Get a grip

As a dedicated NFL fan, I couldn't help but notice Michael Vick's signing with the Philadelphia Eagles. The seven text messages and three voicemails didn't hurt, either.

I'm a loyal Eagles fan, so this move hit home in an extra special way.

Personally, I was excited over the move. With Vick's extreme athleticism, I'm thinking his presence will definitely be noticed by opposing defenses no matter where he's lining up.

I've openly been a supporter of Vick during his journey back to football. I never supported what he was convicted of, but I believed the man deserved a second opportunity. Vick's road is not over, though.

The majority of NFL fans have not and will not forgive Vick for his wrong doing. Slurs and negativity will be thrown at him faster than his own football throws. And he will never rid himself of the burden he has earned. Mike Vick will always be tied with dogfighting.

A problem many fans of the league are complaining of is that with Vick's reinstatement, some parents are worried that the NFL is setting a bad example by rewarding an awful act with another chance in front of the young fans. My answer: don't let your kids look up to Vick, or athletes in general.

And to PETA: get off of your white horse and slap yourself in the face. Your bloodsucking and ruthless ways are walking the fine line of slander.

Delaying the inevitable

As a free man, shouldn't Michael Vick be treated fairly? I'm not sure why the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback has yet to be reinstated, but NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is taking his sweet time on a decision.

Goodell knows Vick will eventually be reinstated and he surely knows a firestorm will occur when that happens. He can't keep Vick out forever, even if he'd like to.

Goodell needs to bite the bullet and let Vick have a chance to regain his life by reinstating him as soon as possible. No matter when the reinstatement occurs, the media is going to blitz the issue until Vick's career expires.

I don't condone dogfighting, but I'm all for second chances.

What division holds the No. 2 rank?

It's pretty clear to me that the best division in football belongs to the NFC East. With Dallas, New York, Philadelphia and Washington all .500 or better clubs, the BEast all but controls the NFC.

Is it the AFC East (New England, Miami, New York and Buffalo), the AFC South (Indianapolis, Houston, Tennessee and Jacksonville) or the NFC South (New Orleans, Atlanta, Carolina and Tampa Bay)?

I think you have to hand it to the AFC East. With Tom Brady returning, the Patriots are my Super Bowl reps for the AFC. Buffolo and New York improved considerably, while Miami is just an all-around tough team.

I like the NFC South, as well, but I think Carolina didn't do much to improve its conference hold and Tampa Bay dismantled its entire roster.

A season of Holliday's (Halladay's)

The St. Louis Cardinals vastly improved themselves over the week when it acquired Oakland Athletics outfielder Matt Holliday. The 29-year-old is a lifetime .317 hitter and has postseason experience after helping the Colorado Rockies reach the World Series in 2007.

As I look up and down the Cardinals roster, I realize it's difficult to not believe this is the team to beat as October crawls toward us. With two nasty starting pitchers in Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, a monster in Albert Pujols surrounded by a deep lineup are my favorites to win the National League pennant.

At the start of the season, I believed the New York Mets were going to overcome its yearly September blowup. I didn't expect them to have nearly half of their opening day lineup to be traded or spend significant time on the DL. Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Gary Sheffield have missed a combined 195 games this season. Pitchers John Maine and J.J. Putz have missed considerable time, as well.

The NL owns a handful of serious World Series contenders in St. Louis, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. All three clubs are loaded with offense, but the Cards have the edge with their elite starting pitching.

—If there was one thing the Phillies need before their turn comes to defend their World Series title, it's another starting pitcher. Lucky for Philadelphia, there's a really, really good pitcher named Roy Halladay who wouldn't mind trading in his Canadian passport for a shot at the postseason. The Toronto Bluejays own the rights to Halladay and gave the Phillies a wishlist that they would like to receive in return.

I'm still stunned that Philadelphia turned down a run at Halladay. By not handing over a couple prospects for a more secure shot at a repeat World Series, the Phillies management might be looking for a Double-A Minor League championship, too.