*RANDOM ATHLETE OF THE DAY*
Marcus Vick, the younger brother of Michael Vick was a terrific quarterback when he played at Virginia Tech. As a Junior he threw for 2,868 yards with 19 TD’s and rushed for 492 yards with 6 TD’s. Vick led Va. Tech to an 11-2 record that year and a victory in the Gator Bowl where they scored 22 unanswered points to defeat Louisville 35-24.
Marcus Vick showed flashes of brilliance as a dual-threat quarterback and kept defenses on their heels. With an almost identical style of play to his brother’s, Marcus was able to make plays and leave his opponents one step behind with his jukes and quickness. Although his style of play was crisp and clean Marcus Vick was anything but clean. In the Gator Bowl against Louisville you could see him blatantly stomp on Elvis Dumervil’s leg.
This reaction as well as two misdemeanor charges of speeding and driving on a suspended license led to Vick’s release from the team in 2006. Vick was forced to sit out the 2004 season due to previous legal incidents. Vick’s violation of VT’s “zero tolerance policy” led to his removal from the team and expulsion from the University.
A week later on January 10, 2006 Vick was involved in a verbal altercation in a McDonald’s parking lot with three other teens where he proceeded to threaten them with a firearm. The teens were allegedly “taunting” Vick and he showed the gun to scare them. After this incident Vick declared he would enter the NFL Draft but was not selected.
In 2007, the Miami Dolphins added him as an undrafted free agent but he was later released from the team. His legal troubles have continued since then as he was involved in a civil lawsuit involving a 15 year old girl who claims he forced her into a sexual situation. He also received many more traffic incidents for convicted DUI, eluding police, and driving on the wrong side of the road.
Marcus Vick has been in and out of jail released on bond and has put himself into multiple dangerous situations. For now, he continues to duck the penitentiary but what remains is the fact that this man had endless talent, plenty of potential and the path narrowed out for him but he was unable to keep himself out of trouble.
Maybe living in his brother’s shadow created pressure that Vick couldn’t handle. Maybe he thought he could live the lifestyle he wanted and get away with it at the professional level. Either way, it is a sad sight to see Marcus Vick’s name in the news for continuous legal issues rather than highlights of his incredible moves that every sports fan loves to see. Maybe the NFL isn’t for everyone but it is certainly a disappointment to see such phenomenal talent go to waste.
FreshNewsNow 