All along, I’ve made it no secret that Michael Vick deserves a second chance in the NFL. On Wednesday morning, the former Atlanta Falcons quarter returned to his home in Hampton, Virginia, after serving a 19-month jail sentence for his role in a dogfighting operation.
I’ve said it before and I’ll said it again, in no way do I condone what Vick did. In all honesty, it makes me a little sick to actually see the dogs going at each other. But I do believe that the punishment should fit the crime.
There are those out there who believe Vick should never play in the NFL ever again, and would love to see him drift into obscurity. But let’s a look at a few celebrated players in the NFL, and ask yourself if there’s a double standard somewhere here.
Santonio Holmes, whose catch sealed Pittsburgh’s win in Super Bowl XLIII, was elevated to superstar status after being named MVP in the win over the Cardinals. Before the big catch, though, Holmes’ track record was a bit sketchy, including arrests for domestic violence, marijuana possession and disorderly conduct.
Speaking of the Cardinals, star wideout Larry Fitzgerald also was involved in a domestic violence incident, reportedly pulling the hair of his girlfriend and “tossing her around the room.”
Should we even start with the Cincinnati Bengals? Here are some of the highlights: vandalism, driving under the influence, domestic violence, burglary and concealed firearm.
Here's the part that gets me: People were shocked and appauled when they heard what Vick did, but it's just another day if a professional athlete is arrested for beating his wife or girlfriend. What does that say about this country as a whole?
Vick has served his time (more jail time than any of the above combined) and paid his debt to society, whatever that means. Whether or not he plays another snap in the NFL, his legacy is tarnished and he’ll be remembered only as the dog killer.
That, if you ask me, is punishment enough.
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2 comments:
I have no real objection to Michael Vick attempting to resume his NFL career. If some team is willing to endure the wrath of PETA and animal lovers nation wide by signing him, it's that team's funeral.
Ideally, I'd love for him to sign somewhere, get cut and never be heard from again.
He's been out of jail all of two days and I've heard and read so much about him already that I'm almost wishing Brett Favre would do something to push Vick to the sideline.
And knowing Brett Favre, he will.
My dad sent me a link today about how Donte Stallworth might avoid jailtime after hitting and killing a man with his car while drunk. That makes sense.
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