SB Nation Philly - Michael Vick Named NFC Offensive Player Of The Monthhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48987/philly-fave.png2010-09-29T19:14:04-04:00http://philly.sbnation.com/rss/stream/14667842010-09-29T19:14:04-04:002010-09-29T19:14:04-04:00Michael Vick Remains Humble, Focused Despite The Onslaught Of Accolades
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<p>The <span>Michael Vick</span> magic continues. What a performance by Vick and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Eagles</a> this past Sunday. For his efforts Sunday and in the Eagles’ first two games of the season, Vick was named the <span class="caps">NFC</span> Offensive Player of the Month for September. The old Michael Vick might start to coast after getting off to such a torrid start. It doesn’t sound like that’s in the cards for the new Mr. Vick, who joined<a href="http://sportsradiointerviews.com/2010/09/29/michael-vick-i-couldnt-be-in-a-better-situation/" target="new"> <span class="caps">WIP</span> in Philadelphia on Tuesday </a>to talk about the whirlwind month he’s had, and what he plans to do to keep things trending in the direction for himself (on and off the field) and for his team.</p>
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<p><strong>On what’s changed in his world in the past few weeks (Host: “Your life has done a complete 360.”):</strong></p>
<p><em>“For me personally, nothing has changed other than me spending more time here at the complex preparing myself for the competition on Sunday. That’s pretty much it. Nothing has changed for me personally. I’m living a somewhat boring lifestyle right now, but that’s what’s best for me… I can’t complain. I enjoy studying the game, learning as much as I can about the opponent. When I go home though, it’s just me and my wife. It’s not like it was before where I would go home and there would be a bunch of guys at the house, all my friends there. Now I go home to my family, which is not boring. I enjoy it and I love it. I would do it everyday. That’s just a part of it. That’s just what I’ve been doing lately.”</em></p>
<p><strong>On how his preparation is helping him on the field:</strong></p>
<p><em>“In the past I knew I could get by off my athletic ability. What knowledge I did have about the game I thought was enough. So I didn’t really feel like I needed to study my opponent each week because nine times out of ten, I felt like when we got into the game, we played a totally different defense than what I studied so I kind of threw that out the window along time ago. As time went on, I felt like I was cheating myself because I could be learning… I feel like I short-changed myself and this time, I didn’t want to do that.”</em></p>
<p><strong>And on if Andy Reid tells him to focus on the pass and run only if necessary:</strong></p>
<p><em>“Andy just tells me to go out and play the game.”</em></p>
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https://philly.sbnation.com/philadelphia-eagles/2010/9/29/1720432/nfl-week-three-michael-vick-remains-humble-focused-offensive-player-month-eagles-mcnabbMichael Bean2010-09-29T16:51:19-04:002010-09-29T16:51:19-04:00Michael Vick Wins NFC Offensive Player Of The Month Award
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<p>So far, <span>Michael Vick</span> is making Andy Reid look pretty smart. Just a week after Reid pulled a complete 180 and named Vick his starting quarterback, seemingly ditching all of the plans he’d been making for two seasons, Michael Vick has been named as the NFC’s best offensive player for the month of September.</p>
<p>This isn’t just a case of the <span class="caps">NFL</span> liking Vick’s redemption story either. He’s <i>earned</i> the honor. Vick leads the <span class="caps">NFC</span> in both passer rating (110.2) and touchdowns (6). He’s completing over 60% of his passes for 250 yards per game. He’s also rushed for 170 yards with a TD.</p>
<p>Sports Illustrated’s Peter King actually Vick a<a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/peter_king/09/26/Week3/1.html" target="new">s his early leader for the <span class="caps">MVP</span> award</a> this season.</p>
<p>You can’t understate how good Michael Vick has been over the past 2.5 games. However, as he continues to play well the expectations will rise… especially as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Eagles</a> start playing division rivals.</p>
https://philly.sbnation.com/philadelphia-eagles/2010/9/29/1720101/michael-vick-wins-nfc-offensive-player-of-the-month-awardJason Brewer2010-09-24T20:04:12-04:002010-09-24T20:04:12-04:00Andy Reid Answers More Questions About QB Decision
