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"I need the same protection that the other QB's get!"

Marketing is the ability to promote a product for the availability of sale to customers. We see it in every aspect of life including sports. Every apparel company on the planet uses a professional athlete to market and promote it's particular brand. Jordan pretty much put Nike on the map in 1986 with the launch of the Air Jordan. Let's keep it real, Run DMC made Addidas a house hold name. Yeah, I know that they weren't pro athletes but by rocking the shell toe Addidas without laces in the early eighties kid’s jumped all over the brand. The song helped too!

So why the doesn't the NFL understand that by having Michael Vick on the field is good for the game! Why hasn't the referee's been pulled to the side and read the riot act on why it's important to protect him when he's in the pocket. Let's keep it all the way 100! The only reason most people watch the Eagles play is to see Vick. When he was injured on Sunday my remote got up, walked over to the TV and kick it to change the channel to another game. I was no longer interested. Whether people want to admit it or not Vick is great for the game.

The NBA is the absolute best at marketing it's league. They don't say that on Sunday night the Heat and the Lakers will play. The commercial says, Lebron vs. Kobe! Magic and Bird resurrected the league in the early 1980's with their personal rivalry and the NBA was smart enough to capture the moment. The NFL is clearly the most popular league in sports but they do a terrible job of marketing it's product.

Why not make all of the money and with Vick on the field advertisements can be sold at a higher premium. I was in complete agreement with Mick on Sunday when he went off about being protected.

"I just think more precautions should be taken when I'm inside the pocket, Vick said. If you look at all the replays, I'm on the ground every time and it's unfortunate for myself and it's unfortunate for my team and I'll be lying if I said I wasn't, if I were to sit here and say I wasn't frustrated right now because of that."

Folks jumped all over him for his comments but in my opinion, he has a legitimate beef. Just because he's a running quarterback doesn't mean that he shouldn’t get the same protection as players like Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. As long as he's in the pocket he should be given the same security. If Peyton or Brady took shots like that there would be penalty flags all over the field. Is there less protection for Vick because people can't get over the fact that he's even in the league again or what? Maybe!

However, he's a polarizing figure just like Lebron and he's great for the game. Back in June a wrote an article entitled, "The Most Powerful Man In The NBA", which is one of my most read articles all-time. Proving my point that LeBron has all of the power because even the casual fan that was against him tuned in just to see him lose. Why not use all the hate towards Vick to your advantage in marketing the NFL. With Vick on the field people will watch, point blank!

Who care's whether people like him or not. It makes money and that's what the NFL is in the business to do. Everybody wants a villain and he's it. Use it to your advantage and protect the freaking guy in the pocket. Because if he's not on the field I'm not watching and there are millions of folks that feel the same way I do. Now, I’m watching because I want to see him succeed. Others want to see him fail but why does the league care why we watch as long as we turn on the game.

"Just make sure my money ain't funny!"

The NBA set all kinds of viewer ship records this year for pre, regular and post season games! More people watched the NBA this year than ever before. Why? Lebron James was the villain. It's not the WWE because they're actually competing but people love to have an enemy to hate. Vick's cool with it because: A) It’s his fault for being stupid enough to be involved in the dog fighting scandal in the first place and B) He’s back in the league and the Eagles put a cool $100 million in his pockets! So it's all good. He just wants to be protected. Why not give Vick and the fans what they want and make all of the money in the process?

Holla At Ya Boy!
Jay Graves
Twitter:@jaygravesreport