As the discussion among a table of poker players in The Arena Sports Bar and Grill turned to the Philadelphia Eagles, Shawn Clark's voice rose in excitement.
"I can't wait to see that game tonight," Clark, 28, of Bellefonte, said. "Michael Vick is going to play."
Clark is one of many lifelong Eagles fans who have suddenly been split by their opinions on the signing of Vick, who saw his first NFL action since December 31, 2006, in Thursday's preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
At another table, the mention of Vick's name turned the conversation into a back-and-forth argument on whether the quarterback deserved another chance in the NFL. Steve Raybuck, 46, of Milesburg, said Vick has paid his debt to society and is trying to make the best of a second chance. He also pointed out that no team had to sign him, and it was the Eagles who thought it was in their best interest to do so.
However, that wasn't the consensus opinion at the table.
"If Pete Rose was taken out of baseball for gambling and he can't get back in, then why is Michael Vick allowed back in football?" Tim Davis, 34, of Bellefonte, said.
Meanwhile, at 797 Lounge, Eagles fans got live look-ins at the game in Philadelphia. As they watched, they were impressed by Vick's play, despite his long layoff from the game.
Although he is a Washington Redskins fan, Alex Webb (senior - broadcasting) said Vick made an impression on him and believes he could have success if the team needs him to be the starter at some point.
"He's a skill player, he's good," Webb said. "He might do really well for them and it might have be one of the best moves in this offseason."
Webb was watching the game with Keith Isherwood (senior - civil engineering) and Mark Ryan (senior - economics). All three own dogs, but none of them saw any problem with the Eagles signing Vick.
"I like dogs and everything, but I didn't see it as a big deal," Ryan said. "That wasn't the first thing that crossed my mind when they signed him, that he's a dog killer. I was just thinking how he could help them get to the Super Bowl, that was about it."
While Eagles starter Donovan McNabb appears to be healthy, he's been injury prone in the last few years as the season wears on. Several fans took that into consideration when they tried to back up the team's decision to add to Vick.
"He was only in the NFL a couple of years," Webb said. "He still has potential. They want to squeeze that out because McNabb is getting old."
