http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...chael-vick-it-hurts-that-im-not-a-starting-qb Everyone has their transgressions in life. Some are more visible than others (Vick) because of the media spotlight. But honestly speaking, Michael Vick is very underrated as a person, understandably so because some will NEVER forgive him for what he did, he is well-spoken, articulate, well regarded in the Football fraternity, and he is a leader. I will never forget him going into Green Bay as an underdog in his first playoff game and beating Brett Favre's Packers on the frozen tundra. The guy has presence whether people like it or not, and he should be respected for the person he is and not the mistake made, and not because he paid his dues.
I have nothing against the guy personally. If I met him at a party I am sure he would be good conversation. His life as Ron Mexico though ......
I respectfully disagree. Not being hyperbolic or histrionic but he beat dogs to death with his bare hands and oversaw others doing the same. That's not a good person.
I get why people will never forgive him for what he did, that's their right. And had he ever done anything shitty since I'd be the first one calling for a lifetime ban. But years removed from it now the guy has established a track record as a model player/team-mate/citizen. Guys beat their wives in this league all the time and get second and third chances without it causing near the uproar that this did. Nobody has to like what he did - I sure as hell don't. But I'm not about to abandon the laundry I've been rooting for for thirty-plus years because of it. Then again I've suffered my fair share of abuse from that laundry too, so maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment...
He grew up in a culture that welcomed dog fighting. Not excusing what he did, but that's how he was raised and leaving that stuff behind has got to be difficult. Takes prison time I guess. _
I'm not going to hate the guy for the rest of his life or anything but you don't just fall into running an interstate dog fighting ring because you are a product of your culture.
What he did to those animals was sick and disgusting. Having a dog my self, I couldn't even begin to imagine hurting her, and if someone tried to I would have to kill them. With that being said, the man made a mistake. We all make them.. He paid his dues and has changed his life completely. Give the guy a break.
I don't agree. I think because that's deemed acceptable in your culture, that's how it starts. He didn't grow up in a nice middle class neighborhood going to ball games with his pops and decide "yeah, dogfighting, that's what I'm doing today". _
To be fair, he didn't make a mistake, he did it consciously and repeatedly but I agree he paid his dues and he changed his life. People can choose not to forgive but I do. _
If your culture tells you it's okay to smoke weed, you probably roll up a doobie and smoke it every once in a while. You don't aspire to be a drug kingpin.
But if your culture is one of respect and street cred, becoming the biggest and baddest is something to aspire to. You smoked a doobie in my neighborhood you became a pothead. You smoked a doobie in Bed Stuy, you aspire to become the biggest dealer you can. _
How about killing A HUMAN by driving drunk (Stallworth). I still can't believe he went to prison for a dog-fighting ring. Maybe it was the gambling charges that did him in. But plenty of pro theletes have killed PEOPLE and did much less time than Vick. I don't hate animals or anything but Gesu there are a lot worse crimes that people have paid a lesser price for than maiming some pitbulls.
When a kid comes up in an impoverished environment and turns to hood games to make ends meet and live better than he might otherwise thats one thing. A multi million dollar star athlete still living out his thug life fantasies is totally different. don't you think?
Article has nothing to do with what Vick did in the past in regards to Dogs ... If Michael Vick took his career more seriously in regards to improving his fundamentals early on in ATL, he would still be a starter in this league even with the whole Dog incident.
Yes and no. I don't think any of us here have the life experience to make judgments on when Vick should have given up the thug life. Logically he SHOULD have given it up well before he hit the NFL and certainly by the time he signed his massive contract with the Falcons. But he didn't and that to me means those childhood ties were very hard to break. How many of these football players continue to support and carry their posse well past when we all think they should. Or rappers or entertainers for that matter. The pressure of cutting off childhood friends, cousins, folks you grew up with under very bad circumstances has got to be incredibly difficult, especially when you start making the big money. Not excusing what he did. But it was his culture. I never thought about becoming a dog fighting kingpin when I was a child because it was the furthest thing from my experience. Not sure any of us here were raised in that culture. _
One way or another bringing in Vick is going to pay dividends. He's going to help make Geno a much better player, he's going to help the young guys on offense, as well as being a leader on the team in general.
