I read an article in the paper yesterday, and I finally decided that I've had enough. For about 2 years now, Mike Vick has been the topic of football conversation in Philadelphia(more so nationally lately). Now let me preface this by saying, I do not agree in any way, what he did to get sent to jail. On the other hand, the man has admitted his wrong doing, accepted his punishment, humbled himself to a third string re-entry into the league, and gone full circle to once again being the most exciting athlete, not only in football, but possibly in pro sports.
In my experience listening to sports talk radio and reading the paper/listening to the news, people are "pro-vick" or "anti-vick." There is no in between. It is no secret that I have been on the "pro-vick" side since we signed him. It had nothing to do with him as a football player, or him as a person. It had to do with the fact that the man has paid his debt to society, and in this country, a person has the right to live a life free of persecution. He made mistakes in his life, he admitted those mistakes, and he did his time.
Now back to the article, it was about how many people have looked beyond his past transgressions and have accepted him as our starting quarterback. It was a great thing to see, until i came to the one "anti-vick" person in the story. Now I have friends who don't like him, and that is their right. But this man said that he doesn't believe that Vick is rehabilitated because there was a shooting at his birthday party and the Eagles and NFL covered up his involvement. Now last time I checked, it wasn't the NFL who investigated criminal activity. When the local authorities, his probation officer and anyone else involved in the investigation cleared him of any wrong-doing, that was sure as hell good enough for me. I wish I could talk to the man who made this comment, and anyone else who is searching high and low for anything to damn this man. In the end, if you don't know him, you cannot say factually that you know he is not rehabilitated. I for one, will take the word of the people who are trained to make such decisions.
I have become a front runner in the "sign Mike Vick IMMEDIATELY" fan club because of, not only what he has done on the field, but what he does on the sidelines, and off the field. I have seen leadership in him that we never saw in 11 years of Donovan McNabb. I have seen sincerety in his interviews and confidence in his team(also something we didnt see with 5).
If you want to dislike him because of his past, that is your choice and your right. Second chances are something that are earned in this society, but I believe Vick has earned his chance and deserves a chance to succeed as a contributing member of society. I will continue to support him until he gives me a reason not to. I believe this man should be the leader of this team, and he she be given the opportunity to make his living without having to look over his shoulder. He's earned that much.
You're right....you will get heat for this one. And yes, it sure is his right to play again although I think the NFL should have never let him play again...but they did and he's on your team. He was...and still is a phenominal player. Leader I don't know so much....but yes, much better than McNabb ever thought of being ( must have been all that soup his Mama brought him) but I will never, ever...EVER forgive him for what he did, what he condoned, what he watched happen to those dogs. You know how I feel about the bully breed. You know how very much I love my dog and would rescue 1,000 of them if I could. There is something deeply wrong with someone's being, their character that can allow, and participate in, something so grisly and heinous and so horribly cruel, as Michael Vick did with those dogs. You can spout all you want about being rehabilitated, paying his debt to society, his "sincere" interviews ( I disagree on that..I've seen them and don't believe it at all...look at his eyes...they betray him in interviews...) from the mountaintops...the fact remains that this person who you champion, this person who you say is your new leader...is deeply troubled and exceptionally flawed. And a very cruel individual, and you just can't say "oops he made a mistake and has now paid for it" He fought dogs...he KILLED them when they didn't do what he expected them to do...he electrocuted, hanged, shot BEAUTIFUL dogs who only wanted to be cared for and loved. And no, I don't much get past that because it's STILL part of the mans' psyche and always will be. How's that for some heat?
ReplyDeleteThat is pretty much the exact heat I expected to take from the exact person I expected to take it from. I do know how much you love your dogs, and how you feel about what he did to them. I do not look past what he did. This isn't about forgiveness, it is about moving forward. I do believe he is changed. I do believe he was in a bad place when he committed his crimes. As far as being a leader, this team follows him more than they ever did McNabb. After Avant dropped his TD pass on Sunday, did Vick go sulk on the sideline like Donovan would have? No, he went to Avant, talked to him, reassured him, and later threw two passes to the man in huge spots in the game...if that isn't leadership, I don't know what it. Like I said, I understand anyone(including you Suzy) who can't forgive him for his past. But as far as the NFL not "allowing" him to return, that is not something they can do. If they are going to let murderers and rapists and the like return to the game, they have no right to keep him out. Not to mention Ray Lewis, Donte Stallworth and Ben Rothlesberger didn't spend as much time combined paying for their crimes as Vick did. I definitely think the man deserves his second chance, and you and I will probably never see eye to eye on this matter. But I do respect your opinion and your right to feel the way you do.
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