Call me crazy, but I actually believed the remorse Vick showed when he stepped to the podium last Monday afternoon. It wasn't any kind of sparkling public address, but it was genuine, which resonates much louder than any great speech could. In the words of Vick himself, "It's not important as far as what you say but how you say things." And the way he said things led me to believe that he was and is sincere.
In case you missed it, Vick offered a four-and-a-half minute apology on Monday in front of what looked more like a Super Bowl press conference. With flashbulbs popping and about a dozen microphones, Vick apologized to everyone involved, took complete responsibility for his actions and vowed to make himself a better man and to grow up.
However, because of the media spectacle that the apology became, skeptics have said that Vick put on an act in hopes of improving his public image before his sentencing date, which is scheduled for Dec. 10.
I find that a bit far-fetched. Sorrow doesn't help you in a court of law. I'm sure there have been plenty of criminals who have been sorry for their actions, but that alone can't save you. Others have said he had no choice but to apologize. While that may be true, the nature of his apology is what I found impressive. He was neither cold nor distant while he was speaking, which I found to be a pleasant surprise.
"I want to apologize to all the young kids out there for my immature acts. What I did was very immature, so that means I got to grow up," said Vick.
Humbling words from one of the biggest names in the sports world, and good to hear. Hundreds of kids lost a role model this month, a trend among professional athletes — and officials, even — that is upsetting. It seems a week can't go by these days without hearing that an NFL player has been charged with a crime. It's gotten so out of control that ProFootballTalk.com has even created a "Days Without An Arrest" counter on their website. It's currently at two … but I digress.
The real selling point for me during his apology was the fact that Vick actually did the entire statement on his own. Too often you see people take the easy way out by simply reading a document their lawyer prepared and calling that an apology. Not in this case. Vick stepped up and made himself susceptible, which was a nice change from the stone-faced aura we've seen from him walking to and from the Richmond courthouse.
At a certain point, one man can only take so much, and I think Vick has reached that point. He is finally seeing the damage he's done and realizes that a change in his life is needed. Michael Vick is ready to make himself a better person, and I honestly believe that.
No matter what your opinion on Vick may be, you have to respect when an individual steps forward and openly admits his mistakes on such a public stage. The next step is whether or not he'll learn from them. Vick indicated that he would when, near the conclusion of his apology, he said, "I will redeem myself; I have to."
I'm in no position to determine whether he will or not, but hopefully Vick's words were as genuine as they appeared to be and he will become a better human being as a result of this shameful situation.
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