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Fox Analyst Mike Pereira Thinks Michael Vick’s Complaints Are “A Bunch Of Bull”

After he had to leave Sunday’s game against the Giants with a bruised hand, Michael Vick expressed frustration at a perceived lack of roughing the passer calls in his favor. Well, the New York Post made its opinions on the matter clear today, but someone else chimed in with a candid opinion on Vick’s assessment of the league’s officiating – and it just happened to be the guy who used to be the head of the league’s officiating. And he wasn’t happy.

These days, Mike Pereira works for Fox, as their NFL rules analyst for broadcasts. Before that, though, he worked for the NFL itself, as the league’s director of officiating. It’s that insider experience and intimate knowledge of the league’s rules that made his hiring such a coup for Fox, but now that time spent working for the league is manifesting itself in a bit more of a controversial way. Pereira was asked on the radio this morning what he thought of the whole affair, and fired back with not only some choice words about Vick, but also Vick’s team:

“Well, I thought it was ridiculous. It actually took me back, it took me back to my job in New York when I worked for the league, and it was a constant complaint by the Eagles, whether it was [Donovan] McNabb at quarterback or whether it was Vick. They clearly complained more than any other team.

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“[Vick is] a quarterback that’s on the move, he’s going to get hit more. Yes, there are a couple that may be missed but the fact that a ton of them are missed and that he’s hit late all the time is absurd. And he comes out and kind of does the mea culpa yesterday but at the same time what did he say? ‘I was being too candid.’ Well, that doesn’t sound to me like much of an apology…[s]o I think it was a bunch of bull and it didn’t sit well with me and it still doesn’t.”

It’s an interesting insight into the league’s machinations, it’s a hell of a soundbite…and possibly a tricky situation for Fox. One the one hand, Pereira was asked a question, and he answered it. It’s his job to provide not only opinions about NFL officiating decisions themselves, but the issues surrounding NFL officiating as a whole. But we wonder if being so forthcoming – specifically, bringing his time in the league and such personal feelings (“didn’t sit well with me”) into it – has Fox worried. What if the next time they televise an Eagles game, they’re bombarded with complaints about how Pereira can’t possibly be objective because clearly he hates the Eagles – with those complaints pointing to his remarks from today as evidence?

Not only that, we wouldn’t be surprised if there were Eagles fans out there concocting grand conspiracy theories in their heads about how their team must be getting screwed because, look! Even the league office itself can’t stand the team! Of course, perception of the NFL isn’t Pereira’s problem anymore, but we do wonder if it was the right move for him to get so heated. We imagine Pereira can put his personal feelings aside and break down calls on their own merits (or lack thereof). But not everyone might see it that way, and the possibility alone means there might be an issue – perhaps small, but an issue – with the Pereira-Fox partnership that’s worked like absolute gangbusters so far.

Getty photo, via Wiznation.com