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<p>At this stage in the week, I think it's safe to say that most <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Philadelphia Eagles</a> fans are past wanting to hear the explanation as to why Andry Reid named <span>Michael Vick</span> his starting quarterback for Week 3, and are instead just anxiously awaiting the kickoff of Sunday's game between the Eagles and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/">Jacksonville Jaguars</a>. On Thursday, <a target="_blank" href="http://sportsradiointerviews.com/2010/09/24/andy-reid-speaks-one-last-time-about-the-decision-to-name-michael-vick-his-starting-quarterback/">Reid joined Colin Cowherd on ESPN Radio</a> to talk about his decision making process earlier in the week, how he's still a huge believer in <span>Kevin Kolb</span>, and how making tough decisions like this on a weekly basis are part everyday life as an NFL head coach.</p>
<p>Below are a few choice excerpts from the interview (via: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sportsradiointerviews.com">SRI</a>)</p>
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<p><b>On just how controversially he knew the decision would be received:</b></p>
<p><i>"I knew there was going to be controversy. That's why Jeff Laurie pays me what he pays me, and I've got to make decisions like this. At the same time, I've got to make sure to protect the players and the football team, and they're always number one on my mind there."</i></p>
<p><b>On if he thinks Vick can handle the scrutiny of being the quarterback in Philadelphia:</b></p>
<p><i>"You know what Colin, the things that he went through the last three years...the last three or four years actually...I think that makes you grow up real fast. So if he wasn't mature before, I think he's there now. He's been so diligent about making his game better than what it was before he was incarcerated and he was pretty good back then, as we know. And he's worked on that pocket part of it. And I don't sit there and hammer him out staying in the pocket, I want him to make his own mark on the offense. But at the same time, I want him to look down the field. If he does it from the pocket, that's great, if he moves, make sure he keeps his eyes down the field. And he's doing that. He's shown that he's mastered that here over the last several games."</i></p>
<p><b>On if the Eagles would entertain trading Kevin Kolb:</b></p>
<p><i>"How foolish would I be to trade Kevin Kolb. I mean, really, this kid here, I'm in a great situation and I mentioned this yesterday to our media: this is a beautiful thing in my eyes; I've got a completely different perspective than what the general public and maybe what the media was presenting me yesterday in my press conference in that I'm sitting here as an NFL head coach with two quarterbacks that I know can win me a championship. That's a great, great thing. There are a lot of head coaches that can't say that."</i></p>
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https://philly.sbnation.com/philadelphia-eagles/2010/9/24/1710458/andy-reid-philadelphia-eagles-qb-controversy-michael-vick-named-starterMichael Bean2010-09-23T22:08:17-04:002010-09-23T22:08:17-04:00Donovan McNabb Can't Resist Himself
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<p>You didn't think the media would pass up the chance to ask Donovan McNabb about the dynamic quarterback situation for the Philadelphia Eagles, did you? Likely not. And you didn't ever believe that McNabb wouldn't take the bait and comment on the situation, did you?</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://blogs.nfl.com/2010/09/23/mcnabb-things-like-that-happen-in-philadelphia/">McNabb was asked</a> about Michael Vick being named the starting quarterback by Andy Reid just one day after Reid had declared that Kevin Kolb was their guy. He tried to give a politcally correct answer, but ultimately couldn't help himself.</p>
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<p>“My focus has been over here,” McNabb <a onclick='s_objectID="http://www.redskins.com/do/videoGallery_1";return this.s_oc?this.s_oc(e):true' href="http://www.redskins.com/do/videoGallery" target="_blank">told reporters</a>. “Really, everything that’s going on over there is none of my concern. Anything I may say at this point really doesn’t matter.”</p>
<p>“That’s Philadelphia,” McNabb said when asked if he recognizes the irony involved. ”Things like that happen. I’ve been a part of that for 11 years and, obviously, as you see, it just doesn’t stop.”</p>
