Thu, Jan 12, 2006 - Page 20 News List

Marcus Vick on the road to ruin

By Willilam C. Rhoden  /  NY TIMES NEWS SERVICE , NEW YORK

Leman said that when The Birth Order Book was in manuscript form, the original title was "Abel Had It Coming."

The title refers to the murderous biblical relationship between brothers and the ambivalence between a younger and an older one. Leman said he nicknamed his older brother God.

"He was the quarterback of the football team; he was voted best looking," Leman said. "I lived that life, and it's tough to keep up with that standard-bearer. Both of my older siblings did very well, and I graduated fourth from the bottom of my class in high school."

too much to handle

The Marcus Vick debacle also reminds me of a conversation I had with Kellen Winslow Sr., the Hall of Fame tight end, about the challenges of parenting.

In our rush to give our children more than we had, we often give so much that they lose their sense of determination and mission.

"I say, `Yes,' so much that I say, `No,' just so they can hear what the word sounds like," Winslow said, joking.

Leman said: "I feel for the Vicks. That's got to be a very painful experience. I just hope that Marcus Vick will have somebody come alongside of him and get him to really see that this is all about Marcus.

He's got to look himself in the mirror, stand up and be a man and make some changes."

Marcus Vick had it all laid out for him. His life was an open field with a picket fence of blockers. Instead, he fumbled. Now he will have to begin what is left of his football career from scratch.

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