…Just saw on CNN an article in ESPN Magazine talking about “what if Michael Vick were white?” Oh boy.
BSP has the answers:
1) The dogfighting thing would never have happened.
2) If the dogfighting thing HAD happened, it would have been pushed to the back pages and he would have received a fine instead of prison time.
3) Vick would have been viewed long-term as a passing quarterback, instead of using his running talents. He probably would have gone to a school that would have developed his passing skills by going to a school emphasizing these talents.
I think it’s real interesting Vick is made the poster boy for racial perception. Let’s take a look at another QB with exceptional running skills.
That QB is Hall-of-Famer Steve Young. Remember Young’s run against the Vikings, where he used an incredible mix of speed and power to score?
After a while, people forgot Young was a “running” QB. In fact, Young reformed his career as a WCO type QB.
It’s also interesting how many people get their impressions of a QB based on their race. A guy like Warren Moon…another Hall-of-Famer…had an undeserved reputation for being a “running” QB, despite the fact he was a pure pocket passer. Same with Doug Williams. One of our colleagues suggested Vick had a “noodle” arm, even though anyone who has paid attention at all knows Vick has a cannon. We’ve even seen where idiots like Dick Vitale suggest there’s some comparison between JaMarcus Russell (pure pocket passer) and Terrelle Pryor (“running” QB). The only thing those two have in common is they were tall and black. If Russell had Pryor’s motor, he’d be an NFL superstar. If Pryor had Russell’s arm, he’d be a first rounder.
I think coaches who have a system will change it to take advantage of the fact these “running” QB’s can run the ball. This might be to the detriment of the team. Note the niners did not change their offensive philosophy due to Young’s abilities. Because many teams adjust their philosophy to the player, these guys get branded “running” QB’s.
LOL, Are you severe?