After a game of American Football, the losing quarterback Michael Vick gave his booing fans the finger. Such sporting gestures occur frequently (check, check, check) as does verbal abuse in such heated moments.

What did those nasty fans say to that poor man? (source)

But, boy-o-boy, did he get grilled over it. Every news site in the US seemed to copy the item. He did apologize quickly and quite sincerely, and that also got published everywhere. So here I am too, compelled to add Vick’s finger to my collection of famous gestures. The Oxford Press says: “A frustrated Michael Vick shouted at fans and then issued an obscene gesture, first with one hand, then the other”. And they add that Vick could be fined by the NFL for excessive use of profane language or obscene gestures: $5,000 for a first offense.

Update 30 Nov ’06: Vick is fined $10.000 by the NFL and donates another $10.000. And although everyone rushes to say it was out of character for Michael Vick, ABC News adds that “Vick’s younger brother, Marcus, made a similar gesture to fans at West Virginia who were heckling him during a 2005 college game”. As far as I can tell it is never out of character for proud, hotblooded athletes. (Check out other fines and even jail sentences for gestures).