Rehabilitating Michael Vick

Rehabilitating Michael Vick

by Mark Luedtke

 

With OJ in jail, I'm hard pressed to think of any more loathsome celebrity on the loose than Michael Vick. An argument can even be made that Vick's crimes against innocent dogs were worse than OJ's alleged crime of passion. I'm not going to recount Vick's crimes here, but suffice it to say his actions showed the extreme lack of empathy that is the hallmark of a sociopath. It's unconscionable that his poster might be hanging on a child's wall in the near future. It's unconscionable that he might be signing autographs for children. It's unconscionable that he will be around animals in projects with the SPCA. I personally wouldn't let Vick anywhere near my dog or child.

Rarely does a person fall so far so fast. A few years ago many considered Vick one of the top 10 players in the NFL. He rolled in the kind of dough most people can only dream about. He thought he was untouchable. He lied about his crimes and kept on committing them. Today, after serving a 23 month sentence, he's $4 million in debt. Befitting his crimes, his fall was spectacular. I'd be happier if I never heard of Vick again.

It's galling to think that such a horrible man might return to one of the most privileged and highly paid professions in the world. But in America, we are ruled by laws, at least we're supposed to be, not personal feelings. Michael Vick was tried and punished for his crimes. Now Vick is free to pursue happiness just like every other American, and for Vick that means playing in the NFL. Other than making license plates, playing football is the only skill Vick has. Returning to the NFL provides his only opportunity to climb out of debt and lead a productive life.

Commissioner Goodell made a big show of maybe letting Vick come back and maybe not, but I don't think he had a choice. Banning Vick from football would have been like the CEOs of Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart and Meijer colluding to ban Vick from working in retail. Individually, each can refuse to hire him, but they can't collude. But the NFL is based on collusion. If Goodell had banned him, Vick would have sued the NFL for unfair hiring practices. That lawsuit, win or lose, would have invited scrutiny from Congress over the protected legal status of the NFL and other sports leagues as government sanctioned colluders. Goodell couldn't take that risk.

Every NFL owner could have refused to hire Vick, but that was never going to happen. NFL owners love to give troubled players second chances - as long as the player can help the owner make more money. Contrary to what ESPN and the NFL want us to believe, altruism plays little if any role in the decision-making. You never see owners giving second changes to fallen players who can't make them money.

As emotionally galling as it is, rationally, we should want Vick to play football and succeed again. That's in everybody's best interest. Americans love football. They pay billions of dollars every year to watch the best football players in the world. Michael Vick was one of those players, and he'll likely be one again. By playing football, Vick can add millions in value to our society every year. As a grocery store bagger, not so much.

Commissioner Goodell played his hand superbly. By demanding Vick work with Tony Dungy, by all accounts one of the NFL's great people with a missionary's heart, and by giving Vick plenty of rope to hang himself, Goodell gave Vick the best chance at rehabilitation back to productivity he'll ever have. By seemingly walking the fine line of being forgiving but not turning a blind eye to Vick's crimes, Goodell also polished the tarnished image of the NFL.

And the Eagles seem a perfect organization for Vick. They've been the most successful organization in the NFC for the last 10 years. Andy Reid is one of the league's top coaches. Donovan McNabb is a veteran, franchise quarterback who shouldn't be threatened by Vick. The Eagles reached the NFC Championship game last season. With the emergence of the wildcat offense, which seems designed to suit Vick's skills, Vick has an opportunity to improve the Eagles and lift them to a Super Bowl. If the Eagles make it to the Super Bowl, all the talk about Vick's crimes will fade away. Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie is betting that will happen.

But Goodell and Lurie's demand that Vick team up with the Humane Society and anti-dog fighting groups may not be the best idea. If Vick could help raise money for these groups, that would be great, but it seems more likely associating with Vick will taint these organizations and cost them revenue, at least in the near term. It's also a distraction from football, where he needs to succeed, and keeps Vick's crimes in the spotlight. While there's something to be said for never forgetting, these forced partnerships seem counterproductive all the way around. If the Eagles get to the Super Bowl, that may change. If they win it, there's no doubt Vick will be an asset in the future. Focusing on football seems to be a better strategy right now. And never let Vick near the animals.

It's hard to imagine, as far as Vick fell, that he'll put himself in a position to fall again. With Tony Dungy as a mentor and playing for the Eagles, it's even harder to imagine. I wouldn't be surprised to see Michael Vick become a Pro Bowl quarterback in a couple of years. The Eagles with Vick are a good bet to make it to the Super Bowl this year. But if Vick is a sociopath, he won't ever be fully rehabilitated. Americans should never forget Vick's crimes or character.