I am a die hard Bears fan but if they brought in the dogkiller I would start rooting for the packers. I hope things go better than predicted. I am not happy with how my team is doing either. Sundays game was a joke. Stupid Bears

I agree George, screw Vick. He turns the ball over almost as much as Sanchez does anyway.

I know your pain too, I'm a Bills fan so I've been suffering for a long time :(

Now how will the Giants fare vs the Ravens this weekend? After a three game losing streak the Ravens are going to go all out on this one.

I've got to root for McElroy. (And I don't even follow the Jets). Roll Tide!

Interesting to see your perspective on Vick, given that you wrote the redemption of Jaime Lannister after shoving an 8-year-old Bran out the window, and the (sort-of; avoiding spoilers) redemption of Sandor Clegane after murdering little Mycah.

If Vick had been mostly unrepentant, that would be one thing. But he seems to be genuinely trying to work to mitigate some of the damage he caused (e.g., http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/dogfighting/qa/vick_faq.html). I mean, who knows what's in that guy's heart, but he wouldn't be the first to turn things around after really awful actions.

Anyway, no condemnation, everyone's entitled to an opinion. Just thought it was interesting.

The fact that Michael Vick is allowed to play, profit and thrive is absolutely appalling to me. :(

Both Alex Smith and Matt Flynn will be available via trade so there will be some quality QBs out there. But keep in mind - QB isn't the only issue with the Jets.

You're spot on about Vick. Horrible person. And he's a terrible QB to boot. He can't fade away too soon.

I am really crossing my fingers on McElroy.

Someone needs to slip Vick a note that he will be less defended by the Jets than the Eagles and that more than one concussion is in his future if he depends on that offensive line to protect him.

Tebow was to sell T-shirts or rather Jets Jerseys which he has done and can now be gotten rid of because they sure as heck aren't selling PSLs right now.

The Jets are a mess and that ship won't be righted until someone mans up and tells Rex that he is out of there. All of Rex's picks have been disasters.

Hate the Patriots all you want, but they did build up one hell of a QB.

Michael Vick needs to be booted out of the NFL, he's a stain on the sport.

Animals are reputed to talk at midnight on Christmas eve. Find a horse then, and ask him (or her).

And Michael Vick makes Evil Little Bill look like a saint!

Well, I am an Eagles fan so if you guys get Vick I can only offer you my deepest condolences. I do believe he has genuinely changed quite a bit since spending time in prison but beyond that he is a pretty awful quarterback. He can still throw a beautiful spiral and make an occasional great play which makes you kind of like him (hmmmm...starting to remind me of a certain kingslayer) but he can't read defenses if his life depended on it. If you thought Mark Sanchez was bad at turning the ball over wait until you try a year with Vick and all his fumbles.

I actually wrote something of a taunt response about how the Jets should keep Sanchez because I'm a Patriots fan and I like seeing them lose; but then I realized that it really doesn't matter who the Jets have as QB, they will never consistently be in contention for the AFC Title.

They can try to pry Cousins away from the Redskins...but that might make the Skins stronger and we don't want that.

I will say, Greg McElroy might be untested in the NFL for the most part but he was a hell of a QA at Alabama. Great field general. Didn't make that many mistakes and was constantly praised for his intelligence. I wouldn't be surprised if he steps up. Of course, it's the NFL so who knows. I'm pulling for him!

As a 30 year Bills Fan without a Championship or even a playoff birth in the decade I feel your pain.

I cannot stand it when a player I hate comes to MY team.

I know a lot of people hate Michael Vick for what he did. I never thought I would be one of the people defending him. But I really do believe that he learned his lesson, and that he is sorry for what he did. I do believe that he has changed, and I have let go of my anger. And I'm the kind of person who usually likes animals more than people. As they say, to err is human, to forgive, divine.

At this point Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum are the biggest issue. I think Michael Vick paid his debt to society and would be a huge upgrade.

Come on over to the Falcons, George. Im from NY and like them so you can too from NJ. Sanchez does need to go though, he's just not good. You're right, Vick is not the way to go. I was happy when Atlanta got rid of him so I know what you mean.

Any chance of a WoW gift chapter this year? Maybe a Sansa?

Hope you have a good holiday, George.

Sorry about your Jet problems, but I laughed heartily at "Michael Fucking Vick." I agree - I can't root for the guy knowing the horrors that he was a part of. Here's to Eli and Co. going on another streak.

