The signing of Vick by the Eagles was shocking in many ways. As has been pointed out repeatedly, by even the local Philadelphia jock sniffing reporters, the team doesn't need a QB. It also doesn't need a RB, so it's difficult to understand what benefit they will accrue from adding a controversial character like this to their roster.
I think the NFL basically ordered a team to sign this clown. Tony Dungy was demanding it, and even Jesse Jackson had become involved; perhaps he was about to charge league officials with a hate crime. At any rate, I don't buy for a minute that the Eagles actually wanted Mike/Michael Vick. When have you ever heard of any team, at any time, signing a player sight unseen? He's been out of football for two years, but they give him $1.6 million (twice the salary they could have given him) without working him out or even meeting with him? That's incomprehensible. I think they held a drawing with all the teams in the league, and Philly got the short straw. No one wanted him (despite the constant lobbying by the ESPN jock sniffers).
If Sal Palontonio and other reporters are to be believed, fan reaction in Philly is running strong against the signing. Let's hope that PETA continues to stick to its guns (the Humane Society has already rolled over for Mike/Michael, in the best tradition of MADD) and organizes large protests against the team. This is a rare case where two groups long favored in our politically correct society are squaring off against each other. That's always fun to watch.
Those who value animal life more than human life are a powerful, passionate force in Don King's America. However, they are going up against THE most powerful force. But ESPN got what it wanted; now they can stop speculating about where Vick is going to sign, and concentrate on covering every insignificant move he makes as a backup. Meanwhile, Matt Jones can't get one team interested in him....