Did you know . . .

. . .that the most watched show in prime time on Sunday nights is the “Sunday Night Football“? Figures, according to the NBC, have it at 22 million people.  This is the show that kicks off at 8pm, Eastern time, the one that 22 million people have been waiting all day for.   Whilst waiting  for Faith Hill to blow her whistle on the proceedings there is a whole afternoon of football to get excited about. Or not.

One of the big games of the day, Minnesota Vikings v. New York Giants, is now being played tomorrow night in Detroit.  Heavy snow in Minnesota last night brought the roof down on the stadium there.  Watch this –

Pittsburgh Steelers won against the Cincinnati Bengals adding further to their losing run. In Chicago, the New England Patriots  are doing it to the Chicago Bears who are busy slip-sliding away in driving snow.  Which is what the Miami Dolphins are doing to the New York Jets out in Meadowlands.  Mark Sánchez, pin-up quarter-back for the NY Jets is not having a good week.  Again.  I know so little about this game but even I appreciate the doom of having thrown so many interceptions.  And to have them lining up in a row, it is not good.  Tom Brady however, pin-up QB for NE Patriots, throws touchdowns and that is a good thing.  I am learning.  All the time.

Prime Time tonight showcases from Arlington, Texas the Philadelphia Eagles against the Dallas Cowboys.  Straight out of the guns and the Eagles are flying. The name leading tonight’s play, so far, is Michael Vick.  Where to start on the complexities posed in the personality and psychology that is Michael Vick? Three minutes into the game and Vick has scored a slam dunk.  His number 7 is jumping , can he keep it up?

You just know that someone out there is working on the screenplay that will be the movie of Michael Vick’s life so far.  It has everything and more although I suspect it will take some time to be developed if only because we are waiting with bated breath to see through to his point of redemption. That is, no more gambling, drugs, dog fighting, bankruptcy, prison . . .

Born to teenage parents, not their first, in Virginia, 1980, Michael Vick as a freshman at Virginia Tech was placed third in that year’s Heisman Trophy after which he was selected first in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.  After this, it is a simple matter of crunching the numbers, of which there are many.  At the end of 2006, Sports Illustrated estimated his annual income to be 25.4 million dollars.  He was paying out, reportedly, $30,000 per month supporting seven friends, one mother, one brother, his three children and their mothers. He was also, reportedly, providing most of the money for the gambling side of the dog fighting operation for which he was eventually imprisoned.

But that was all so many yesterdays ago and Mike, as the commentators address him, is giving it his all to the Eagles who in their turn, from management down, are looking out for him.  Lithe, trim, super athletic and a candidate for this year’s MVP, if not a Kardashian, there is always hope in the narrative of any American.  Just ask Obama.

Update:  A fourth-quarter touchdown sent the Eagles to a 30 – 27 victory over the Cowboys.