With the latest news that police in Virginia Beach have renewed their interest in Michael Vick while investigating a 
shooting on the night of his birthday party, lines have been drawn and sides chosen.
On one side are those that understand the reasoning behind a well paid NFL quarterback throwing a party at a local club, charging admission scaled for regular folks and VIPs, then expressing surprise at the criticism tossed at the birthday boy when violence results.
On the other side are people who understand the consequences of not planning for the unexpected results of all that.
Because the country has been divided on the opinion of Vick’s conviction, sentence, rehabilitation and reemergence as an NFL player, the latest news provides us with nothing new to gain insight into why there is such a disparity of feeling on the subject.
Vick has what Commissioner Roger Goodell says is a “very limited” margin for error in his new life in the NFL, thus the investigation into the incident outside the club in Virginia is separated into two parts.
The NFL, as we have seen, hands down its own punishment despite there being no criminality proven or charged. Roger Goodell suspended Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for making bad choices.
It will be interesting to note if the league comes down on the side of those that believe Vick put himself in a position to find trouble and thus violated the NFL’s short leash of discipline, whether or not the police find a connection between him and the shooting.
Roethlisberger told to undergo medical and psychological examination by NFL
The fact that Michael Vick’s word doesn’t close the door on a league investigation is pretty easy to understand. Vick’s previous criminal activity was denied repeatedly until he was surrounded by facts that made him admit his mistakes.
A no-strike policy doesn’t give one the presumption of innocence. It also doesn’t presume guilt. What it requires is proof of innocence in order to show that this time, there is no lying.
You can bet your bottom dollar that the decision to sell tickets to the public, not knowing who would show up, wasn’t run up the flag pole with Tony Dungy, the designated counselor for all purposes when it comes to Mike Vick.
How Tony Dungy got Michael Vick back into the NFL
Ben Roethlisberger is being taught the consequences of what he used to think was innocent behavior. No matter what age, change is hard and takes time. For Michael Vick, that time is now.
Re-printed 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.
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