It is often said that America is the land of second chances. If you’re a doubter just look at the fates of celebrities-
turned-criminals who have repaired their images and gone on to succeed after serving jail time: Michael Milken, Martha Stewart, Robert Downey, Jr. and Lindsay Lohan. OK, maybe not Lindsay, but you get the point.
The sports world is no exception. Star players who have had brushes with the law and managed to regain their popularity include Kobe Bryant, Alex Rodriguez, Ray Lewis and (so far) Ben Roethlisberger. But no athlete in the 21st century has been more vilified and reviled than Eagles quarterback Michael Vick. Vick was the first overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2001 NFL Draft. While he never seemed to completely live up to his billing, he was still one of the bright young stars in the league.
By the summer of 2007, it all came crashing down. Vick was charged with running a dog fighting ring (which included the torture and killing of dogs), eventually pleading guilty to federal felony charges. His 10-year, $130 million contract with the Falcons was voided, millions of dollars in endorsement deals vanished, he was suspended indefinitely by Commissioner Roger Goodell and he ended up serving 21 months in federal prison. He was the scorn of animal lovers, sports fans and Americans in general. His career, for all intents and purposes, was over.
He was then released in the summer of 2009, and earned a conditional reinstatement from Goodell. The Philadelphia Eagles took a chance on him, and he served as a backup to quarterback Donovan McNabb and decoy at times. This year, with McNabb traded to Washington, Vick quietly accepted his backup role to new starter Kevin Kolb. After Kolb suffered a concussion during their opening day loss to the Packers, Vick came in and nearly rallied the team to victory.
He hasn’t looked back since. Despite being injured in the Eagles first match-up with the Redskins last month and missing three games, Vick returned last week and led his team to a 26-24 victory over the Colts. But his crowning moment came on Monday night, when he had six touchdowns (four passing, two running) and racked up 413 total yards in a 59-28 thumping of the Redskins. On a national stage, Vick’s career came full circle.
But let’s not go overboard and award Vick the MVP for this season. Yes, he’s played great, but there is still a lot of football left to play – including a tough game against the rival Giants on Sunday night. But it is nice to see a good, old fashioned “second chance” story in sports. And kudos to former coach Tony Dungy, who became Vick’s mentor and clearly has given him sound advice.
As both a dog owner and lover, I was (and remain) appalled by Vick’s past transgressions. But keep in mind; he did his time in prison – a sentence far longer than some violent criminals and the masterminds of the financial collapse of 2008 haven’t even served a day in jail – and he apologized for his actions.
This also serves as another reminder of what Charles Barkley once said, “Athletes aren’t role models.” While the Vick story is intriguing and inspiring, he ultimately is a talented entertainer and an example of how humans are imperfect. But neither he (nor any other athlete) should be held in higher regard than the men and women defending our country and our streets, or performing life-saving surgeries.
Ultimately, the Michael Vick story epitomizes what we teach our children – we all make mistakes, but own up to them and make sure not to let them happen again. If not, your actions have consequences.
Are you paying attention, Plaxico Burress?
Used with permission of the author.
Chris Lardieri runs the “West Coast View” column for Sports Climax. A veteran to the keyboard, Chris also covers the Los Angeles Dodgers for Examiner.com and has written about Major League Baseball for Inside Edge, a scouting company that provides content to ESPN Insider and Yahoo Sports. Follow Chris on Twitter for more sports observations.
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