A Take on Michael Vick

This is a take on Michael Vick from the viewpoint of a dog lover and sports fan.

Michael Vick is a man that has committed heinous crimes against animals. He was also once classified as the most electrifying man in professional sports. There are no amount of apologies that will satisfy PETA supporters and extremists but Michael Vick has fully served a 2-year jail sentence for his crimes and is ready to move on with his life. As a dog owner, I wouldn't want him anywhere near my dog, but as a sports fan, I am not alone when I say that I am curious as to whether he can still play at a professional level. A court appointed arbitrator sentenced Vick to a 2-year jail sentence to pay his debt to society. He has completed that sentence and he's paid his debt to society. In my opinion, he should now be able to continue with his career.

Professional football is not a sport for everyone. Professional football takes a physical toll on the players who play the game ensuring that even the longest of NFL careers would end around the age of 40. A player who plays the game like Michael Vick would be lucky to be wearing a jersey and pads at age 32 and he's already 29. Having 2 seasons taken away from him, having a $100 million dollar contract torn up, eventually going bankrupt, and spending 2 years in jail seems to be a tough price to pay. To go from having everything, to having everything taken away from you would hurt. It would drive some men to throw in the towel, but Michael Vick still wants to play pro football. He still has the attitude of a competitor. Why not give him a shot?

I'm not saying Michael Vick is a good person, but the horrendous crimes he committed have no relevance to football. If a stock broker gets busted for insider trading, they are banned for life from trading stocks. If an NFL player gets busted for dog fighting, they should never be able to own a dog again. That reasoning makes sense. To say an NFL player gets busted for dog fighting so they can never play football again does not make sense.

Two years ago, before the dog-fighting drama, if you told any team owner in the NFL that they could have Mike Vick in two years for league minimum salary, they would say "Fool, what are you smoking?" Michael Vick was under a $100 million dollar contract!! He was the definition of a franchise player. His name was synonimous with the Atlanta Falcons. Now, two years later, after a horrific public trial and court case, he is available to any team for the league minimum salary.

In my opinion, the NFL is a league that is better off with Michael Vick than without him. I'm not petitioning that he come in to Atlanta and become their starting QB because there is no way Vick would be able to come in and compete for a starting QB spot for any team in the NFL right now. His ability as a runner, his ability with the football in his hands was unquestioned 2 years ago. Is there anything left? Can he still compete and contribute as a role-player? I would think most sports fans, players, and coaches would agree with me, but they also realize what sort of frenzy will erupt with the signing of Vick. They also realize what sort of backlash a media frenzy of that nature could have on a team. Because of this fact, I would rule out any Super Bowl contenders (Pittsburgh, New England, San Diego, etc.) from signing him. If a team does want to take a chance on Vick, I would think it would be to play only in certain packages. He poses problems for opposing teams by just appearing on their roster as another explosive threat to be prepared for.

Ideally for Vick, he would be a similar player to Reggie Bush, but with a greater threat to throw the ball downfield. He could be lined up as a receiver, tailback, or wildcat QB with a real threat of passing. Or he may have nothing left. He may have lost a step and is now worthless on the field. Maybe a team signs him and cuts him 2 days later, never to be heard from again. Then again, maybe he can still make some plays with his feet. I am a dog lover but I still want to see the best competition and best players compete in the toughest sport in the world. Putting Vick in the UFL if he can still compete in the NFL is not the answer. Let him play.

To sum it all up, I think teams are ready to sign Michael Vick but the real question is, are any teams prepared and willing to take on the media circus and PETA protesters that come along with Michael Vick?

Only time will tell.