother, Brenda Boddie, hard.
"I cried a lot yesterday," she said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "But we're just going to move on and make something positive out of this and Marcus is going to show everybody that he's not the person a lot of people claim he is."
She agreed that her son "did the wrong thing" and said she understood why Tech dismissed him, but said she resents seeing her son portrayed as a "monster."
Looking ashen, Beamer said he, Steger and Weaver agreed once all the evidence was in that the outcome had to be dismissal, but that made it no less disappointing.
"When I go into a home and talk about how I'm going to do my best to make everything at Virginia Tech turn out successful and be good and then it doesn't reach that -- it's disappointing to me as a coach," the 19-year veteran coach said.
"I can tell you he's deeply hurt, he's deeply saddened. I can assure you this kid is very, very hurt, his mom is very, very hurt and I'm hurting with them."
Vick was suspended from school in 2004 because of several legal problems, and came under intense scrutiny again once because of replays of his actions against Dumervil. Vick claimed it was accidental, but hurt his cause by claiming to have apologized to Dumervil, the NCAA sacks leader. Dumervil said he received no such apology.
The last straw came Friday, even as Beamer was preparing to visit Vick and offer him the options of accepting a two-game suspension or deciding to leave Virginia Tech.
A fax sent to Steger's office disclosed that Vick had been stopped for driving 38 mph in a 25 mph zone and driving with a revoked or suspended license on Dec. 17. Vick had told Beamer about the ticket for driving on a suspended license on Dec. 19, Beamer said, but had never mentioned to anyone that he'd also been caught speeding.
Vick's license had been taken away in August 2004 when he was cited for reckless driving and marijuana possession, but had been reinstated until a friend driving a car owned by Vick was pulled over and found to not have insurance, Beamer said.
Vick received a citation as the car owner, but an investigation by the school revealed that getting his license reinstated was merely a formality, Beamer was told.
Vick entered this season trying to win his team's trust and knowing he would face hostility from opposing fans, mostly stemming from his drug arrest and another conviction for serving alcohol to underage girls during the 2003 school year.
He said he was ready for anything, but reacted to chants of "rapist!" and "child molester!" at West Virginia on Oct. 1 by gesturing obscenely toward the crowd. He met with Beamer afterward and apologized to the team and to Mountaineers fans.
Vick was the runner-up to Wake Forest's Chris Barclay, by one vote, as the conference's offensive player of the year, and was the league's first-team quarterback.
In 24 career games, the 6-foot, 212-pound Vick threw for 2,868 yards, 19 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He also ran 184 times for 492 yards and six TDs.
Being arrest for peeing in public is different for being arrested for Concert-of-action homicide.
Give me a friggin break.
I think the presidet of Va Tech made this decision. I doubt Beamer would have tossed him from the team permanantly if it was up to him.
Parcells doesn't run the show. The Jonese do. (Jimmy Johnson found out what happens to coaches who don't just shut up and do what they are told.)
I don't think he is going to make it in the NFL as a QB. Wide receiver, return man or DB would give him a better chance. QBs need to be intelligent, leadership and sound judgment. Marcus has none of them.
I don't think Jerry Jones is going to for it either.
Parcells DOES have the choices of whether to play him or not. to cut him or not.
Vick probably would be a practice squad guy with the Cowboys.
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Finally, the Dems get a quarterback they can call their own. |
The arrest was for intoxication, not lewdness (the season still had another game to run). No telling what was really going on. Perhaps he was just relieving himself.
What they left out of the story is that he was speeding in a school zone while the school caution light was blinking. I don't know if that is a big deal in Virginia but in North Carolina, they really stick it to you for that infraction.
Virginia Tech quarterback found guilty of providing alcohol to a minor but not on charges of having sex with a 15-year-old.
You may have misdirected your comment. I was engaged in a discussion as to arrests of present and past Dallas Cowboys.
Well, I guess that's one word for them....
I would agree, but you you can't escape :
1. Pennington is now coming off 2 consecutive seasons with Rotator Cuff injuries -- no matter how much the team has invested in him
2. Never underestimate the stupidity of the NY Jets on Draft Day.
I agree with the Rnd 4-5 assessment, but I can see NY drafting him as an insurance policy at that point. They could get him on the cheap (little to no Bonus, lg minimum).
That said, it will all come down to the combine. If he explodes with a fast 40, and passes the ball effectively in the QB drills -- he could easily play himself into the first day.
Now that he is definately going pr, I think the "behavior" problems will cease between now and draft day. Something tells me Big Brother Ron Mexico is going to tell marcus the facts of life and reign him in until he at least has a contract somewhere.
>A poster said earlier, that he was pulled over for driving 38 in a 25 zone. That's bull$hit. We have all done that.<
I guess you missed the part about Little Goodie Two Shoes' suspended driver's license.
He's a professional already. Ship him off to the "pride and poise" boys. I hope Al Davis has a high enough pick to take him. They deserve each other.
I was thinking he'd be perfect for Tampa Bay. They seem to have their share of dirty players anymore.
Beamer could have dismissed Vick from the team on his own.
Thank you, as always, for being a voice of reason in the football threads. Vick is a tremendous athlete and will not be overlooked.
I've always found it funny when posters call all of the current NFL players thugs. They act like that athletes never got into any type of trouble in the 40's, 50's or 60s.
They forget that drunk driving was not very strictly enforced until the 1990s. Before that, the limits were much higher, enforcement more lax and the penalties much lighter.
In today's world, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and many other greats will all be "thugs".
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