No disrespect to Virginia Tech's offensive line, but Marcus Vick was best protected by his last name.
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| Marcus Vick's latest brush with controversy is his last as a Hokie. (Getty Images) |
It got him through ugly dust-ups involving underage girls and marijuana. It bought him a pass when he lobbed the finger at the West Virginia crowd and allegedly side-swiped a Mountaineers assistant on the sideline.
When a talented athlete has blood who plays the same position, well, let's just say genetics sell. Think of Manning and Sinatra.
The tradeoff is this: Just don't embarrass the family name because it's also a brand name. Eli might never be a Peyton but he can play. Frank Jr. wasn't The Chairman of the Board but he could croon OK.
You get an idea, then, of how monumentally Marcus Vick has screwed up.
The same school that Michael put on the map kicked his little brother out of school on Friday. Marcus didn't have to set records or even win a national championship, just play with the same fervor and class as his brother.
All he had to do was not abuse the privilege of being a Vick. A player with similar physical tools of his brother couldn't even handle that.
It's hard to believe that less than two months ago, there was a national debate over who was better -- Marcus or Michael? Then Marcus threw up on himself in a showdown against Miami and we all felt foolish.
Character guy that he is, Marcus then fumbled away his last chance at Virginia Tech, too. Now we should feel pity, if that's possible for a kid who had almost as many chances as touchdowns.
Michael is a hero to a school and a franchise NFL player. Marcus is a cheap thug whose only degree seemingly will come from the Maurice Clarett School of Life Choices.
Michael worked his out of Newport News, Va., to become a singular talent. Marcus' life was one of privilege -- Escalades, attitude, second, third and fourth chances.
Frank Beamer suspended him in 2004. Marcus spent most of his time off in Atlanta that year in his brother's mansion, playing video games. Michael tried to make Marcus boring. No partying. No going out.
The rehab didn't take.
There's so many things wrong with this kid you don't know where to start. Marcus Vick had it all, then flushed it the same week Vince Young showed us what it's like to be a dedicated player, son and role model. Two quarterbacks, both from impoverished backgrounds.
One failure.
It's fashionable to rip Michael's NFL bona fides these days but that's OK. If inconsistent play is as bad as it gets, Mike can handle it. Even with all those millions, he still has a burning desire to win. His lifting Virginia Tech on his shoulders six years ago should be a lifetime achievement in itself.
Marcus? His legacy will be that of coward. He stomped on the leg of Louisville's Elvis Dumervil during the Gator Bowl after a sack. Then Marcus tried to say he apologized after the game. A quick check with Dumervil and the Cardinals showed he hadn't.
Marcus disgusted even his position coach, Kevin Rogers, who called the player's assault on Dumervil "embarrassing."
The Big 12 referee who worked the game said he would have thrown Vick out immediately had he seen the stomp.
We're still wondering why Marcus wasn't suspended before the Gator Bowl. It was discovered that he was stopped for speeding and driving with a suspended license on Dec. 17. That was only 16 months after having his license taken away after a marijuana and speeding bust.
Maybe the NFL or a transfer to another school will become Marcus' safety net, but nothing will change the fact that two legacies have been solidified at Virginia Tech.
Michael put his name on the program. Marcus embarrassed the family name.
