Sports Thread #1 For 10/1/09: Nike Denies Reports It Re-Sign Michael Vick Yesterday

Kind of like that Comcast is buying NBC news, but then rejected. Yeah, as it turned out, Nike had to deny news as well:

Nike is not signing a new endorsement deal with former spokesman Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles, spokesman KeJuan Wilkins said on Thursday.

Nike dumped Vick as an endorser and pulled his products from retail stores in 2007 after the ex-Atlanta Falcons quarterback was charged with bankrolling and running a dogfighting ring.

One of Vick's agents, Mike Principe, announced during the SBJ/SBD Relay Worldwide Sports Sponsorship Symposium here Wednesday that the newly-signed Eagles QB had signed a new deal with the Swoosh. But Nike's Wilkins said that wasn't so.

"Nike does not have a contractual relationship with Michael Vick. We have agreed to supply product to Michael Vick as we do a number of athletes who are not under contract with Nike," the company said in a statement.

It would have been totally bizarre for Nike to give Vick a deal, considering his isn't a star player now (and possibly, though I hope not the case, may never be a star player ever again). That's what made yesterday's news so surprising.

Only, it wasn't news. And when it isn't news, anything could come as surprising, can't it folks?