A few weeks ago, Jerry Jones hinted, not so vaguely, that the team may be interested in acquiring a third quarterback to utilize in a wildcat-like offensive set. Of course, it being early spring and all, this sent writers beating away on their computers like caffeine-abusing court reporters.
We wondered aloud if West Virginia’s Pat White would be an option, or if receiver Isaiah Stanback, who played quarterback at Washington would be used in such a scenario. Then, the way these things work, someone mentioned Michael Vick’s name in passing, setting off another, albeit completely speculative, wildfire of commentary.
Of course, this is all far, far off; DMN’s Tim MacMahon said last week that stranger things have happened in the Jerry Jones era. I would have to disagree, wholeheartedly, unless I’m forgetting something. The thought alone is a little strange; to see Vick go from state-mandated orange to Cowboys blue and silver would be, for lack of a better word, outrageous. Literally.
Never mind that there’s no way Dallas would take Vick under his current (beast of a) contract, and never mind that no one’s all that sure how good he will be after 23 months in club fed. Roger Goodell still has to clear Vick to play in his league again, as well.
Basically, this is an uphill battle, a long shot, the football equivalent of those “future” shows in the 1950s that promised us flying cars by 1985. It’s not going to, nor probably should it, ever happen. But if Jones wants to make a splash that bad, he has something else to consider, something that is as unusual for an owner as Vick’s case itself.
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PETA has sent a letter to Commissioner Roger Goodell requesting that Vick undergo psychological evaluation, similar to those in place in many of the country’s fine prison systems, before being reinstated. Somewhat paradoxically, the group wants Vick to prove that he is not a psychopath and that he is capable of feeling remorse for what he has done before allowing him to film PETA-sponsored PSAs that, presumably will feature Vick decrying the inhumanity of dog-fighting.
PETA’s website says, “Vick's lawyers have run screaming, but unless and until he passes such a test, PETA will not participate in the production of a Michael Vick anti-dogfighting PSA.”
Given, this seems like somewhat of an empty threat. But whoever ends up with Vick on the roster should be prepared for a deluge of criticism, boycotts, demonstrations and whatever else PETA can think of. And given the group’s history, nothing is too unthinkable.
One PETA member suggested a large demonstration outside the home of whichever owner ends up with the soon to be ex-con. And, really, there’s no reason to think this won’t happen. At the risk of losing any objectivity, these are the loonies who used the stabbing / decapitation death of a Manitoba man to prove a point about slaughterhouses.
So unless Jones wants droves of crazed activists, shanties and soapboxes on his (probably) impeccably manicured lawn, the best bet is to forget the name Michael Vick.
Maybe we should all do the same.
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