Michael Vick will start for the Eagles today. Tami Chappell / Reuters
Michael Vick will start for the Eagles today. Tami Chappell / Reuters

Sport

A new controversy for Vick again

The Eagles invite second-guessing, staking their season on a rehabilitated quarterback who is hitting on 64 per cent of his passes – 10 per cent above his career rate.

Mike Tierney

September 26, 2010

The Eagles invite second-guessing, staking their season on a rehabilitated quarterback, writes Mike Tierney Michael Vick is caught in the crossfire of controversy. This time, he could not be happier. Vick is forever tainted by his involvement in killing and torturing dogs, which has earned him more scorn than spouse-abusers from a segment of pro football followers. After he served nearly two years in prison, most teams would not dare touch the three-time Pro Bowler.

To considerable outcry, the Philadelphia Eagles brought him on last year, primarily for the specialized, run-first role of "wildcat" quarterback. When the Eagles traded the veteran Donovan McNabb in the off-season, the coach, Andy Reid, proclaimed it the dawn of the Kevin Kolb era. But Kolb was injured in his first game, giving way to a new-old Michael Vick. The apparently wiser Vick showed he has shed the daredevil attitude that compelled him to take off on foot when his primary receiver was covered. Exercising rare patience in the pocket during his two games, he is hitting on 64 per cent of his passes - 10 per cent above his career rate.

With Kolb mended this week, Reid first stuck to the credo that players do not lose starting jobs because of injury. He declared Kolb back as the starter. Then the coach called a stunning audible: Vick would remain in the lineup this week - and beyond. "When someone is playing at the level Michael Vick is playing, you have to give him an opportunity," Reid said. The Philadelphia media went ballistic, firing away at Reid for alleged shortsightedness. Their argument: if Kolb is the future, why defer it for a 30-year-old guy with baggage who will be gone whenever the Eagles become Super Bowl-worthy again?

Even Vick expected to give way to the Eagles' golden boy. "It's not going to be difficult at all," he said last week in anticipation of returning to back-up status. Reid said he is comfortable being "the bad guy" for waffling on his quarterbacks. So far, the debate has not affixed the bad-guy tag to Vick, despite his sordid past, though we have not heard yet from animal rights groups. If Vick can possibly feel any more pressure than what is bearing down on him just to salvage his reputation and football career, he now may carry the future of the coach who gave him a chance when no other would.

"There were plenty of times when I doubted I would ever have the opportunity to play again in this league," said Vick, the latest doubt following a shooting at his summer birthday party. "It's very gratifying that now I have worked myself back into a position where I could help this football team win games."

Today's top games
• Dallas at Houston. The Cowboys' goal of playing a Super Bowl in their palatial stadium could go up in smoke just three weeks into the season, if they lose. The Texans rank first in offense, the quarterback Matt Schaub, below, is an early MVP candidate and the home team will be jazzed against its more renowned in-state rival.

• Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay.
A battle of surprising unbeatens. The Steelers have won twice while Ben Roethlisberger serves a four-game suspension. The Buccaneers were widely predicted to win two games all season. Points will be hard to come by: Pittsburgh has allowed one touchdown, Tampa Bay three.

• Atlanta at New Orleans.
The defending champion Saints continue to win by the skin of their teeth. They would welcome an easy victory in the Big Easy, with the winner taking charge in the NFC South. No team was as dominant as the Falcons in Week 2, and the Saints will miss Reggie Bush.

Also today
Tennessee at NY Giants
San Francisco at Kansas City
Buffalo at New England
Cleveland at Baltimore
Detroit at Minnesota
Cincinnati at Carolina
Washington at St. Louis
Philadelphia at Jacksonville
Indianapolis at Denver
Oakland at Arizona
San Diego at Seattle
NY Jets at Miami
Tomorrow
Green Bay at Chicago

Stat of the week
The New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, renowned for finding any open receiver, has completed passes to 10 different Saints this season – including himself. He caught a tipped ball and gained seven yards.

What is blockchain?

Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.

The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.

Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.

However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.

Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.

Keane on …

Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”

Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”