As mikesd1981 so duly reported, Steve Corkran painted an interesting, if somewhat far-fetched, picture of the future of the Raiders in his column yesterday.
Says Corkan:
JaMarcus Russell is in the shotgun formation, barking out the signals. To his right stands second-year running back Darren McFadden. To his left is a man who once roamed the NFL landscape, someone who accomplished things no other has done in the history of the game.
Could it be? No, it can't be. Russell shakes his head, blinks his eyes, does a double-take. Are you kidding me? In a Raiders uniform? Yes, it's possible.
In the good old days, Al Davis had the Midas touch when it came to reclamation projects, but this is clearly a different era for Raider football, and Vick is surely more than just a proud player considered washed-up by his previous employer.
While his former teammates that now call Oakland home appear to be all for having Vick on their side again, are Raider fans so desperate for a winner to give Vick a new leash, er, lease on life? Wackos like "Kick 'em in the Head Ted" and the "Tooz" are one thing, but sponsoring a dog-fighting operation is an entirely different beast.
I, for one, am a firm believer in second chances. But this is not so cut-and-dry. My concern is what is it exactly we are teaching our youth if Vick can commit such a heinous crime and be back playing football- and earning an enormous salary, to boot- in the time equivalent to a slap on the wrist?
On the other hand, the football fan in me- correction, the Raider fan in me- salivates at the prospect of a rejuvenated (and hopefully remorseful) Vick doing his thing for a team that begs for imagination and change on offense.
What are your thoughts?