Sorry, Michael Vick. You aren’t getting any special treatment. On the contrary, you’re being made an example.

In a hearing today, the court initially ruled that Vick would need to begin preparing for trial to begin October 4. After a little whining from Vick’s team of lawyers, the judge — not sympathetic — ruled that trial will be pushed back 8 weeks, to November 26. Vick’s lawyers were hoping for something more like 8 months.

Vick also heard the dismal news from his prosecutors: “We’ve already charged you with serious crimes. You might want to consider a guilty plea. We are going to file more charges next month. That gives you a few weeks to think about the guilty plea. If you come and talk to us about pleading guilty and testifying for us, there will be no more charges against you. If you do not, the charges and the potential punishment will grow quickly.”

But, in a piece of good news, the Falcons now know how to deal with Vick: start Joey Harrington instead.

Instead of pursuing another quarterback (see: Daunte Culpepper) through free agency, the word is that Falcons are handing the reigns to the ex-Dolphin/Lion quarterback.

And that’s probably good for Bobby Petrino. Past coaches have been forced to build their playbooks around Vick, an athletic though inaccurate passer. Petrino can now build his offense around Harrington, a far easier task considering Harrington’s tendencies.

“It’s up to me to really understand what parts of [the offense] Joey executes the best. Then you form the offense around him,” Petrino said. “Nothing has changed yet, but certainly each quarterback does something different, and you try to highlight what each does well.”

Though he may not be the most consistent starting quarterback, Harrington does have experience and he proved himself capable of dealing with the media circus around him.

“I don’t know if my role has changed, to be honest,” he said. “My role, when I came to Atlanta, was to be ready to play. Whether I’m No. 2 or No. 1, my role is to be ready to play.”

What’s does this quarterback transition equate to in fantasy terms? Though I like Harrington, I’d advise most fantasy league’s to stay away from drafting him. He’s a viable option in deep leagues and he might be worth a waiver look, but his supporting cast doesn’t look stable.

2007 will be Harrington’s proving grounds, perhaps his final opportunity as a starting quarterback in the NFL. And, if successful, it will speak volumes of Bobby Petrino.

“I have absolutely no regrets about taking this job,” Petrino insists. “I’m very motivated and energetic toward the challenge.”

A challenge it will be. But, for the first time since 2001, it won’t be the challenge of adopting an offense to fit Vick’s unorthodox talents. That in itself may be motivation enough for Petrino.

Image: Courtesy CollegePublisher.com 

Subscribe to The NFL Minute

This post is tagged