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https://philly.sbnation.com/philadelphia-eagles/2010/9/23/1707357/philadelphia-eagles-qb-controversy-michael-vick-starter-donovan-mcnabb-cant-resist-himselfMichael Bean2010-09-21T22:31:46-04:002010-09-21T22:31:46-04:00Highlights From Andy Reid's Press Conference Naming Michael Vick Starter
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<p>In what was maybe the most Un-Andy Reid move of all time, the coach named Michael Vick as the starting quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles just a couple days after affirming that Kevin Kolb would get his job back after he was cleared to play. Here are the highlights from a very surreal press conference.</p>
<p><b>First, his opening remarks.</b></p>
<p>"Alright, appreciate you guys showing up. I'm obviously here to announce that [QB] Michael Vick will be the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. I think his play has even exceeded expectations over the last two weeks. This has nothing to do with [QB] Kevin Kolb's injury. Kevin Kolb has done a phenomenal job for us here and the future of Kevin Kolb is not slighted by this one bit. He has an opportunity, obviously, to be, what I would consider, a franchise quarterback and deserving of so. Again, this is more about Michael Vick and his accelerated play. He's sitting there as possibly the hottest quarterback in the National Football League at this time and deserves an opportunity to play. It also allows Kevin to continue as a young quarterback in the National Football League, his maturation process, and, again, to become a franchise quarterback in the future."</p>
<p><b>On what Kolb's reaction was:</b></p>
<p>"Listen, Kevin Kolb is one of the most competitive guys I've ever been around. Kevin Kolb wants to be the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles and so I wouldn't expect anything less from him. He's also a team player, so he accepted it. I'm not going to tell you that he doesn't want to be the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles."</p>
<p><b>On what he says to any criticism about Kolb only getting one half to play:</b></p>
<p>"This isn't about judging Kevin. Listen, Kevin is going to be a fine quarterback in the National Football League; a championship-caliber quarterback. The thing that you find with young quarterbacks. This is the way it is with every quarterback that I've studied in the National Football League - you need to be allowed a maturation process; an opportunity to mature. When you have somebody that's sitting in that role or has been given an opportunity to play in the game that is playing at the level that Michael Vick is playing, then Michael Vick deserves the opportunity to continue to do that."</p>
<p><b>On how much the offensive line played into this decision:</b></p>
<p>"This had nothing to do with the offensive line."</p>
<p><b>On all of the time spent laying the groundwork for Kolb to be the team's starting quarterback:</b></p>
<p>"I didn't expect, obviously, the accelerated play of Michael. I mean, he's playing exceptional football right now. I think that's obvious to everybody."</p>
<p><b>On what stood out about Vick's play:</b></p>
<p>"I think very few quarterbacks can go out and play the way he played the last couple of weeks, and some of the things that he did. One of the questions we had about Michael Vick was, and has been a question throughout his career, ‘is can he be a pocket passer?' I think you saw Michael Vick, under duress, was able to move, maintain his eyes down the field, and make throws down the field. He's one of the top third-down throwers in the National Football League right now, and help this football team, obviously, win games."</p>
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<p><b>On Vick's pocket presence and whether it is the difference between the player he was in Atlanta and the player he is now:</b></p>
<p>"Here's what I know: Michael Vick has worked so hard at the smaller parts of his game, that being one of them. And he is so diligent with everything that he's done, and it's been a neat thing to watch. And both he and Kevin are so close. They do everything together. They study together, they work together. I think Michael's experience has been tremendous for Kevin. But, yes, that's one of the things that I think he's worked at hard, becoming a pocket passer, he's done a nice job with it. Now that's not saying we don't tell him not run the football, we tell him go play the game, and if you're going to run, though, keep your eyes down the field. He's done a phenomenal job of that."</p>
<p><b>On how much he takes in the consultation of upper management, coaches and players:</b></p>
