New York Giants Become Victims of Miracle at New Meadowlands

As Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson crossed the goal line with the game-winning touchdown against the New York Giants, visions of Herman Edwards must have been dancing through the heads of those in attendance at the new Meadowlands Stadium.

A little over 32 years ago, the former Eagles cornerback recovered a fumbled handoff between Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik and fullback Larry Csonka and ran it back 26 yards for a game-winning touchdown in the old Meadowlands Stadium.

The play came to be known as the 'Miracle at the Meadowlands' because it occurred at a juncture when the Giants were in complete command of the game.

With Philadelphia trailing 17-12 and out of timeouts, New York faced a third-and-2 with 31 seconds left. Inexplicably though, Giants offensive coordinator Bob Gibson called for Pisarcik to hand it off to Csonka for a standard run up the middle.

However, vehement dissension in the huddle over the play call resulted in a rushed snap, a bobbled handoff and the eventual fumble that Edwards was only too happy to run back for a touchdown, giving the Eagles an improbable 19-17 victory.

Since that fateful afternoon of November 19, 1978, it certainly appeared that the Giants buried the skeletons of that inexcusable collapse with three Super Bowl trophies and the grand opening of a $1.6 billion new stadium.

But in Sunday’s afternoon tilt with the Eagles for NFC East supremacy, the Giants conjured up the spirits of collapses past by losing a game that will surely come to be known as the Miracle at the new Meadowlands.

After outgaining Philadelphia 222-74 to take a 24-3 lead into halftime, the G-Men were well on their way to debunking the widespread notion that Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is unstoppable.

And with a 24-10 lead after the third quarter and a 31-10 advantage with 7:58 remaining in the game, the Giants had the most satisfying victory of the season within their clutches.

This is when the catalyst of the NFL’s top-ranked offense started to dissect the league’s second-ranked defensive unit with his left arm and his nimble feet.

In the final eight minutes of the contest alone, Vick threw two touchdown passes (65, 18), ran one in for a score (4) and rushed for nearly 100 yards, while turning a 21-point deficit into a tie game with 14 seconds left. The Giants’ offensive inefficiency and a successful Eagles’ onside kick didn’t hurt either.

So, after a one-minute three-and-out that netted -7 yards, all the Giants had to do was kick away from the dangerous DeSean Jackson and regroup for overtime.

Punter Matt Dodge did the exact opposite though, and channeled his inner Joe Pisarcik in the process.

Dodge drove a line drive right down the middle of the field, which Jackson initially bobbled before returning 65 yards for the game-winning score in the penultimate play of the game.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin wasted no time in berating his rookie punter for the gaffe, but let there be no doubt that the monumental collapse was a collective effort.

And, as a result, a new legend was born in this heated rivalry that the Eagles will always remember and the Giants would like to forget as soon as humanly possible.

Joe Pisarcik, you’re not alone.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a recap of the 'Miracle at the new Meadowlands'.

The Case for Michael Vick to Spend More Time in Prison

This holiday season should be especially humbling for Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback Michael Vick, as well as a time for conscientious reflection.

A little over three years ago, Vick pleaded guilty to federal charges in the Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting investigation, resulting in an indefinite suspension from the National Football League, without pay, for conduct Commissioner Roger Goodell described as “cruel and reprehensible”.

During his 19-month incarceration, Vick’s financial condition deteriorated rapidly due to having virtually no income and substantial ongoing expenses for attorneys, the maintenance of several luxury homes in multiple states and living expenses for friends and relatives.

So with debts in excess of assets by millions of dollars, and collection efforts and judgments from creditors staring him in the face, Vick empowered his attorneys to file for Chapter 11 federal bankruptcy protection in July 2008.

By the three-time Pro Bowler's own admission, these were the darkest hours in his life. The inability to simply go home and, excluding being the financier of an illegal dog fighting ring, lead the life he had been accustomed to living over the course of nearly a decade.

But when former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy paid him a visit at Leavenworth Penitentiary, he offered Vick a ray of hope within an emotional, mental and spiritual pit of despair.