I understand how you feel. What Michael Vick did to dogs was despicable, a truly horrifying crime against innocent animals. At first, I felt as appalled as you. As a dog lover myself, I swore undying hatred to a quarterback who was already the bane of my NFC South. I simply could not fathom what kind of person - other than a Ramsay Bolton, maybe - could treat another living creature with such utter malice. In time, however, I found that forgiving Vick was not only the compassionate thing to do, but also a practical way to help make the world a better place.

After the "Bad Newz Kennels" was exposed, Vick lost his promising job, went completely bankrupt, was imprisoned for almost two years of his life, and suffered more public scorn than perhaps any other athlete in the history of the National Football League, if not all of professional sports. What other athlete has had pundits call for his summary execution? Now, his life having been ruined - and rightly so; he got what he deserved - Vick is trying to pick up the pieces and rebuild. I respect his perseverance in the face of overwhelming adversity from bitter ex-fans, teams rightly concerned about protecting their brand, and countless other people and organizations who could not care less about football but who loathe dog fighting and animal cruelty.

While Vick was imprisoned, he sought out the counsel of Tony Dungy. Dungy, after assessing Vick's priorities (he needed to be sure that Vick was genuinely penitent), began visiting and mentoring him in prison, helping him reconnect with the lost faith of his younger years. When Vick was released from prison, Dungy vouched for his character to NFL teams who were considering him. In the end, it was Dungy and Donovan McNabb who convinced Jeff Lurie and Andy Reid to give Vick another chance in Philadelphia. Dungy even wrote a foreword to Vick's autobiography, for goodness' sake!

Dungy, the NFL's closest thing to a conscience (sorry Bob Costas), is a man whose opinion should carry some weight. Dungy's philanthropy has persisted beyond his days as a coach in Tampa and Indianapolis, and he remains deeply involved with charities like "Family First" and the "Boys and Girls Club" to this day. Dungy knows Vick better than any of us, and if he trusts him and is willing to attest that he is a changed man, surely that counts for something. Just as there is more to Jaime Lannister's story than being an "oathbreaker" or "kingslayer," there is more to Vick's story than just being a "Dogkiller."

In the end - opinions about Vick, dog fighting, and animal cruelty aside - what is a more inspiring message to the world? Someone who has fallen from grace rising above his failures to become a better man, or someone who has fallen from grace thwarted from rising above his failures and condemned to a life of misery? Personally, I want to live in a world in which people are encouraged to overcome their past sins, seek forgiveness, and redeem themselves, not a world in which anyone who has ever done something wrong - and we all fall short - is eternally damned. The former sends a message of hope, the latter, despair. The latter is not even human, for learning from our mistakes is an essential part of life. Without the chance to fall down and try again, the world would be an awfully cruel place. Granted, Vick "fell down" horrendously, but that is what would make his comeback an even more inspiring example.

Where would Jaime Lannister - the wildly popular anti-hero who readers first meet shoving an innocent child to what he believes will be his death for the offense of catching him in the act of incest with his twin sister - be without the possibility of redemption and forgiveness? A character cannot start at a much deeper deficit than Jaime, yet in the course of the story he has grown far more than anyone ever anticipated. We should follow Brienne's example, not Lady Stoneheart's.

If nothing else, Vick should be commended for trying against all odds. It is not as if Vick is getting away with murder. Even if this injury-crushing season is not his last, Vick's fame and fortune will always be a shadow of what they once were.

I love dogs, but I love human compassion, the hope of redemption, and the promise of a better world more.

Edited at 2012-12-21 12:16 am (UTC)

Greg McElroy was superb in college. I was honestly shocked that he didn't go higher up in the draft. He always keeps a cool head and doesn't panic if he gets in a tight spot. I think the only thing people didn't like about him going into the draft was that he was perhaps a little too willing to take a hit to make a play. I think he'll be a great fit for the Jets.

If they hire Michael Vick I'll be beyond disgusted. I never thought the Jets were so morally bankrupt that they would do anything to win. Apparently I was wrong. Well, may have been wrong. I'm clinging to the hope that they'll remember they have class and back off from such an indefensible move.

Michael Vick vs. Direwolf Cage Match!

Michael Fucking Vick indeed. I'm from the Philly area. When his name is brought up in this part of the country, people stir as though possessed, and hushed and hurried voices fill the air. His name rings with naught but infamy.