Vick Says He “Cheated” The Falcons

In what is sure to be a weekly feature now that the Eagles are a prime-time team, Michael Vick sat down with Bob Costas before the Eagles game last night, and had some interesting things to say about his time in Atlanta.

When speaking about his work ethic in Atlanta, Vick had this to say:

“I feel like I cheated the organization.  I didn’t give them my all.  I gave them everything on the field, 100 percent but sometimes that’s not enough. This time around, I just wanted to work harder than I ever worked before, not shortchange myself.  I didn’t put in the work and the time and the effort.  I didn’t dedicate myself the way I do now”

While many sources have confirmed this about Vick’s time in Atlanta, it must be frustrating for all people who Vick caused to lose their job with his poor effort hear those words from his mouth. I’m sure Jim Mora heard this and thought of what could have been had Vick worked hard, but what he should have thought of was what he could have done to get through to Vick.

Mora and the rest of the country need to look at it like a relationship. When a guy cheats on his girlfriend, the girlfriend easily labels him a dog (insert Vick joke), and says he is just like the rest, instead of looking at what she could have done to prevent it.

There is no doubt the Eagles got a changed man in Vick, but it is a two way street when it comes to players working hard in practice. Vick would not have cut all the corners if the team made sure he couldnt. Vick has said before that he was the first one out, and last one in all the time in Atlanta. While he should have realized that wasn’t the way to do things, the real question is: why did Atlanta let him. As Garry Cobb put it to me “Someone had to let him out the door.”

Say what you want about Reid, but their is no question that every player in that locker room respects the man and plays hard for him. At practices, he stands back and watches, almost in a lurking manner. When he speaks, the team listens.  You would never see a player disrespect Reid the way some players around the league have done to their coaches recently. Ask Terrell Owens what happens to players that do.

Teams look at Vick and kick themselves for not signing him, but Vick would not have been the same player with almost any other organization. Vick came into a setting where cutting corners was not an option. He watched Donovan McNabb come in every morning and lift. Andy Reid and Marty Morningweigh worked with him regularly, teaching him what it took to become a great QB. There is a reason Tony Dungy told Vick to sign in Philadelphia. Where were those influences in Atlanta?

Many people will credit the big money and big fame Vick got at a young age in Atlanta. But every year a new star is born in the NFL. It is the ones who have a strong organization around them that can manage to keep their head straight.

Yes, Vick should have worked harder, and its good he realizes that.

But his past coaches shoulder some of that blame as well.