Michael Vick would still be engaged in dog fighting had he not been caught and prosecuted. He admitted that Monday morning on the Dan Patrick radio program in an interview during which he touched on his year as a Philadelphia Eagle as well as his time in prison.Vick was open with Patrick whose questions covered what could have been uncomfortable topics. But then again, Vick was also promoting his BET series, “The Michael Vick Project” that premieres Tuesday at 10 pm ET.

He told Patrick about his early introduction to dog fighting “I was seven years old the first time I saw one,” Vick said. “It wasn’t organized. It was just taking place in an open area in the neighborhoods.” But he knows it’s no excuse, “It really doesn’t override the fact that we should have known better,” Vick said.

And then he admitted the sad truth about what would have happened had he not been caught. He answered Patrick’s direct question about whether he would still be engaged in the business of dog fighting: “That’s the scary thing,” Vick said. “I think about it. I would have continued to put my life in jeopardy. From a distance I would have still been involved.”

Although many organizations and fans believe Vick shouldn’t get another chance, some believe he deserves a shot as expressed in this article by an NFL sportswriter, “Michael Vick Deserves Fresh Start”.

About his prison experience, Vick said he was challenged by other inmates while incarcerated but he dismissed it as merely the norm for that environment. On the other side of things, he told Patrick was asked for his autograph by some inmates.

And while he will be eternally grateful to the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, Jeffrey Lurie for the chance to reenter the league, he still yearns to play quarterback on a regular basis.

Vick said he would return to the Eagles if a trade isn’t worked out in the off-season. “If I had to, I would, just because I’m thankful,” Vick said. He insisted his body is ready for many more years of NFL work load.

This is just a taste of what we can expect from the show in which Vick and his family appear and which he wants to use, to “restore my family’s good name., as quoted at phily.com in a review of his show.

Used with permission of the author.

Paula Duffy is a national sports columnist for Examiner.com and the Huffington Post and regularly comments on sports/legal matters for radio affiliates of ESPN and Fox Sports. She founded the sports information site, Incidental Contact, is the author of a line of audio books designed for sports novices and in her spare time practices law in Los Angeles. 

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

ATLANTA – Snatching catches from Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan isn’t the only endeavor NFL all-pro tight end Tony Gonzalez has gotten involved in lately.

Gonzalez and his wife October may have posed nude for a PETA ad that promotes nudity over wearing fur.

“We should be protecting animals, not sacrificing their lives for the sake of fashion or luxury,” said Gonzalez in a recent interview. “October and I have changed many of our habits in light of the inhumane treatment of animals that occurs not only in the fur industry but also on factory farms.”

Maybe this gesture by the NFL superstar will be considered somewhat of a make-up and peace treaty to PETA.

The organization has shown bitterness and animosity toward the NFL after the league allowed Michael Vick to play after he was convicted and served time for running a dog-fighting ring.

Copyright © 2009 – Sports Climax

Since Michael Vick met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and cleared the first hurdle in returning to the NFL, the internet has become saturated with polls debating whether or not Goodell should have reinstated the player who was convicted of running an illegal dog-fighting ring and animal abuse.

Seeing the results of many of these polls favoring that Vick be banned from the NFL for life, it is evident how hostile and out-of-touch our country has become.

It’s like an emotional lynch-mobbing.

One Carolina television station poll showed viewers 61% in favor of a lifetime ban with comments like, “The judicial system sucks. [Vick] should be still in jail, leashed to his bunk.”

In recent history, several people have made serious mistakes, many more severe than Vick’s, but our society has elected to ignore those criminals while becoming obsessed with creating a villain out of Vick.

Over the years, the mainstream media and many of its followers have blown off the illegal behavior of corrupt politicians, athletes and businessmen, granting them forgiveness for their acts after they appear at a podium in their suit simply saying the words, “I’m sorry.”

Others like Vick pay a severe debt losing tens of millions of dollars while serving long prison sentences then find themselves battling an aggressive media and overzealous society when they are released.

What Michael Vick did was brutal, inhumane and illegal. He knows it, the general population knows it and the judicial system knows it, that’s why they acted on it so aggressively, hitting Vick with a sentence so severe, it could have destroyed the man’s life and career.

As with any other former prisoner who has paid their debt and served their time, our system is structured to offer a fair opportunity and reintroduce these United States citizens back into society.

Vick’s situation should be no different than anyone else who abused animals and served a sentence for the acts but because of his popularity many are labeling him as a villain who does not deserve the same opportunity other ex-convicts are granted.

When people fill sports blogs with comments how Vick should “never take another snap in the NFL,” where is their reasoning?

The man has spent almost two prime years of his life in prison for animal abuse. Think about that in its literal sense.

Do those opposing Vick’s return feel other ex-cons should not be allowed an opportunity to go back to the careers they had prior to their sentence? Should a bricklayer be banned from laying a roadway; an accountant banned from operating a calculator?

At the time of his conviction, Vick’s job was throwing a football in the NFL. It would be un-American to ban the accountant or bricklayer from returning to work, just as it would to ban Vick from returning to the career he had prior to his conviction.

Vick, once the highest-paid player in the NFL, released a statement regarding his return. “I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to commissioner Goodell for allowing me to be readmitted to the National Football League. As you can imagine, the last two years have given me time to re-evaluate my life, mature as an individual and fully understand the terrible mistakes I have made in the past and what type of life I must lead moving forward.”

I wish Vick the best and hope he capitalizes on an opportunity to show others how to take advantage of the opportunity granted to him by the NFL.

Thank you, Roger Goodell, for doing the right thing.

Related Stories:
Vick Should Be Compensated For Wine Bottles
Vick Makes Plea Deal
Vick Released From Federal Custody

Copyright © 2009 – Sports Climax

ATLANTA – Former Atlanta Falcon QB Michael Vick plans to change his plea next week on state dog-fighting charges in Virginia.

Vick initially pleaded not guilty to the charges but according to sources, will change his plea in a deal that would include a suspended sentence and one additional year of probation. 

Vick is currently serving a 23-month sentence in the Leavenworth, Kansas federal prison.

According to Surry County administrator, Sally Neblett, a court date and hearing for the state charges is scheduled for Oct. 30.

Vick’s attorneys made a motion to present the plea and it will be done via video camera from the Kansas facility.

The strategy by Vick and his legal team is to plea out on these state charges then hope to get an early release from the current 23-month sentence in return.

Vick’s former team, the NFL Falcons, is currently 4-2 and making giant strides with their rookie sensation and No. 3 overall draft pick, quarterback Matt Ryan.

Prior to his arrest and conviction, Vick was the highest paid player in the NFL after signing a contract said to be worth the neighborhood of $100 million.

Copyright © 2008 – Sports Climax