49ers Will Face Michael Vick in December

If you've spent the whole Michael Vick saga hoping that someday Patrick Willis or Takeo Spikes would apply some blindside justice for those poor drowned and electrocuted doggies via an all-out blitz, then you may want to circle Sunday, December 20 on your calendar. Because that's the day of the 49ers' first showdown with the re-instated Michael Vick.

A look at the 49ers 2009 schedule shows that the 49ers face the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15. And a look at the knee-jerk instant internet analysis of the Vick signing shows that the Eagles may be inclined to use Vick as an auxiliary, "wildcat" quarterback as opposed to a traditional, clipboard-holding backup QB. If that's the case, Vick would likely see action against the 49ers D if he doesn't get himself re-suspended first. 

Now before you go getting naked and doing an animal rights poster for PETA, realize that this will be an away game for the 49ers. The game will be played some 2,800 miles from the Bay Area at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field, where they often spend the Sunday before Christmas pelting Santa Claus with snowballs.

One can argue that they guy has paid his debt to society, that everyone deserves second chances, and that African American athletes receive harsher punishments than do caucasian athletes. Those are all legitimate arguments, but in regards to Vick they're moot now that he has his second chance and $1.6 million salary in place. Vick is now an opposing player on a rival NFC team, so we can mock him for his personal indiscretions just like we would Matt Leinart or Plaxico Burress. Because that's what good fans do.

This distant, pedestrian, non-divisional regular season game that won't be played for another four months takes on a special significance with the contentious matter of Michael Vick being thrown into the mix. I can't imagine whether this will be a significant December game, but I can only hope the outcome will be Bad Newz for the Eagles' playoff hopes.

Joe Kukura is a freelance writer who can't wait until Michael Vick has his first away game at the Dawg Pound.

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