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It was only a matter of time before some writer would approach the, “Falcons should have drafted LaDainian Tomlinson instead of Michael Vick” subject. What’s surprising, however, is who the first writer to stoke the fires was.

In his “Tuesday Countdown” column for the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Jeff Schultz briefly discusses how LT should be a Falcon:

Soooo … maybe now’s not a good time to re-evaluate that whole Vick-for-LaDainian Tomlinson-Drew Brees-Tim Dwight trade.

1. It wasn’t Vick for Tomlinson-Drew Brees and Tim Dwight. It was the first overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft, for the No. 4 selection, Dwight and a third round pick in 2002. People like to lump Brees into the equation because he plays the same position as Vick, but the Chargers didn’t use the Falcons second round pick to select him.

2. The Falcons still had Jamal Anderson in the backfield and he was coming off a 16-game, 1,000-yard season after suffering a knee injury the year before. He was only 29 and healthy again, so the Falcons didn’t really need a back.

3. The most damning point regarding this subject: Dan Reeves, the Falcons head coach and GM at the time, admitted shortly after the ’01 draft that he would have selected offensive tackle Kenyatta Walker or Leonard Davis if he wasn’t able to work out a deal for the No. 1 pick.

By all accounts, LT probably wasn’t going to be a Falcon even if they didn’t trade for Vick. You’d think an Atlanta-based writer would know that. In fact, if you’re going to hammer a team for passing on Tomlinson, make it Cleveland, who instead took Gerard Warren at the No. 3 selection even though they could have definitely used a back (Jamel White anyone?).

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed safety Troy Polamalu to a five-year, $33 million contract with a $15,375,000 signing and roster bonus. The deal makes him the highest paid safety in the league.

I’m not going to dispute this deal one bit. Anyone who has read my stuff before, knows I believe a safety who plays the run as well as the pass is worth his weight in gold. Polamalu had injury issues last year, but nevertheless has been one of the best defenders in the league over the past couple seasons. He’s only 26, would have commanded a butt load of cash if he would have hit the open market next year, and in a era of ass clowns like Michael Vick and Pacman Jones, he’s been a total class act.

I’ve got no problem with a standup, hardworking player like Troy Polamalu being one of the highest paid safeties in the league.

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports is reporting NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has ordered Michael Vick not to attend Atlanta Falcons’ training camp this year.

“While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the National Football League to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the Personal Conduct Policy,” Goodell said in a letter to the quarterback.

This was hands down the right decision by Goodell and the rest of the Falcons players should be grateful. Protesters already showed up at the Falcons’ training facilities in Flowery Branch today, with more likely to come when camp officially opens on Thursday. Owner Arthur Blank and the rest of the Atlanta organization couldn’t guarantee the right amount of security to protect all of its players, so there was no other decision to be made. With Vick absent, the media circus is still going to be horrendous, but it will pail in comparison to if the quarterback attended.

Warning to Michael: this is just Goodell’s warm up – plenty more is to come.