In the mid-2000s, Nike released a commercial advertising a pair of cleats. Like any good Nike advertisement, it featured one of the most dominant, freakishly athletic sports stars at the time. The ad took viewers on a rollercoaster ride at an amusement park. The ride sped through a football field, evading would-be tacklers with leaps, spins, and of course, pure, lethal speed. A female voice-over is the only one to address the audience saying, “Welcome to the Michael Vick Experience.”
For Hokie fans, it must seem as if Phil Knight is a fortune-teller with a knack for imagery. No Virginia Tech character has been the root of so many emotional spikes. When Vick led an undefeated Tech to the national championship game against Florida State in 1999, he dazzled not only Blacksburg, but the entire country.
During his sophomore year, Tech only lost one game, as Miami beat the Hokies, while Vick, injured, sat on the sidelines. When Vick left that spring for the NFL Draft, citing a desire to provide a paycheck for his family, he was taken No. 1 overall, a fitting culmination to a career that secured Tech’s spot as a national powerhouse. ESPN soon reported that Vick purchased a new home for his mother in a well-to-do section of Suffolk, Va.
For students who did not grow up watching Tech football, it may be hard to understand, but in 1998, the team was hardly what it is
today.
The Hokies put together a few good years under Frank Beamer, but it only reached the 10-win mark twice — a benchmark now taken for granted. The program was perhaps akin to (dare I say) Boise State, a team that has strung together some good seasons, but whose future is uncertain. Vick’s two-year tenure put a spotlight on Tech and made it sustainable.
That the program was a beneficiary of Vick’s skills is undeniable. For all the embarrassment, anger and sorrow Tech fans felt in the aftermath of Vick’s 2008 arrest, it is difficult — and perhaps wrong — for them to harden their hearts against a man who seems to have sincerely tried to perform his penance.
He has spoken out against dog fighting, and has worked with and taken the advice of respected figures, including former Colts coach Tony Dungy. Vick later humbled himself, taking a third-string spot with the Philadelphia Eagles.
He avoided any unwise remarks during the quarterback battle with Kevin Kolb in his second year, and he now has a six-year, $100-million deal to show for his efforts. All this after speculation that he would be too old, foot-reliant or injury-prone.
The thing about forgiveness is that it’s actually not difficult, as long as in doing so, you don’t have to interact with the person that offended you. It is a little harder when that person is asking you to trust him, yet again.
“The Michael Vick Experience” has been more volatile than Nike could have ever imagined. Fans have felt betrayed and ashamed, and those are two hard emotions to forget. The thought of being fooled again is painful to imagine, but it is far worse to never be able to forgive a truly repentant member of your
family.
-the editorial board consists of Scott Masselli and Sean Simons
A version of this article appeared in the Aug 31 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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Michael Vick served his time and paid some fines. Great. He also murdered a bunch of defenseless animals. You'd all scream for blood if someone did this and wasn't a football player. The very fact that 3 years later people are still trying to apologize for his behavior shows how guilty people's conscience can be.
OJ was a darn good ballplayer, too.
Sorry; he doesn't get a free pass just because he's mumbled about how sorry he is in public. He's a cruel sadistic guy, and if you support that ... well, good for you. Sleep well.
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As a dog owner/lover and human being, I do not condone what Michael Vick did, but I believe in our justice system. Our justice is in place (a) to deter people from doing bad things and (b) to rehabilitate those who do.
Whether the justice system has truly succeeded in MV's case remains to be seen, but I'd like to think it's possible. Whether MV still IS a "cruel sadistic guy," remains to be seen. I believe the spotlight he has on him, coupled with the support network he has - driven by WHATEVER reason, be it money, fame, god - has a lot to do with keeping him on the straight and narrow.
But consider this: Vick is a much more effective speaker than anyone the Humane Society could possibly hope for and will get through to many more kids than some genuine animal lover. His involvement alone will stop countless animals from being beaten, tortured, or killed.
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But, if you'd rather ignore what he's done (and continues to do) since he got out of prison, go ahead - hold that grudge till the end of time! Let it eat at you every time you see him on Sunday... hope that someone breaks his arm or leg...whatever floats your boat. You fail to see the potential he has to prevent animal cruelty - the very thing you continue to hold him responsible for AFTER the man served his time. And that's just foolish.
And OJ? Seriously? OJ likely killed a human being. Like it or not, you're comparing apples to oranges.
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>comparing apples and oranges
Only if you don't believe in the sanctity of life and the right to life. I guess you think the dolphins and whales are dumb animals, too. I believe that as beings with intelligence it is our responsibility to take care of animals, not kill them for sport.
Heck, I bet you'd think OJ was pretty cool if he just came out and said "murdering people is bad, mmmkay?" That makes it all ok.
Hey, MV served his time and whatever. I just think it's disgusting that the NFL let him back in. He should be given the same opportunity as everyone else. I don't see him on Sunday, because I don't like NFL, which is rife with thugs like this and actively promotes and encourages them.
And I bet you you'd say and do whatever your publicist told you to if there were $100mil contracts on the line. Doesn't mean you believe a single word of it.
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Nowhere in my comment did I say I agreed with what MV did. In fact, I stated that I did not condone what he did. And I would not think OJ was "pretty cool" if he stepped up to a podium and spoke out against murder.
