It Pains Me, Pat, But I Beg To Differ

There’s an NFC South blogger named Pat Yasinskas – no idea how to pronounce that – who has, with responsibilities for Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers, and Saints, determined that he has eminent domain over Michael Vick banter on ESPN until he signs with another team.  Pat cut his teeth with The Charlotte Observer before ESPN.

As a brief side note, I can’t help as I type this but recall the vast diversity of humans named Patrick.  I mean, honestly.  Let’s think: Patrick Ewing, Patrick Duffy, Pat Roberts, Pat Robertson,  Patrick Roy, Patrick Swayze, Pat Benatar, Pat Sajak, It’s Pat, the list goes on and on.  Literally captured in that list alone we have a Step-by-Step alumnus, the host of Wheel of Fortune, an ’80s female rock star, a Jamaican top-50 NBA player, a US Senator, a televangelist, and a Canadian goalie.  What about Patrick Henry?  A revolutionary hero, to boot.  I’d challenge you to find such diversity from any other name on the planet.

Nonetheless, a lesser known and aforementioned Pat on ESPN wrote yesterday that even after former Falcons QB Michael Vick is conditionally reinstated to professional football this summer (pending a review for full reinstatement in Week 6), he does not believe any NFL team will be jumping at the bit to sign him.  Pat mentions the following teams as “a long shot, but don’t rule it out”: Bears, Lions, Bengals, Broncos, Raiders, Jaguars, Bills, Patriots and Cowboys.  He says that the other 23 NFL teams fall into the category of “not even a chance”.

Amongst the teams in this category is the Washington Redskins. Hence the title of this post.  As the subject, along with many others, of lifelong mental and emotional floggings by the Redskins, I’d venture that there is certainly a chance that they will sign Vick.  The ‘Skins may even be near the top of the list of possible landing places for Vick.

First, let me berate down the list of “long shots” above.  The Bears just traded for Jay Cutler – nope, not happening.  The Lions just spent a No. 1 draft pick on a QB – sorry.  The Bengals have Carson Palmer.  The Broncos… Okay, I’ll give you that.  Raiders, Jaguars, and Bills are probably on the list, too.  No chance that the Patriots sign him.  The only chance I’d give the Cowboys is, as Pat astutely pointed out, based on Jerry Jones.  Otherwise his list is garbage, prepared via a poll of other bloggers or not.

The aforementioned four – Broncos, Raiders, Jaguars, and Bills would appear to be among the most likely landing places for Ron Mexico (if you’re man’s best friend’s worst friend, are you man’s worst friend?).  Undoubtedly, however, after these four teams, the Redskins must enter the equation.  As I’ve stated previously, this makes my stomach turn even to admit it.  But I’m a realist, and I know my team and its management style.

Five selected reasons that the Redskins should be included in the top-five NFL teams likely to sign Michael Vick:

1. Penchant for marketing. If nothing else, Dan Snyder loves to market the Redskins, and from a business perspective, does a pretty good job of it.  Every game is a sellout.  Every new player has a jersey for public consumption within a week of signing, and Vick would be no exception.  If you think that Snyder doesn’t see dollar signs and love them when envisioning a No. 7 Vick jersey filling seats at FedEx Field, you’re crazy.
2. Offseason pursuit of a quarterback. It’s no secret that Snyder & Co do not see Jason Campbell as the Redskins quarterback of the present and future.  Between confirmed rumors of trades for Cutler and draft movement to snag the Dirty Sanchez, Campbell’s status as the Redskins QB much beyond tomorrow is a well publicized question.  Why not a quarterback who can sell tickets, potentially dynamize a forever stagnant offense, and has even won a postseason game or two?
3. Proximity to Blacksburg, Va. For our one reader in Germany, Blacksburg is where Virginia Tech is located, which is where Michael Vick played his college ball.  There are a lot of Tech fans in and around Washington, DC.  Not to mention that Vick grew up not far to the southeast of our nation’s capital, in the Newport News/Tidewater region.  This proximity would sell a ton of tickets and potentially be a soft landing spot for Vick, from public and community relations perspective.
4. Penchant to spend. Again, no secret that the Redskins tend to overspend for players.  You can be sure that Snyder & Co would make it Vick’s while, even if there were no other teams involved.  For a man who may be in significant debt, a semi-lucrative contract would be very important.  If nothing else, the Redskins are the most likely franchise in the NFL to give him one.  Not anything crazy in the context of the present-day NFL, but certainly crazy in the context of the situation, which should warrant a one-year, incentive-laden contract yet could turn into a guaranteed bonus, multiyear deal if Snyder is involved.
5. Penchant for idiocy. This must be mentioned, if only because I’m frustrated.  Why not?  He’d probably get along well with Albert Haynesworth.  Idiotic player personnel decisions are a Redskins specialty.

I’m about to break my computer just writing this, but the more that I think about it, the more that I am convinced this is Dan Snyder’s next move.  Just wait.