It really must be surreal for Falcons fans to read comments by Michael Vick these days. He was immature then, boastful, often said and did the wrong thing... Which is why it's still so odd to hear him be so humble and well spoken now. Take his comments from earlier today. First, he'll just get you pumped about the new season.
"It's going to be good to be back out there, man. I'm just excited right now. Our entire team is excited, you know, our organization is. We're just ready to play, man. I mean, we didn't even know if we were going to have a season a couple months back, so now we're in a position to go out and play in front of the world. This is the greatest game on earth. We get the opportunity to give the fans what they want to see. The NFL is back."
And then he was asked about DeSean Jackson and how he's dealing with his contract situation. Vick flat out says that it's something he's spoken to DeSean about and doesn't see it becoming an issue. That said, he understands the situation Jackson is in.
"Obviously it's going to be on your mind if it's something that you want, but me and DeSean talked and he understands that you only can control what you can control. I think DeSean is going to go about it the right way, and I think that will pay dividends for him down the road. I think the most important thing right now is just to focus on football, and things will take care of itself. Just be happy, be honored and privileged to be in the position that you're in, because everybody doesn't have the opportunity at the end of the day. On the same note, everybody's not blessed with the talent that DeSean has, and can't to do the things that he can do. It's a tough situation to be in, but he'll be okay, and at some point things will happen for him."
This is what a leader does. He talks to his guys about this stuff and imparts this kind of knowledge that he's gained from experience. This is why these guys have bought into Vick so fully, because he's the real deal.
And how about that game last night?
"Last night's game was probably was probably one of the best games I've watched in a long time. You know, [Green Bay Packers QB] Aaron [Rodgers] and [New Orleans Saints QB] Drew [Brees], they did great, they're the best. You know, I admire those guys, and that game last night made me want to go out and play on Sunday, it actually got me excited. It was just a totally different feel in practice for me today, my mindset is different, and you know, I'm just excited about the opportunities that we have."