Michael Vick

Thanks for content contributions from David Wayne (my brother) and Mark Robertson (a golfing buddy of David’s). The bulk of this is from a couple of their shared e-mails. My inserted responses are in italics.

For the love of Pete, could somebody please help me with why all the fuss over Michael Vick?

I mean seriously, besides from his recent return from jail time, what has he done on the football field? I recognize athletic talent more so than the average guy, and Vick is, at best, an average NFL quarterback with a ton of physical talent.

Most savvy sports people agree that he is a gifted, but “an out of position player” when it comes to the quarterback position (much like Vince Young, but that's another story for another day).

Why the fuss about Vick’s return to the NFL? And no, it is not about him being black and a thug (this time). It’s about whether Michael Vick is a solid NFL quarterback.

Why would he go to the Philadelphia Eagles when they have a proven and quality man (Donovan McNabb) for the job? This man also happens to be an African-American who is a classy, educated, family guy.

Donovan McNabb is an excellent NFL quarterback who has kept the Eagles very close to the Super Bowl for several years now. He has become injury prone as his career has worn on. He entered the league in 1999 and had a solid three-year run, but in the seven seasons since then, McNabb has missed at least 22 starts. The Eagles wanted a solid backup, and McNabb was one of the first people asked to approve the Vick acquisition.

We have seen some quality black players at the quarterback position in the NFL in the past twenty years: Doug Williams, Warren Moon, Steve McNair, and Donovan McNabb. I am sure we missed some others. So does Vick really deserve all the media attention and hype?

Michael Vick is not receiving attention and hype because he is an awesome NFL quarterback. He went to prison, and the media is awestruck that a black man can go to prison, pay the debt to society that the justice system demands of him, and then have a “normal” life after the debt is paid. The media’s job is to ignite a fire storm of controversy that will sell advertising and get people talking. Of course, the PETA people want Vick to have a minimum wage job the remainder of his life that will keep him, a black ex-con, in poverty and desperation forever (so much for elitist liberalism).

Vick did not overcome a serious injury or spend two years fighting in Iraq. His story is definitely news worthy though.

You have animal rights advocates (who are down right nasty and wish he'd gotten the death penalty) on one side, and on the other, extreme Philly football fans intrigued by his 4.3 speed and strong arm and most could care less about his treatment of dogs if he helps them contend for a Super Bowl.

He does give hope to all the African-American men who have gone to prison or jail (about one out of every 5). It’s important to know that a guy can go from being a multi-millionaire to a jailbird and then rebound to a life where he can use the skills he’s acquired in life.

If you do something wrong, there is a price to pay. Once you pay the price, you have to live with the stigma for the rest of your life. That should be enough. Let's not forget that Vick is also $20 million in debt. In a country that believes in second chances and roots for the underdog (no pun intended), you would think some would celebrate Michael Vick's return to the NFL. I'm just sayin'...