<p>"Listen, I think I had to make this decision. I've had the full support of the front office. I counseled with [GM] Howie Roseman today and bounced some things off of him, but the first person I met with on this decision was Kevin Kolb. That's the first person I talked to. And I met with him the last two days, and we shared thoughts. He's a young quarterback that I think the sky's the limit for. He's just in a situation where he's got an ex-superstar that now has regained his abilities, and it's really that simple. Michael Vick is playing out of his mind right now, and that's a beautiful thing. What a lucky franchise and a lucky head coach I am to have two quarterbacks that I feel that way about. I mean it's unbelievable."</p>
<p><b>On how much Vick's performance surprised him:</b></p>
<p>"I've watched this whole picture evolve here. I've watched him come in 20 lbs. overweight and work his tail off to get himself back this offseason. He started the day after the season ended, and he concentrated on getting himself in phenomenal shape. He came back and he had some rough goes in training camp. It wasn't a pretty picture, but he worked through it. He worked and attacked the issues that he was having problems with and then when he had an opportunity, he came in the game, he played very well. I will tell you he's playing at a high level, one of the higher levels that I've seen him play at. When I say that's a beautiful thing, that's what I mean by this. I'm sitting here and I'm telling you I've got two quarterbacks that I feel I can go win football games with and compete for a championship in the National Football League. There are some coaches that can't sit here and tell you that."</p>
<p><b>On whether he felt the team would not have been able to grow with Kolb at quarterback:</b></p>
<p>"Well, the team had seen, obviously, the great play by Michael Vick, just like you saw it, and I saw it. And so that's part of this decision."</p>
<p><b>On whether he is comfortable with Vick becoming the face of the franchise:</b></p>
<p>"One of the great things about America is you're given a second chance if you handle it the proper way. And I've mentioned this before, I think he's handled this the proper way. I think his teammates would all stand up for him, just as they would Kevin Kolb, but they would stand up for Michael for what he's tried to do in changing his life around, and I know I sit here and do the same."</p>
<p><b>On whether he is riding the hot hand:</b></p>
<p>"I will tell you, I think it's a great thing how he's playing. I think we all sat there on Sunday and went ‘wow, this guy is back, and maybe even a little bit better,' and that's a beautiful deal. I think that's a beautiful deal."</p>
https://philly.sbnation.com/2010/9/21/1703201/highlights-from-andy-reid-press-conference-michael-vick-philadelphia-eaglesJason Brewer2010-09-21T19:00:46-04:002010-09-21T19:00:46-04:00Reid: Michael Vick "Deserves To Play"
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<p>Andy Reid met the media today to explain why he decided to name Michael Vick as the permanent starting quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles.</p>
<p>Reid stressed that the move had nothing to do with Kevin Kolb’s injury. He said that Michael Vick’s “accelerated play” prompted him to make the move. When a QB is playing at the level Vick is right now, Reid says he <em>deserves</em> to play.</p>
<p>Reid said that Kolb is in the unfortunate situation of being behind an “ex superstar that has now regained his abilities.”</p>
<p>The press conference is ongoing…</p>
https://philly.sbnation.com/2010/9/21/1702881/reid-michael-vick-deserves-to-playJason Brewer2010-09-21T17:55:34-04:002010-09-21T17:55:34-04:00Eagles Name Michael Vick As Team's Starting Quarterback
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<p>Andy Reid will hold a press conference in about a half hour to explain, but as of now it appears that <span>Michael Vick</span> will be the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Eagles</a> starting quarterback for the remainder of the season.</p>
<p>Given that the Eagles are putting on a full press conference in front of the cameras, it's a fair assumption that Vick isn't simply starting another week due to an injury to <span>Kevin Kolb</span>. You may remember that Reid said Kolb <a target="_blank" href="http://philly.sbnation.com/2010/9/13/1686376/kevin-kolb-and-stewart-bradley">would return as the team's starting quarterback</a> after the Eagles 35-32 win in Detroit. It appears that he has had a change of heart in the last 48 hours.</p>
<p>We'll update as news comes out.</p>
https://philly.sbnation.com/2010/9/21/2321355/eagles-name-michael-vick-as-teams-starting-quarterbackJason Brewer