OK, I said #10 would be next, but this is supposed to be a sports blog, and I feel that this is a good time for a rant and some commentary.
Let me first preface this by noting that I am a huge University of Virginia fan. I bleed blue and orange. That said, Kudos to Virginia Tech's athletic department for showing that they have balls. Marcus Vick is out.
Background: Marcus (Michael's little bro) has been a very naughty boy for a while, now. Caught speeding with pot in the car, contributing to the delinquency of a minor (alcohol given to under-age girls, oh, by the way, he was 19 at the time, also under-age). Charges of Statutory rape (with the aforementioned drunk, under-aged girls). Then, recently, caught speeding again, this time on a suspended license. Already on his final strike, he was able to finish the season and play in the Gator Bowl.
Then, it happened. With a national TV audience viewing, Vick was tackled, and upon arising, looked down, saw the leg of a Louisville player there, and STOMP. He then proceeded as if nothing had happened. No foul was called, even though officials were right there. No one saw anything, no foul was called. Ironically, Michael had just finished an interview, in which he praised his brother for his continuing "maturity". Replays showed that this was a farcical statement. Nothing was done by the coaching staff that day. They "didn't want to punish the rest of the team". Marcus said at first that the step was accidental and that he went to the Louisville team room and apologized and the apology was accepted. All this was false. Louisville officials said that Marcus never came into the clubhouse, and that seems to be a more believable thing. If you have been attacked, you would remember your attacker coming into enemy territory to apologize.
For Marcus to say that it was inadvertent was ridiculous. For him to lie about an apology (and by the way, why apologize for a mistake? Why not just tell them it was accidental?) was typical of him. What is not known nationally is the reputation Marcus (and for that matter Micheal) has in this area. I live near where they grew up, and believe me, the rumors of what those boys have gotten away with would curl your hair.
That said, today the AD for Virginia Tech announced that Marcus has been permanently dismissed from the team. Good for them. Thuggery is not what football is about. For the record, a UVa player cheap-shotted a Boston College lineman earlier this year. The play was over, and he cut blocked him at the knees. I personally contacted the Athletic department and registered my disgust, as did many other fans. I felt that the player should have been removed from the team. However, what he did didn't even rise to the smallest level that Marcus' actions did. For one thing, he was penalized in the game, second, he was removed IMMEDIATELY from said game and suspended, third, he actually offered an apology, both in private to the offended player, and publicly in a spoken press release. Also, this was the first offense for this particular player. Again, I don't condone his actions, but he was a man who owned up to it, not a punk who passed the buck.
Kudos, Tech for doing the right thing. I just wish Beamer had the balls to do it in the game.