I love 24, I love Jack Bauer I despise torture. Whether it is for a vital purpose or for sport, I detest torture. I owe my inability to watch any of the dog fighting footage in the wake of the Vick arrest to my disaffection for torture and suffering. Consequently, I could never justify the actions of Michael Vick, they were not sport, they were not entertainment, they were pure torture.
When Vick was arrested there was an outcry from the inner cities and the rural south that dogfighting was a widely practiced acceptable part of the culture. The Vick case was instantly polarizing as it brought to the fore issues of race and class and the justice system as applied to celebrities, topics too tantalizing for the media to allow to pass without comment and exploitation. This lead to “shocking” exposes by many news organizations, usually during sweeps, outlining the atrocities and horrors visited upon these animals. Vick became the symbol of the evils visited upon the defenseless animals and was soon swept up in a wave of protesters, police and prosecutors all the while serving as fodder for mindless talk radio callers who posited that people who hurt people don’t go to jail, why should someone who injures an animal? That wave carried him from the Tobacco Roads of Virginia through the United States District Court to the Federal Penn in Leavenworth.
Upon finishing his sentence in Kansas and coming home to Virginia the Vick debate has raged. It is uncontroverted that he deserves a second chance because as we all know; America is all about second chances and comebacks. Just don’t tell that to Pee Wee Herman. The interesting debate is not whether he deserves a chance to play but rather if you were a team would you sign him.
It essentially boils down to the Deal or No Deal paradox, is the risk worth the reward. Certainly when he is healthy and fit three time Pro Bowler Vick will be able to contribute on the field at a high level. His skills are undeniable and unique, an elusive running quarterback with a rocket arm who has been successful in the playoffs. Don’t forget, he went into Lambeau and beat the Pack in the playoffs. He may even be that piece that can put a team over the top. But will the accompanying side show drain too much from the team to outweigh the talent surge?
Franchises are businesses; the NFL runs a successful business model when compared to other sports which is largely dependent on central, national television contracts to drive revenue. Each team, however, relies on sponsorships and advertising to augment the television money. Since 9/11 and Katrina each team has learned the importance of weaving themselves within the fabric of the community and made a more significant push by performing outreach activities and partnering with local charities. Teams legitimately worried that signing Vick would both detract from the bottom line and fray the ties woven by their community efforts. Protestors surely would line up, sponsors may drop out and there is no adequate method of measuring the potential negative impact the signing may have.
Regardless of the potential for disaster if you are a team that is a move or so away from being in contention for the Super Bowl you have to pull the trigger on the deal, the risk of negative publicity is clearly trumped by the athletic rewards. The Eagles are a perfect landing spot for Vick and he is the perfect addition for them. They will provide structure, leadership and an opportunity to prove himself under the glare of bright, hot lights. He provides the Eagles with a dynamic athlete who they can use in a multitude of ways and who could be the difference in close games.
He makes sense for the Eagles and vice versa because they don’t need him. They will most likely have to play at least a quarter of the season without him and when he returns he will be used in targeted packages designed to maximize his abilities. Had he gone to a team like Minnesota or the 49ers, while he would have had the structural integrity from the organization, the pressure to play right away and battle for the starting quarterback job would not have imbued benefits to Vick or the team. Allow him to reacclimate without pressure and unleash him on the league in manageable doses. Meanwhile he will have time to begin to repair his standing in the community through credible, targeted actions.
Most of Vick’s dogs have gotten their second chance and been rescued either into new homes or at dog sanctuaries where they can live out the rest of their lives without revisiting the pain and horrors inflicted on them and their brethren. Micheal Vick now embarks on his second chance, he must take heed because there won’t be a third.
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4 comments:
With Vick it is always an interesting debate.
I think it is the correct type of team for him to go to, and that is what the experts have been saying all along. A veteran, well run organization where he will not be relied upon to win games for the team.
As for his talent, which I am in the minority on, its not that good. Everyone points to that one game in Lambeau that he won in the playoffs. To quote the great Derrick Coleman "Whoopty Damn Doo." Chris Chandler lead the Falcons to the Super Bowl once, but I wouldnt take him on my team, EVER, even in his prime (Trivia Question of the day, who drafted Chandler & how many teams did he play for).
Vick is 2-2 in the playoffs. His last two seasons before being put in the clink he had back to back career high 13 int seasons while leading his team to a stellar 15-16 record. As a Giants fan, I am not worried one bit.
As for the the second chance bs I agree with one of my favorite radio hosts Eric Kusilias who was raging about this today. This isnt Vick's second chance, its about his third or fourth. He was caught trying to bring weed aboard a plane, he flipped off the fans once while running off the field, he was sued by a woman in Atlanta for giving her a sexually transmitted disease, while awaiting sentencing for his dogfighting charges he tested positive for Marijuana use. So again, he has been given multiple opportunities and he has shown an inability to learn from his mistakes.
Another point I loved that Mr. Kusilias made was that just because he served his alotted time in prison doesnt mean he has paid his price to his employer. He used a great example saying once in high school he was suspended and after he served his two day suspension in school he still had a longer and harsher punishment he had to serve at the hand of his parents.
And lastly dont give me this guys who have done worse are still playing in the league. Most often people cite Leonard Little and Ray Lewis. However, both of them committed their crimes before Roger Goodell took over as commissioner and put into place the leauges personal conduct policy, so that is a false argument to make.
I think the Oilers drafted Chandler. I have no idea how many teams he played for.
My thoughts on Vick to follow.
Even if he never plays in a regular season game for the Eagles, he will probably be worth more than $1.5 million a year in a couple of months and at the very least is good trade bait for them to dangle in front of a team that needs a QB halfway through the year (this changes if McNabb gets hurt).
First off, I have to disagree with the Innovator’s last point. No one’s employer needs to create a “personal conduct policy” for employees to know that it’s wrong to kill people, or to help cover up a murder. The Ten Commandments cover this issue, and even a heathen like me knows that. Just because Little and Lewis’ crimes pre-date Goodell’s policy doesn’t make them any less heinous.
Second, I think it’s weird that Plaxico Burress could get a minimum of 3 ½ years in jail for carrying an unlicensed weapon and shooting himself in the leg when Donte Stallworth killed a man and only went to jail for 24 days. Our criminal justice system has some odd rules. Just an observation.
It’s also weird that everyone gets fired up about how steroid use in baseball will affect “the children.” But no one talks about “the children” regarding the Vick story. Vick is living proof that you can commit all sorts of crimes, get caught, go to jail, and still make millions of dollars as an athlete. That’s a great message to send to kids. Just another observation
I agree with Kris that Vick has already had at least three chances to correct his behavior. I don’t believe anything Vick says. The only reason he claimed to feel remorse is because he needed to rehabilitate his image to collect on a multi-million dollar payday. So he did and then he did.
Killing and torturing dogs is terrible and disgusting. Running a gambling ring is pretty bad too. Pete Rose is still banned from MLB just for placing bets. Vick ran an entire gambling operation for God’s sake! Does anyone really think Vick never bet on sports, just dogfights? Does anyone doubt the possibility that he had (or still has) ties to friends who run other gambling operations?
At the end of the day, Vick is a tremendously gifted athlete. There are maybe 30 people on the planet who are better at playing QB than he is, and 32 NFL teams have to have someone to start at QB. It’s just a matter of supply and demand. I’m not at all surprised that he’s back in the league. But I don’t like it one bit.
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