Chan Gailey and Tom Coughlin were so stunned by their players lack of performances this week that they offered no excuses for their play. In fact, they pretty much threw them under the bus after the game. Here’s Coughlin first after his Giants dramatic loss to the Vince Young led Philadelphia Eagles :

“My question to them was, ‘Why?’ What did it take to understand what the Eagles were going to be like coming in here? You didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that team is 3-6, back to the wall, they’re going to play their butts off. To get where we want to go, we’re going to have to play harder. And better. And we didn’t.”

I mean, isn’t part of being a good coach, at any level, finding ways to get through to your players so they can understand and execute the game plan?  To coach them in such a way that they maximize their talents? Seems to me that Coughlin is kinda passing the buck on this one a bit.  Sure his team played like crap and yes they do share in the blame, but they SHARE in the blame. Maybe Coughlin should’ve found some way to actually get through to his players, surely throwing them all under the bus is not it. For that matter, neither is admitting you couldn’t get your players to play like you want, you know, like a coach is supposed to do.

How about Chan Gailey, head coach of the Buffalo Bills whose once high flying team has lost 3 straight including yesterday’s horrocious 35-8 loss to Miami:

“I wish I could give you an explanation,” said coach Chan Gailey. “I cannot give you an explanation of how we played effectively early in the year and we’re not playing effectively now. We lost that one as a team. Every phases had problems, real problems.

“We’re  not very good right now,” Gailey said. “That’s the bottom line. We’re not. If I knew exactly what the problem was, I’d solve it. It’ s obviously not one thing. It’s things that mounted up on us, and we’re not able to execute the way we were earlier in the year and the way we’re capable of.”

Chan Gailey just admitted to the world he has no idea what is happening with his own team. He has no idea why the team is losing games and he cannot stop the losing because of it. That is your fearless leader Bills players. This man just admitted 1) his team is bad; and 2) he’s not sure why. That is confidence inspiring head coaching there people. His stationary should Chan Gailey, LEADER OF MEN.

Both Gailey and Coughlin should be fired at the end of the year just for statements like these. Their job is to lead and these are hardly the statements of leaders.

Michael Vick has reportedly signed a new six-year contraction extension worth an estimated $100 million with close to $40 million in guaranteed money, according to ESPN leprechaun-demon Adam Schefter. The money will likely pay off Vick’s creditors, and also give him the opportunity to hunt-and-kill the greatest animal in the entire kingdom; man. The DoD loves a good comeback and we salute you, sir.

There are some people that will never forgive Michael Vick for the things he did, and no question they were cruel and inhumane. Not cruel like when I lied about my family to my current girlfriend; but more cruel like when I left my family for her. My ex-wife is her high school math teacher too, so it was a little touch-and-go for awhile. Especially at the junior prom.

Regardless of my fond memories of infidelity, sports, are a business. Vick may not be a saint, but neither are you and something about stones…or the cast of the Rolling Stones…what am I a book of life lessons!? At least he went to prison, and I don’t think they would release somebody convicted of a crime if they ever thought they would commit another crime again, now would they?

Anyway, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback and one-time convicted felon Michael Vick linked up with Nike four years after they dropped him, terrific news for Vick’s family and creditors, not-so-terrific news for whiny overzealous animal lovers that think this guy should just leave the earth in a pod towards the sun.

“Michael acknowledges his past mistakes,” Nike said in a statement. “We do not condone those actions, but we support the positive changes he has made to better himself off the field.”

Vick was voted The Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year after missing two seasons and playing sparingly in 2009.

“Michael is committed to working with Nike and wants to utilize his platform as a professional athlete to have a positive impact on our youth,” said Andrew Stroth, the Chicago-based attorney who negotiated the deal for Vick.

Nike and Vick initially renewed their relationship in 2009, when the company announced it had “agreed to supply product” to the quarterback, who was not under contract. Nike has similar agreements with several athletes with whom it doesn’t have endorsement deals.

Vick was nasty last season, and I hope he does well again this season. The UFL needs the support.

