From: Gonzalez, John
To: Fagan, Kate; Salisbury, James
Subject: Eagles, Vick and the fans
Michael Vick might be the most polarizing athlete this town has ever seen. I wonder how hard-core Eagles fans will respond. There are people who want to give him a second chance, but that's a lot different from rooting for a guy or wanting him to play on your team.
Some Philadelphians have said they're done with the Eagles because of this. How do you think this move will affect the Eagles' fan base?
From: Fagan, Kate
To: Gonzalez, John; Salisbury, James
Subject: Eagles, Vick and the fans
I just left the NovaCare Complex and a woman was holding a sign, "Hide your beagle, Vick's an Eagle."
Clever, yet unnecessary.
Look, some Eagle fans are going to be upset just because it's something to be upset about. Others are probably genuinely angered by the move.
But you can't argue that this move makes the Eagles the center of the sports world for the foreseeable future. It's risky, but it's also insanely high-profile.
From: Salisbury, James
To: Fagan, Kate; Gonzalez, John
Subject: Eagles, Vick and the fans
There will always be some opposition, but any hit the Eagles take in fan base will ultimately be negligible if this guy shows remorse, stays committed to turning his life around, and contributes on the field. I am all for second chances. I've seen guys in this town make good on them and go on to be cheered. But I also understand that some people will never feel good about this move. My golden lab, Hazel, is one of them. But what does she know? She thinks goose poo is a delicacy.
From: Gonzalez, John
To: Fagan, Kate; Salisbury, James
Subject: Eagles, Vick and the fans
The Eagles have put themselves in a tough spot here. I believe that they think it's the right, moral thing to do by giving Vick another chance. But I also believe they'll alienate a good chunk of the fans over this.
Jimmy, tell Hazel I'm available to play fetch whenever she is.
From: Fagan, Kate
To: Gonzalez, John; Salisbury, James
Subject: Eagles, Vick and the fans
I know Mike is trying to "help more dogs than he's hurt," so maybe he'll play with Hazel and Gonzy.
From: Salisbury, James
To: Fagan, Kate; Gonzalez, John
Subject: Eagles, Vick and the fans
The helping-dogs bit is nice, but Vick's here because the football coach believes the football player can help the football team win football games. Reid sounded remarkably human on Thursday night, but he isn't opening the door to the NovaCare Complex if this was some everyday schlub who broke the law and was eager for a second chance. Vick's talent opened the door. We'll see what he has left after two years of downtime. At this point, Hazel might be a better athlete.