His words of advice and encouragement would be the impetus to Dungy becoming Vick’s mentor after his release from prison in an effort to help Vick get reacclimated to life as a civilian, a father and a football player.

Prior to Vick’s conditional reinstatement to the NFL, Dungy inspired him to carefully examine how he could get involved in the community to honor his personal commitments, including youth outreach and partnering with the Humane Society to educate people about the ills of dog fighting.

Dungy would also counsel Vick on selecting the franchise that would provide the best support in helping him get back into the routine of being a football player.

And it wouldn’t be long before Vick made the decision to sign a one-year contract with the Eagles last August, with an option that was picked up by the team for this season.

Since then, the trade of Donovan McNabb this past offseason and a concussion suffered by Kevin Kolb in the first game of this season opened the door for Vick to display his evolution as a quarterback and most importantly, as a man.

Now Vick is widely considered a leading candidate for the Most Valuable Player Award and drawing praise for his humility, patience and work ethic in addition to his commitment to community service.

Thus, while Vick thrives, another former NFL star continues to languish in a prison cell on Rikers Island. His name: Plaxico Burress, the former standout wide receiver for the New York Giants.

In August 2009, Burress accepted a plea deal that would imprison him for two years with an additional two years of supervised release, for attempted criminal possession of a weapon. The charges stemmed from Burress suffering an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound to his right thigh at a New York City nightclub less than a year earlier.

As a result, Burress not only derailed the Giants’ hopes of repeating as Super Bowl Champions, he lost his primary source of income and the privilege of witnessing the birth of his daughter, Giovanna--the latter of which brought a stream of tears to his eyes during a televised interview.

Arguably, nothing humbles a man more than when his freedom is taken away from him. Michael Vick knows this feeling all too well.

And who better to give Burress the same ray of hope that was given to him than the NFL’s current poster boy for redemption.

In Burress, Vick has a unique opportunity to demonstrate what he should have truly learned from his own experience. An appreciation for the simple things in life and the empathy to lift someone up in the midst of his own personal pit of despair.

If Vick can relay these poignant messages to Burress, who is scheduled for release in the latter half of 2011, it will transcend anything he does on the football field; especially if it’s done with as little fanfare and publicity as possible.

Vick doesn’t owe this to Burress, he owes it to himself. Burress needs to intently look into the eyes of a man who is, for all intents and purposes, his mirror image and realize that redemption is merely a change of heart away.

Not toward being a better and improved football player, but a better man, a better husband and a better father.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special ESPN E:60 interview with Plaxico Burress.

New York Giants Seek Redemption in The City Of Brotherly Love

As the National Football League community continues to gush over Michael Vick’s riveting comeback from a self-inflicted two-year exile, the New York Giants will attempt to write the first chapter of their own redemption story at Lincoln Financial Field Sunday evening.

After a 41-7 rout of the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9, the Giants appeared to be among the viable candidates for the mythical title of best team in the league. Clearly, a distinction that no squad has a legitimate claim to this season.

However, New York’s candidacy and five-game winning streak became a distant memory in the wake of an inexcusable 13-point home loss to the 2-7 Dallas Cowboys. And, to add insult to injury, the G-Men fell to the same team whose interim head coach was making his debut and featured Jon Kitna as its starting quarterback.

So instead of maintaining a one-game lead in the NFC East, the Giants, along with the rest of the country, watched the NFL’s poster boy for redemption turn FedEx Field into his own personal playground. And with the record-breaking triumph, the Philadelphia Eagles pulled into a dead heat with Big Blue for division supremacy.

Interestingly enough, the last time New York strung together five consecutive victories was a little over one year ago, when they jumped out to a 5-0 start to kick off the 2009-10 season. But this was followed by losses in eight of their last eleven games to finish 8-8 and as a playoff non-participant.

In light of this disappointment, this season has been about redemption for the Giants. Redemption for the unfulfilled promise of last year.

Similarly, New York will be seeking redemption this weekend, in particular, after a deafening hiccup in what has otherwise been a solid season.

It won’t be easy though.

