Michael Vick has just signed a two year deal with the Philladelphia Eagles.
I have rooted for Michael Vick ever since he made a point of changing his life, his circle, and his way of viewing the world. More over, I see his drawn out unemployment as a reflection of our broken prison system, rather than due to his football ability.
Now he has a job, and he definitely deserves a second shot at the NFL. He is one of the most talented players to ever take the football field, so it’s good to see that he has a chance to show he’s still got it.
There will be a blitz of media reports as this develops. The focus will be on the relationship between Vick and Mcnabb, when really, they should be focusing on the relationship between Vick and the Philadephia media and fans, along racial lines.
Donovan McNabb and Philly media and fans have had a rocky relationship. Eagles fans expect a lot of their football team, and the quarterback is both the hero when things go right, and the fall guy when things go wrong. Mcnabb has struggled being that fall guy, not because he is weak, or not metnally tough, but because he sees the criticism through a racial lens.
A year ago, on Hbo’s real sports, he said that he was under greater scrutiny because he is a black quarterback. Whether it is right or wrong, or even acceptable to talk about in a public forum, that is how he feels. Vick, as a black quarterbuck who will be under even greater scrutiny than Mcnabb, may feel the same way. Morevover, Vick is going to be under constant national media attention and people want him to fail.
There have been quite a few articles that help to explain why there are fewer successful African American quarterbacks in the NFL. I like to think of it as a structured inequality where a lot of factors, ranging from people’s deep seeded psychological expectations to different training determined by economic factors contribute to the situation (this is another post for another day).
It is harder for black quarterbacks to be successful, or even make it to the NFL level. Vick faces an unforeseen challenge, being not only a black quarterback, but an ex-convict, two things that challenge the gool ol boy image of stereotypical quarterbacks. It would be hard to overcome these stereotypes anywhere, but especially difficult on the heels on the Donovan Mcnabb, a black quarterback is who blamed for the Eagle’s shortcomings.
Vick has a lot to overcome. The good news is that I feel like he understands the work he needs to do. He is definitely going to need a thick skin. That’s for damn sure.
