On Sunday afternoon I talked to Chris Shigas who is a spokesman for Eagles quarterback Michael Vick and he told me that they had alerted the Southeastern Virginia Arts Association Gala months ago, that Vick wasn’t going to be able to attend their event, which took place this weekend at the Half-Moon Terminal in Norfolk.
WAVY-TV tried to talk to representatives of the organization, but they refused to make a statement and didn’t return phone calls. The organization also refused to allow the television station’s cameras into the auditorium.
Doesn’t this sound strange? I don’t want to portray Michael Vick as a victim but why didn’t they make a statement if they were on the up and up? What can an athlete do or any other public figure do, if he or she is selected for an award and can’t make event? What can they do if the organization doesn’t let everyone know that they won’t be attending an event?
WAVY.com reports that tickets for the event were $100 apiece and a number of people left in anger because Vick wasn’t there.
I found this invitation on line and it’s written as if Vick will attend the event.
I personally have a problem with an organization being told by Vick that he wasn’t going to attend the event, yet not making the information available to the people who were looking to purchase tickets and attend the event as well as the media who were going to cover it.
Every organization in America knows having that Vick at their event means money and lots of it. This group probably figured they would leave Vick’s name on the promotional material and make additional money. They didn’t figure in the fact that a television station would send a camera out if they made it look like Vick was going to be there. They were focused on the money.
I sit on a number of boards and I know how important it is to have a marque name amongst the celebrities at an awards event, but they shouldn’t be misleading people.
We have to accept the fact that Michael Vick can’t attend every event in the country. If he tells an organization that he can’t attend an event months in advance, then they should let people know and take his name off the promotion material.
I know keeping his name on the promotions means more money, but it also means being dishonest and operating in bad-faith and dragging Vick into more bad publicity.
I guess athletes or other public figures will have to tweet the fact that they won’t be attending an event as a way of protecting themselves from this type of thing. It really isn’t the athlete’s responsibility, it’s the responsibility of the organization.
I just tweeted that I won’t be able to make it into work today …..
This is getting old and enough is enough. Micah Warren does not need to write articles this is the 2nd time he or she has jumped on some gossip he heard without researching. I know you will get the correct info but Micah is not credible and I refuse to read anything that is written by this person. It is time for people to stop Stalking Vick, he is not committing as felony, fighting dogs, getting high or hanging with the wrong crowd please let the man enjoy his off season. Looks like the Eagles and Micah have more stories to report on than Mike Vick. He is out living his life like a normal person. Give it a rest. I want to know where Andy Reid is and why he is lying to people and telling them Kolb will win them a championship? LOL based on what information.
Just another organization focusing on money and the what the name of Michael Vick can bring in. Some of these people are pathetic to try to make someone look bad. And at the end of the day, the truth always comes out. And the profootballtalk-ish reporting by Micah isn’t a good look. They are always reporting something just to be first and then have to issue several updates based on factual information. Funny how a story like this can break and then very shortly afterwards, the truth comes out.
Does any reporter want to actually report the story AND facts at the same time instead of wanting to be first?
Hey Micah, I have a credible source that says Vick didn’t wash his hands after using the restroom. I think you should report that. Seriously G, I LOVE your website and depend upon it more than the main newspapers. You need to filter who you have writing on your website. NO ONE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT EVENT VICK MISSED!!!!!! If Micah or others don’t like Vick that’s fine. Tell them to take their agenda’s somewhere else though. Please keep this site non tabloidish with the crappy, useless fodder such as Vick not attending non football events.