In a city that eats, sleeps, and
essentially lives football,
Eagles fans are always behind
their beloved team. That is, if
they’re winning. However, in
the 2011 season, this is not the
case.
The “Dream Team” needs a
wakeup call, because the way
this season has been going,
they look more like a nightmare.
The slumping Eagles are out
to a sluggish 1-2 start, losing to
the Falcons and the Giants; a
team that they hadn’t lost to
since the 2008. The team is
only three games into the season,
but do they need to start
worrying now?
Star quarterback Michael
Vick is taking a beating that’s
worse than the team’s record.
Vick suffered a concussion
against the Falcons two weeks
ago that sidelined him for the
rest of the game, followed by a
controversial no-call late-hit
that ended with Vick again
sidelined.
It turns out he has a bruised
right hand. Luckily, he throws
with the left.
Vick was livid in a postgame
press conference, spewing
about the late hits he never
gets.
“I was trying to protect
myself” Vick said during the
press conference. And frankly
he was. Vick was hit a couple
seconds after the ball had left
his hand.
“Still didn’t get a flag and
that’s pretty much been the
story for the last three weeks”
Vick said, “I mean, obviously
at some point something catastrophic
is going to happen and
I broke my hand.”
“Looking at the replays, I’m
on the ground every time, and
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t
frustrated. The refs have got to
do their jobs. And I mentioned
it to the refs in training camp
when I talked to them. I’m on
the ground constantly, all the
time. Every time I throw the
ball, I’m on the ground. And I
don’t know why I don’t get the
15-yard flags like everybody
else does” Vick said.
When he says everybody else
he means players like Tom
Brady and Peyton Manning,
but these are players that own
the pocket, you rarely see them
outside of it.
Why doesn’t he get these
calls though? Is it because he
doesn’t complain like Brady,
or that he is one of the more
elusive quarterbacks in the
league and can use his legs to
evade that pressure in the
pocket?
Bucks students voiced their
opinions about the controversy
surrounding Vick and the nocalls.
C.J. Boyer, 19, an education
major from Levittown, said
“Its football. You’re going to
get hit, but Vick shouldn’t
complain. He should get some
calls though, not all of them. It
would be smart for Andy Reid
to give him a week off.”
Boyer still believes the
Eagles, though shaken, will
make the playoffs.
“I think they could go really
far” Boyer said, “I’d like to see
them win the Super Bowl, but
there are a lot of good teams.”
Joe Eppolito, 19, a secondary
education major from
Levittown, shared similar
views.
“He shouldn’t complain”
Eppolito said, “He’s got plenty
of others out there complaining
for him. He gets hit harder than
any other quarterback in the
league, because he is seen
more as a running back when
he runs. They should change
the play calls to get the ball out
of Vick’s hands quicker.”
Eppolito isn’t too worried
either about the team’s start.
“This is one of the more talented
Eagles teams; they
should start to do better”
Eppolito said, “They’re still a
couple of years away from the
Super Bowl, but they should
still make the playoffs.”
The Eagles played the San
Francisco 49ers this Sunday – a
team that is 2-1 on the season
and lossed.
As for Vick’s injury, he’s list-
BY: Stephen Godwin Jr.
Centurions Staff
ed as questionable for now, but
don’t be surprised if you see
him behind center on Sunday.
Maybe this time, he’ll get the
calls that he’s looking for.