Post-prison MV was given the same opportunity as everyone else. You and I have the exact same opportunity to make a name for ourselves and work toward a career as an NFL player as he has had. Will you or I make it? Nope. But he had to get a job, and his skill set involved playing football.
But you've failed to address my whole point - MV is now speaking out against what he did and steering kids away from dog fighting. He's an NFL player with extreme notoriety - for better or worse. Do you not see the value in that? You don't have to like him, but do you not understand how his speaking engagements with at-risk kids will benefit society? Let's say the whole reason he's doing this IS because of his publicist. WHO CARES??? It's still having a positive effect, and that's not something any rational person can deny.
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Riiiight. Did you enjoy your burger today? Have bacon with your eggs? Where's your derision for the guy with his finger on the trigger of the bolt gun? He's executing the real "defenseless" animals. I'm surprised you had time to comment, what with all of your sign painting and protesting at the Animal Sciences building. And where's your apology for eating that burger?
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For all you know, I'm vegan.
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I doubt you're vegan, and even if you are, you are the beneficiary of medical technologies that sacrificed animals. In addition, Vick was a one-person, finite incident felon. Why aren't you out protesting where dogs are systematically used up for entertainment, then killed off, like Wheeling Island dog track in West Virginia? Oh, because it's easier to spout self-righteousness toward someone in the media spotlight who'se paid his debt. On second thought, you probably are vegan.
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maybe it wasn't a humane way to kill dogs, but I just don't see why you can't kill an animal and eat. its natural.
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So all would be forgiven if only Vick had eaten the dogs?
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your title says that he as earned forgiveness, but it should be "Vick a Darn Good Ballplayer" or "I want to give MV a kiss" since the first 3/4 of this piece are about how good a player he is, and your discussion of how he "earned" forgiveness basically amounts to your declaring that you want to forgive him. You actually take his managing to avoid saying anything embarrassing at a press conference as to be cause for reward?
Oh... wait... in typing that, I realized: this is satire. I mean, it has to be. Right, Sean? Right, Scott? Satire? Tell me it's satire...
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$100 million to play football? That is insanity.
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He won't make the full 100 million. Only 35 is guaranteed.
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For Pete's sake. Vick is a wildly rich and successful man, adored by millions of fanboys such as yourselves. Why, exactly, do you care if others forgive him? Who's the next put-upon celebrity you think needs your defense? Trump? Kardashian? Sheen? Because I feel the pain of all these victims. They have it so hard.
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If it had been anyone else that had committed this crime, any average Joe, no one would be crying out for forgiveness. Four out of five convicted felons will be stuck in a crap job for the rest of their lives, no matter how "rehabilitated" they think they are, because no one wants to hire a convicted felon. If it was your neighbor who was convicted of dog fighting and you witnessed first hand the cruelty they were involved in, it'd be a hell of a lot harder to forgive, wouldn't it? Yet, because this person is a celebrity and can throw a freaking ball everyone wants to put this forgiveness crap up on a pedestal and pay them millions of dollars so he can win some stupid games. I'm tired of everyone making excuses for these people. He should be treated as any other convicted felon would. And no, I don't believe he is truly sorry for what he did either. People with those types of twisted morals don't change that easily. It's called PUBLICITY STUNT.
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Most felons also rarely do anything to fight against the crimes they were guilty of after being released. Vick is speaking out against animal cruelty and dog fighting quite often now and it is helping tremendously. Whether his view of right/wrong has changed is completely irrelevant. As long as he continues to work hard, stay away from trouble and promote good values, then his "publicity stunt" is a great thing. You don't have to believe he is changed, because that fact doesn't matter. If you were a actually a dog lover, you would be proud of what he has done since being released. He's been an advocate for anti-cruelty that people who participate in cruelty can relate to. That gets alot more done than a no-name unfamiliar face in a tv ad does. He has been treated as other felons. He's been proactive to apologize for his past and to take actions to prevent it from happening again. Sincerity is irrelevant; actions are important.
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Sincerity is irrelevant? That will get you really far in life.
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I'm saying in this case that the sincerity is irrelevant. Whether he has changed or not has no bearing whatsoever. The fact that he has made positive changes and is taking action is all that matters. The only person that can possibly confirm sincerity is that person theirself, so yes sincerity is irrelevant in this case. It comes down to this: Vick, and only Vick, knows if he is sincere in his actions. That leaves two options - take action or do nothing. If he does nothing, his sincerity is for nothing but his own state of mind. While that option is good for the person, he would get destroyed by everyone else because he would appear insincere by not taking action. If he takes action, things get accomplished. If he means it then good for him. If he doesn't mean it, things still get done for good, even if he is miserable because he is betraying his nature. Whether he is sincere is irrelevant to the world. You can take my comments out of context if you like, but I am referring to the case of Vick. I believe sincerity is incredibly important for myself, but I am intelligent enough to accept that there is no way of proving another's sincerity. I can tell you that will get you a lot farther in life than sitting around being angry and assuming the worst in people.
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you might want to read LUKE 6 : 37-42 . maybe you will get the " plank " out of your eye !!
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VARTHURIGINIA IS FOR LOVERS AND BLACK PEOPLE LIKE WILLIE LANIER
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