The 49ers threw a carefully-scripted, tightly choreographed State of the Franchise event Monday, but they couldn't prevent the uncomfortable Michael Vick rumors from coming up. While Coach Singletary gave the textbook answers about a quarterback battle between Shaun Hill and Alex Smith, he specifically didn't count out the possibility of bringing in jailhouse veteran Michael Vick.
That's all some of us fans and media need to hear to go into speculation overdrive!
The Vick questions came up near the end of the presentation, still available on line, during an unscripted Q&A session.
"I think right now we really need to look at the two guys we have (Shaun Hill and Alex Smith)," said Singletary, when asked about acquiring Vick. "If everything works out with Alex and he's back, we need to look at that and go as far as we can go with that. The whole Michael Vick thing, we have to sit down and talk about that."
Talk away, coach! The Atlanta Falcons hope to trade Vick, who's scheduled to be released from jail in July -- but Vick will be named the Humane Society's official calendar model before anybody does that trade with the Falcons. Rest assured there will be no takers for a guy who's currently incarcerated and under contract for a ludicrous $9 million this year. The Falcons will certainly have to cut him, and then he'll be available -- if he's re-instated -- with no strings, to any team as a free agent.
The most compelling argument for Vick wearing the 49er Cabernet and Gold came from Tony Kornheiser, speaking Friday on "Pardon the Interruption."
"It's hard to put your arm around Michael Vick and say, 'He's a dog killer, but let's give him a second chance'," Kornheiser explained, "But in Mike Singletary, you have a guy with a great religious background. And you have a guy who could put his arm around Michael Vick and say 'Trust me. I will make him see the error of his ways. We will make him a great football player here, and a great person.'"
That may not be reason enough for the Niners to bring in Michael Vick but it's a killer rationale.
Joe Kukura is a freelance writer who spends most of his time in speculation overdrive.
