"A Doggone Shame!"

It's time to Break It Down!

It is often said, "Time flies when you are having fun." While I am not so sure blogging has been that simple, I must concede, looking back to the summer of '07, I do have a sense of, where ever did the time go? In framing the context for this week’s issue, it is apropos to recall that it was Wednesday, August 22, 2007, when I first posed that most rhetorical of questions, "Will Michael Vick ever play again in the NFL?"

That was 637 days ago, but any minute now, if it not already; Mr. Vick will be released from federal prison. He will not be free just yet, however. His 23-month sentence will not end for another 60 days. In the interim, he will spend his time confined at home, principally, and will wear an electronic monitor that allows federal authorities to track his movements. His anticipated date of release is July 20th.

Nevertheless, when the former Falcon muses, “he is not in Kansas anymore,” unlike Dorothy in Oz, he will be quite relieved, no doubt. Even with an e-monitor tracking his every move, chances are, he will be pleased to trade-up to his comfortable home in Hampton, VA, from his digs of the past 21 months, United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth. Even Dorothy would not have been anxious to get back to Kansas, were that spot her terminal destination.

Of course, for Vick, getting out of prison is just the first step in what he hopes will be the “not too long” road to recovery. Yes, Vick is eyeing a return to the NFL. Early indications are he has a few more hoops to jump through. The League’s Commissioner, Roger Goodell has not closed the door on the possibility, but adds in addition to completing his prison term, “Vick must demonstrate remorse.” That is code for, “This will not be easy!” And it probably should not be; but it should happen, and I believe it will.

The far-reaching influence of PETA will certainly play into how many teams actively participate in the Vick Sweepstakes. There will be teams that have outstanding quarterbacks and solid back-ups; count them out. Why bother with the drama? There will be teams, with shaky quarterbacks, who would love to get in on the action, but will not rock the boat and jeopardize fan support in this dismal economic environment, when they need desperately to move over-priced tickets; pass (pun intended). Then there will be a few intrepid franchises that need a jolt; attendance is already sagging, there is no great signal-caller in the fold, and none on the horizon. Hello Michael Vick!

I am not a huge follower of football; I don’t see plays develop at the line of scrimmage and accurately predict where the ball is going, I don’t know every team’s starting quarterback, or the top 10 receivers in the NFL, or even the Panther’s starter at safety, for that matter. What I do know, as I said that day in August, 2007, is the NFL, like every professional sports league, is “All about the Benjamins.” I speculated then, and I believe just as strongly now, that Vick will be not just the first guy to go from NFL starting quarterback to the federal penitentiary, but also the first guy to get a round-trip ticket back to the NFL.

And you know what? He ought to be! Why? Because he served his time, and by doing so, paid his debt to society. Does that mean society, or more pointedly, some NFL owner owes it to Michael Vick to give him another shot? H to the no! The owner that gives Vick another shot is not going to be motivated by the redemption or rehabilitation of Michael. No siree! That fine upstanding businessman is going to a savvy guy who “recognizes,” that he is in the big leagues, and in the game he is playing, "the bottom line is…the bottom line." If Vick can produce, he will play again…in the NFL; and he will put derrieres in the seats, and cash in the team's coffers to boot. That is Free Enterprise, AKA, the American way! Moreover, the fact some interest groups will try to make an issue of it, free speech notwithstanding, is, “A Doggone Shame!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday.

For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Vick

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2009/05/michael-vick-to-be-released.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Penitentiary,_Leavenworth

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4178964

http://blogs.usatoday.com/thehuddle/2009/05/michael-vicks-release-from-prison-could-come-overnight.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1753924/michael_vicks_release_from_prison_will.html

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2008-11-25-vick-state-plea_N.htm

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3148549

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/17/AR2007071701393.html

http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/05/05/tony-dungy-visits-michael-vick-in-prison/

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/2008/04/05/2008-04-05_michael_vick_playing_prison_football.html

http://www.faniq.com/article/ESPN-schedule-of-programming-for-Michael-Vicks-release-from-prison-1599060