Also, I want to apologize for what I wrote up there, earlier. I am sure the NFL will have a season and that the UFL will remain the haven for has-beens and never-will-bes that we have envisioned for it.

Some say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. There’s no better way to show respect for Philadelphia Eagles fans than booing Santa, pelting opposing players and fans with snowballs and cheering career/life-threatening injuries.

A Jupiler League game in Belgium turned into a tribute to Eagles fans when the teams were forced to retreat to their locker rooms after the visiting side was pelted with snowballs. Anderlecht was playing away at Club Brugge when two players were bombarded by snowballs every time they tried to take a corner.

The game resumed and ended with Anderlecht winning 2-0. However the fun didn’t stop there. Jonathan Legear, one of the players pelted earlier, celebrated by throwing snowballs at the away section. Here’s what happened next.

Apparently the steward is a Club Brugge fan.

If the Belgians want to see how it’s done, they should take a trip to 2009 on YouTube and learn from the masters.

Stay classy, Philly.

Note: Speaking of the Eagles, let’s all laugh at the Giants again.

“Aw who’s the puppy for? Who? Hmmm … No dog for you!”

So much for having people pay more attention to his play on the field. Michael Vick confessed to wanting a new dog.

Vick sat down with NBC News and TheGrio.com and admitted he wanted a new dog to help with his “rehabilitation process”.

Vick said, “I would love to get another dog in the future. I think it would be a big step for me in the rehabilitation process.

“I think just to have a pet in my household and to show people that I genuinely care, and my love and my passion for animals; I think it would be outstanding. If I ever have the opportunity again I will never take it for granted. I miss having a dog right now. I wish I could. My daughters miss having one, and that’s the hardest thing: telling them that we can’t have one because of my actions.”

It’s like the Obama press conference where he was talking about health care and then decided to give his thoughts on Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s confrontation with the police. “No! Don’t go there! Not now! Aw damn, he went there…” Everyone forgot everything else he was talking about the rest of the time.

It probably isn’t the best time for Vick to bring up wanting a new dog. People have finally started to talk about him only in relation to his play on the field. He should stick to talking football and his work with animal rights organizations if the conversation goes there.

It’s almost impossible to have a rational conversation about Vick with “dog lovers”. As far as they’re concerned, Vick shouldn’t be allowed to have a career let alone walk the streets. It doesn’t matter to them that he served his time and has kept himself out of trouble since his release from jail. Any attempt to say otherwise means that you hate dogs or approve of what Vick did. That’s ridiculous. No sane person condones what Vick did. It was disgusting and horrible. He deserved to pay for what he did. He also deserves a second chance and it’s not up to any of us to determine what he should and shouldn’t be able to do as long as he keeps his nose clean. Fine. Dog catcher is out.

The debate over Vick goes to the larger question of what rights felons should have after their release from prison. If they serve their time, they should be given the chance to become productive members of society with the rights everyone else enjoys. The idea is that they’ve learned from their incarceration and are in the process of rehabilitation. The justice system fails inmates in numerous ways but people should be given the chance to show whether they’ve changed or not. Obviously there are exceptions and caveats but that conversation is for another day.

People can argue about whether Vick’s punishment was harsh enough and whether he’s sincere about changing who he is as a person as well as his attitude towards animals. One can only hope that he means what he says. Do I feel comfortable with the idea of him owning a dog so soon after his crimes after everything I’ve said? At the risk of sounding like a hypocrite, no. It’s too soon however I also realize that it’s not up to me to determine when the time is right if it ever is. I equate it to not allowing child molesters around children even after they’ve served their time. It’s not something that is turned on and off like a switch. It goes deeper than that. Does the urge to be that way ever go away? I don’t think so but who knows. Better safe than sorry in some cases. At least he realizes that he can’t and probably shouldn’t have a dog for the foreseeable future.

The one thing we can say for sure is that going to prison made Vick a much better quarterback. That boy good and not terrible.

The full interview will be posted on TheGrio.com later today.