In Michael Vick, who’s rapidly filling the pages of his own redemption story, the Giants’ defensive unit will be attempting to neutralize the most dynamic player in the league who, by the way, deserves serious consideration for the Comeback Player of the Year Award and the Most Valuable Player Award.

This season, Vick has eleven touchdown passes, no interceptions and a league-leading quarterback rating of 115.1, as well as 341 rushing yards and a robust rushing average of 7.8 yards per attempt.

But in striking contrast to last season, the Giants are tops in the NFL in total defense, second in the NFC in pass defense (fourth in the NFL) and second in the conference (third in the NFL) in rush defense.

When all these factors are taken into consideration, one could argue that this is a classic case of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object.

Ironically, another way to view the Eagles/Giants match-up is as the intersection of the redemption road for Michael Vick with that of the New York Giants in a town commonly known as the “City of Brotherly Love”.

The winner takes a stranglehold of the NFC East while the loser falls into a four-team battle royal (Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) for the two conference wild-card spots.

The stakes couldn’t be any higher for the Philadelphia Eagles and, especially, the New York Giants, who can ill afford to stir up the ghosts of collapses past with a second consecutive loss.

Click here to read the original article on Examiner.com, which includes relevant links and a special highlight reel of Michael Vick's record-breaking performance against the Washington Redskins.

The Eagle Has Landed: Michael Vick Has Returned Vic-“Torious”

Standby folks, this Eagles’ flight has finally steadied after going through some rough turbulence.

After taking off with the Atlanta Falcons as the number one pick in the 2001 NFL Draft, the Michael Vick flight was on a smooth ride for six great seasons.

Three Pro Bowl Seasons.


A big playoff win over Brett Favre’s Green Bay Packers in Lambeau Field.


The richest contract for an NFL player at the end of 2004.

Despite the great take off and cruising at a nice altitude, the seat belt sign flashes on as a heavy amount of turbulence was ahead for him.

Then came the onslaught:

Shocking revelations of irreprehensible treatment to dogs.

Illegal activity with the money earned from that “richest player in the NFL” contract.

Federal investigations and trials.

To say that the former Virginia Tech quarterback was in a swirling mass of controversy is an understatement. The superstar completely fell off the face of the earth as he went from being one of the most loved athletes to being one of the most loathed criminals.

Everyone believed that the former Falcons quarterback would be done from football with no ability to stay in gridiron shape with a 23-month prison sentence slapped upon him. With such negative press, mental anguish and bankruptcy issues weighing heavily upon him, there was no way Vick would make it back to the NFL, let alone become a starting quarterback again.

Three years later, Vick has come full circle and emerged as the starting quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles in his second year with the team.

First off, the down-on-his-luck quarterback should be praised and commended for working hard to get back to where he has gotten to. No matter what the future may hold for this guy, he has successfully gotten his flight pattern back on track.

To go through what Vick has since everything came out and end up back on top is unprecedented. Most human beings would have crashed and burned immediately once the storm started brewing, including most athletes.

Flight number seven has kept his wings up high and continued to push through all the turbulence since rejoining the NFL.

He humbly accepted being the third string quarterback on a team with one of the greatest quarterbacks even in Donovan McNabb and a young apprentice in Kevin Kolb anxiously awaiting his turn at the Eagles helm.

His play early on was some of the worst quarterbacking the public has ever seen from Vick. He appeared no longer to be the nearly invincible running machine he once was loaded with one of the strongest arms at his disposal.

Despite the dreadful performances, Vick vehemently worked hard to improve as a quarterback. He patiently studied his playbook as much as possible and honed his ability to become a better quarterback, especially in his passing accuracy.

He also worked to reduce the off-the-field problems that were a part of his life before his jail time. Although there was a nightclub shooting incident he was supposedly involved in (but later relieved from the investigation), his life outside of football appears to have matured.

In one crazy flight that has spanned three years, Vick has gone through a variety of conditions to now the possibility of becoming better than ever. Only time will tell if he can remain the starter in Philadelphia or if his career will continue to ascend higher than its current position.

No matter what though, Michael Vick can say he has landed victoriously after a turbulent trip.