The Mag’s 2011 NFL Preview on Newsstands August 26

There is no middle ground when it comes to Michael Vick.  Neutrality is impossible. He is a hero and a convict. He is a dog killer and a victim. He is a lightning rod. He is also a quarterback. And, right now, this is his NFL.

Photos  |  Behind the Scenes Video with Vick

In the latest issue of ESPN The Magazine on newsstands Friday, August 26, fans will get up close and personal with Philadelphia Eagles’ starting QB, Michael Vick, as The Mag shares its first ever issue committed so exclusively to one athlete. Overall, the issue offers readers a 360 degree look at how Michael Vick explains the NFL and all its fault lines, full of startling revelations and original insight into his evolution as a QB, his time in prison, and the culture wars he has started in a four-chapter series: Welcome to the Revolution, The View From Within, Zero-Sum Game, and The Dog in the Room.

In addition to his jaw-dropping on-field performance, Michael Vick is fascinating because he stands on so many of sports’ fault lines. Yes, he represents the primacy of the quarterbacking position and the power of second chances. But he also speaks to the perils of money and loyalty and this country’s unspoken racial divide when it comes to dogs. Vick granted The Mag exclusive access this summer and spoke with great candor and in great detail, about his life and future, interviewing people and visited places touched by Vick. Now, turn all that reporting into a surprising and thoughtful exploration of the athlete people can’t stop talking about.

Highlighted features include:

There is No Middle Ground
Say what you want about Vick. He got you talking. By David Fleming

The View from Within
An exclusive behind-bars look at Inmate No. 33765-183. By Seth Wickersham

A Player’s Coach
The Eagles’ head man explains why he decided to take a gamble on No. 7. By Andy Reid, as told to Ashley Fox

Vick Confidential
When The Mag polled more than 40 NFL players, the results were overwhelming. They like Mike.

What if Michael Vick Were White?
Since the day he was arrested, people have been asking that question. The answer isn’t what you think. By Touré

ESPN The Magazine’s NFL Preview also features preseason power rankings and previews for all 32 NFL franchises in “State of the League,”; a closer look at Sam Bradford from his successful rookie season to great fantasy expectations in 2011 in “Forget Me Not,”; and an experiential journey with Pittsburgh Steelers’ DB  Troy Polamalu in Samoa in “Homecoming King.”

Beyond the NFL

Also included the latest issue of ESPN The Magazine is a conversation on the eve of the US Open with top female tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, and how for many fans, she won’t be considered the real No.1 until she wins a Grand Slam. The question is: Does she care? And in motorsports, with young hotshots taking over the circuit, will some NASCAR Sprint Cup vets get kicked to the curb?

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