Michael Vick, Every Dog has its Day

After tormenting and cruelly killing defenseless animals, Michael Vick finally admits his guilt. He's copped a plea and now he surely faces a couple years of jail time. I doubt that he will do more than a year but he probably should. A world class athlete of untold talent, millions, and influence Michael Vick simply should have known better. Recently, Bryant Gumbel and Mike Wilbon have waxed more poetically than I about superstar athletes, especially African-American ones who have divested themselves of any semblance of responsibility, respect, and decorum in the name of chasing the money and conforming to some ridiculous hip-hop nonsense about keeping it real. For some reason no sooner than these young athletes break free from the ghetto and the thugs by which they were surrounded, they return not to influence those behind them to earn their way out but simply to hang out and wallow in ignorance. It's stupid and shameful and I'm sick of it.

Micheal Vick knew that he represented his teammates, his coaches, the NFL, the city of Atlanta, and his family, not to mention all those endorsements that's made him a multimillionaire many times over. He knew that none of those institutions would sanction his horrid involvement with those animals and deep down in the recesses of his mind when he went to sleep at night, neither did Michael Vick. In short order, his lawyer will have some sacrosanct letter of apology at sentencing about how Michael Vick let down his fans, family, league, teammates, blah, blah, blah. Maybe Michael Vick will even read it himself.

I'd like to root for Michael Vick. I think that he is a young man of potential who could influence millions but you see, he's had his chance to influence millions and has done it, in the worst way possible. In barber shops, talk shows, locker rooms, and barbeque's all over the country, friends, uncles, nephews,fathers and pundits will will rage, debate, and contest Micheal Vick's situation but it's probably too late for Vick. There really shouldn't be an argument because what Vick has done is inexcusable. So the debate will be about excuses and Vick has already proven a poor excuse for a professional, as has Kobe Bryant, Barry Bonds, Randy Moss, and others, though none to the degree as this latest debacle by Vick. And the ironic thing is, I think that Michael Vick had more of a soul than any of those guys.

Michael Vick succumbed to plain old peer pressure. He didn't have the fortitude to say, "You know instead of hurting and torturing these animals, I could use some of my wealth and influence to make a difference for these animals." He could have saved hundreds of animals, and through his example, millions of people. He could have literally encouraged thousands of people to stand up not only for animal rights, but for battered spouses, bullied children, for the elderly, for the poor. Most of the young people in the country today will come up short in a quest for NFL stardom because they lack the speed, hand-eye coordination, tenacity, strength and coordination of Michael Vick. They could have emulated his courage to speak up and do the right thing though. Arthur Ashe inspired in this way, so did Muhammad Ali, Bill Russell and Jim Brown too.

During their day, the fans of those giants heeded their call and helped a nation to right itself and do better. We lack such heroes of stature these days and Michael Vick would have fit the bill for sure. Perhaps with his example more stars would have followed his lead and really effected change not only in their sports, but in the heart of this greedy and ignorant nation of ours. Michael Vick may have become not the most celebrated athlete of our time, but perhaps the most celebrated sportsman. He may not have been the greatest, but as the first in recent history, boy, he could have been a contender.