The Real Reason Vick Got A Second Chance

By Richard Cohen For The Washington Post

The commentary about President Obama’s call to the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles regarding that adjudicated dog killer Michael Vick has now reached an apogee of stupidity that strongly suggest that too many otherwise smart people have lost their ability to reason. Obama, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie recounted, said, “‘So many people who serve time never get a fair second chance.’ He said, ‘It’s never a level playing field for prisoners when they get out of jail.’ And he was happy that we did something on such a national stage that showed our faith in giving someone a second chance after such a major downfall.” It helps, I think, that Vick has completed 63.2 percent of his passes and has 20 touchdowns. He is not your average felon.

And, yet, that is the comparison that’s made. You would think from the commentary that Vick was some poor kid who got caught swiping something so he could get something to eat. You would think he had on the spur of the moment stolen a car, gone for a joy ride — and collided with a police car at an intersection. You would think that he was anything other than in immensely gifted and immensely rich professional athlete who got a signing bonus of $37 million and had endorsement deals from Nike, Coca-Cola, Kraft and others. Vick staged dog fights and killed dogs not because he had to, but because he chose to. He’s a thug.

Dog fighting was Vick’s hobby. He had been warned about it. His own father had told him to stop. He persisted because, as with many great athletes, he was never held accountable. A nation of jock-sniffers always looks away when a great athlete does something wrong. Nothing is an important as winning — we all know that — and Vick was and is a winner.

The sanctimony regarding this dog killer is sickening. He was wantonly cruel, not only pitting dogs against one another in fights, but drowning poor performers. Didn’t he know this was cruel? Didn’t he know wounded dogs were in pain? Is he so stupid he didn’t notice the blood, the torn skin, the…? Oh, forget it! The man’s an animal himself.

Now Vick has punched all the tickets on the road to rehabilitation. He is contrite. He loves pooches. He might even get a dog himself. How much of this is genuine and how much is synthetic I leave to you. But I’ll tell you this. Vick got a second chance not because he deserves it but because he can play football. This is the lesson we can all take from this sorry episode. It’s one thing to be sorry. It’s much better to hit your man in the end zone.

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Georgievegas
Georgievegas
13 years ago

Vick is an animal, no worse than any animal. For sure he should never be allowed to have any animal. It’s a disgrace that anyone gets paid that much or that he was able to go back playing football, I don’t care how fast & how well he throws, that’s a game not life. I’m disappointed in our Obama, if he made that comment. Plus I’m also concern that Vick is still in the news. Boy his head is surely getting bigger. Let the asshole just die!!

now enlightened
now enlightened
13 years ago
Reply to  Georgievegas

Please don’t give a bad name to animals….. Vick is no animal. Animals are not capable of cruelty. I have never met (nor will I ever because it is not possible) an animal that is even remotely capable of what Vick did. Vick is evil.

Sommerloudin
Sommerloudin
13 years ago

This whole thing makes me sick. Our “President” is patting a convicted felon on the back
Takes a criminal to know a criminal

Band evil people
Band evil people
13 years ago

The jock-sniffers need to band the game till Vick is gone.

Sept2174
Sept2174
13 years ago

Every time I read about Vick I get so angry! I wish I could join a national crusade to stop him from being glorified, just because he can play football. Thank God, Ted Bundy didn’t play football!

Amyf45
Amyf45
13 years ago

Is there some way that his earnings can go towards helping homeless pets, abused pets, etc?

Michael Haslam
13 years ago

As such as I applaud any person who has served their sentence being given a second chance the crap that is written just because the guy can play football is excrecable.

Dfee2
Dfee2
13 years ago

I have never been a devotee of the wisdom’s presented by Tucker Carlson and I am not accepting his extreme view for dealing with Michael Vick. Though, I am willing to now reject President O’Bama because of his support for Michael Vick. This was my the Final straw in my support of the President. When I saw a video of a dog being put into a ring to fight another dog and then just as the dog was being put into the ring she turned and wagged her tail at the her owner, not knowing that he was about to betray her. This broke my heart. Vicks should have rotted in jail. When the limited actress, Goldberg tried to excuse Vick because of a cultural tradition I went into a rage. That would excuse people who want to dress in white sheets and attack people who are not white. It would be okay, because my grandfather did it as did his grandfather. It is a cultural tradition

Siobhan1
Siobhan1
13 years ago

I don’t think I could’ve said it better than Richard Cohen has. I speak as someone who is not that into sports. That said, I’ve never understood society in that having the talent of being able to throw a football well, get a ball into a soccer goal or dunk a basketball got the possessors of that talent a “pass” where bad behavior is tolerated. Granted having the (IMHO) more important talents of, for instance, coming up with a cure for an awful disease or finding how to feed millions of starving people via advancement of agriculture doesn’t provide entertainment for millions for a few hours on a weekend day or make millions for companies. However, those latter talents can be life-changing and life-giving and, ultimately, may touch many many more lives in a very positive way. However, should a medical researcher or agricultural expert do such horrid things to dogs, they’d be ruined professionally. I’m not sure WHAT it will take to change society’s value structure but Vick’s story is playing out as a prime example of the problem of what society really, really seems to value…..and it’s NOT the life of a bunch of helpless, voiceless, abused dogs who don’t have money to buy/need over-priced sneakers, sports drinks, etc.

Cindy
Cindy
13 years ago

O is as much a piece of shit as Vick the Dick and Wayne Pacalle at the HSUS who went to battle for Vick to get back into playing football.O can call the Eagles but what about a call to all the rescue groups out there who took Vick the Dick’s dog’s in. That’s why O will be a 1 term President and go down as one of the worst President this country has ever had! Shame on the NFL for letting Vick the Dick back in……..What’s next let a rapist play football?

Now enlightened
Now enlightened
13 years ago

And to think I voted for Obama and attended his inaugration – I am so embarrased. His lapse in judgment is inexcusable – to think he is the leader of the free world with such poor judgment is truly frightening. Anything and everything Obama does from this point forward will be tainted for me. One-term President is right – thank goodness too. Wayne Pacalle is a sorry excuse for a leader as well. I stopped supporting the HSUS and will only support my local shelter where I know the people and know their morals. As for Vick, he is pure, bonifide evil. There is nothing I can imagine that would represent enough punishment for him……

Kirkdeb98
Kirkdeb98
13 years ago

this subject makes me want to vomit….I have boycotted every stupid, inhumane company that has endorsed this ignorant, cruel monster. the fact this demon can throw a football means NOTHING when held accountable to the atrocities he’s committed. Obama “patting” Vic on the back….is it shocking? To whom??? Has anyone listened to anything he has said his first 2 yrs. in office? Has anybody researched his history, explaining WHY he thinks the way he does? Violence, murder, cruelty….there are just no words I can use to describe how terrible this whole sickness is. Vic is one very, very sick dude. It is good that the Lord shall judge him, and not me. To hear that Vic “paid” for his crime….now that he’s out, let’s shake hands and make good? He couldn’t live long enough to “pay” for his crime. He is the very soul of Satan. I think the NFL is as pathetic as Obama and the rest of this mongrel’s cronies. Shame on the NFL and all of Vic’s endorsements. They will never make a penny off of me;(

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