I loved Michael Vick in 2004. When we were playing Madden, I terrorized opponents with him. I'd run all over the field with Vick and eventually gallop into the end zone after an 80-yard scamper.
"The Michael Vick Experience" commercial by Nike in 2007 was, in my opinion, one of the best sports commercials of all time.
I'm not an animal activist and, as disgusting as his actions were, I'm not bitter about Vick's dog escapades. Hell, I have a cat.
But 2004 Michael Vick is not 2011 Michael Vick. Everyone seems to have forgotten because he looks the same on the football field.
In America, we love comeback stories and we love to hear about people overcoming the odds. Sure, no one expected Vick to come back to the NFL so noisily. But let's be real: he didn't truly run a comeback route.
Lance Armstrong is a comeback story. He overcame cancer to win the Tour de France.
Rick Ankiel is a comeback story. After pitching his whole life (and beginning an impressive pitching career in the Major League), Ankiel suddenly forgot how to throw strikes. Literally, he completely lost command. So, he switched his position to outfielder and worked his way back up through the minor leagues. After honing his batting and fielding skills for two and a half years, he is now a serviceable outfielder for the Washington Nationals.
Michael Vick is not a comeback story. He was – and is – one of the most talented athletes in sports. After serving his time in jail (which was his legal obligation; there's no way around that), Vick was given a two game suspension from the NFL. That's right – two games. Last year, Albert Haynesworth was suspended four games because he didn't get along well with head coach Mike Shanahan. The Redskins cited the reason for his suspension as "conduct detrimental to the team."
I'm not saying Haynesworth is in the right, but I hardly think that his disrespectful attitude warrants a punishment twice as harsh as that of someone who was locked up in jail for two years.
At the end of Vick's first season, his Eagles unanimously voted him the winner of the Ed Block Courage award, given to the player that "exemplifies commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage."
"Sportsmanship and courage."
He's back in the NFL because he's talented. His talent will forever carry him in his career. He was in jail because he deserved to go to jail. The consequences were his to accept.
It's no secret that Vick just signed a six-year, $100 million contract with the Eagles. He's a great player and he'll lead his team to a handful of wins, but giving Michael Vick such an exorbitant lump of cash tells him, and every other athlete out there: You can do whatever you want because you're just that talented.
God bless you, Michael Vick. I hope you continue to succeed in your illustrious career. Just don't try to convince me that you deserve any comeback award.
Email: aaron.mansfield@ubspectrum.com
Think back to last year when the Eagles lost to the Packers, 27-20.
The spotlight should've been on how the Packers managed to come away with the win despite Aaron Rodgers' sloppy play. Instead, many sports analysts and fans found themselves talking about Michael Vick.
Vick was supposed to be on the backburner for what was going to be Kevin Kolb's breakout season. But Kolb's concussion opened the door to Vick's 278 total yard, performance against the Packers in a failed comeback attempt.
Just a year later, Vick has signed a $100 million, six-year contract with the Eagles, and he is now the face of the franchise.
That's good for him.
And good for us as well.
Vick's rise toward the NFL elite only reflects well on the league. Sure, I could go on about how this is the perfect story about redemption. But the position that Vick is in goes way deeper than that.
Look at the NFL's most marketed athletes: the legendary Peyton Manning, the perfect Tom Brady, the heroic Drew Brees, and the passionate Ray Lewis. All of those athletes are made to personify what we expect from a star.
A majority of Americans can't relate to that sort of image, whether we want to admit it or not. But the aforementioned athletes are just so good, that we totally disregard how far apart from reality these idols are.
Vick is different because he is flawed. We are all aware of the sin he committed and how far he fell because of it. That is a stigma, but it also makes him relatable to the audience.
America is going to look at Vick and see both the criminal and the NFL superstar. This grabs way more attention than our clean-cut No.1 NFL Draft picks because we're used to seeing the same thing every year. Vick's case is a diversion from that normality.
Of course, Vick isn't the only such athlete in the NFL. Donte Stallworth and, more notably, Plaxico Burress have both served time for criminal offenses.
However, there are plenty of those types in the NFL. How many players have there ever been like Vick?
Secondly, there's nothing to gain from denying Vick from progressing in the league. Why should we suspend him, criticize his payroll, or even keep him in prison? Vick already did his time. The NFL has had dozens of other criminals. There's no point in just pinpointing him just because he's a headlining athlete.
If Vick is going to be spotlighted, he should be spotlighted for the right things. He threw for 3,018 yards and rushed for 676 yards to lead the Eagles into playoff contention last season. He's clearly pulling his weight.
The fact that someone like Vick only comes once in a lifetime is precisely why he is beneficial for the NFL. He was great during his time with the Falcons, but that added mark on his career will surely spur the audience interest in the NFL.
Email: brian.josephs@ubspectrum.com
