A Second Chance

By the time halftime arrived in the preseason game between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles, the announcement about Michael Vick's signing with the Eagles had been made. While it may have struck many as a surprise, the knowledge that he would soon wind up being a part of a team was never in doubt. But how do people really feel about this, and can they justify it in their minds? Michael Vick, once the star quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons, was an up and coming athlete with multiple talents that only few young men dream about. His love of professional football would resonate in his ability to do things on the field that few of his caliper could. However, all this would take a back seat to the revelation that would one day shock the sporting world. Vick would eventually be tried and convicted of funding and operating a dog fighting ring at his Virginia home, where in addition to the fights, dogs would be killed as a result of their poor performance. For this horrific crime, he was sentenced to two years in prison. But this was only the beginning of Vick's fall from grace. The Atlanta Falcons would release him, heavy fines were imposed upon him, and his endorsements either stopped coming or were terminated. He would soon become bankrupt, and the National Football League suspended him indefinitely. With all of this, probably the worse punishment would be his inability to continue to play football. Vick served his sentence quietly and without appeal for eighteen out of the twenty-four months he was sentenced. Once released, he served an additional period of house arrest, working a $10.00 an hour construction job during this time. Eventually, his road back began to take shape. While incarcerated he had plenty of time to reflect on his actions and made the commitment to make amends for his short comings. He joined up with the Humane Society and PETA and became a spokesman for them, speaking to inner city kids about the consequences of his mistakes. The NFL then decided to partially reinstate him, clearing the way for him to sign with a team. While many teams expressed no interest in his services for fear of public outcries, a few teams actually entertained the possibility of having Michael Vick on their roster. Today, as I drove to work, I listened to Michael Vick's news conference and was taken by his sincerity and openness about what he had done, and his taking responsibility for it. We as Americans are a forgiving nation that generally believes in giving people second chances. The rest is up to Michael Vick!