Tony Dungy has once again written in support of Michael Vick and his return to the NFL I am once again inspired to disagree.
Here are all the reasons I have seen offered for why we should accept Vick back in the NFL, and my reasons to disagree.
I may come back and update this list as I think about it more
He has shown repentance
Michael Vick may be repentant now, but he didn't choose to repent because he saw the error of his ways, he was forced to repent because he saw the erosion of his paycheckHe deserves forgiveness
Not my place, or yours, to 'forgive. The only ones who can do that are those he wronged; his family, friends, teammates, business associates.... Unfortunately, the dogs don't get a say - even the ones that survived.He paid his debt
Really? He did his time, but so what? I would posit that the damage he did to society was far greater than 18 months 'away from his family' (as Tony Dungy described it)He has a right to make a living
I am not suggesting he has no right to make a living, but that is a far cry from saying he has a right to be in the spotlight making millions. There are many other jobs he should be able to do with the skills, or lack thereof, that he has. Go make a living somewhere else.He deserves a second chance
1) Why?Sports stars shouldn't be role models for your kids anyway
Perhaps they shouldn't - but they are. Every time you sit down to watch a game with your kids, you are saying that there is something special about those athletes. Every time they screw up, be it poor sportsmanship or drugs, the way you handle it, the way they are treated, and the consequences they face send a very clear message to your children.It's not like he killed anyone
No, it isn't. What he did shows such a special level of depravity it should sicken you just to contemplate it.Donte Stallworth
When I first heard of Stallworth killing a pedestrian, I was up in arms and calling for his head. Then I heard the details.As I understand it, he:
* Was drinking the night before, knew he was impaired & got a ride home.
* Got up the next morning & got a ride back to his car, assuming he had slept it off.
* Struck a pedestrian who stepped in front of his vehicle and who, according to police reports, was at fault and probably would have been hit if Stallworth was stone cold sober.
* Stopped his car, called the police & waited till they arrived.
* Cooperated completely from the get go, accepted responsibility and agreed to a settlement with the courts & the family.
* Served his time, therefore "paying his debt to society"
* Has lost his ability to drive, forever.
* Has lost his ability "to make a living" in the NFL for at least the next year.
Donte Stallworth is an example of actually making a mistake. And, when he made his mistake, he didn't try to cover up or lie his way out. He manned up.
Michael Vick may know a lot about being a warped, cliched version of telenovella macho, but he has no clue about true masculinity or being a real man.
I was disgusted enough when Goodell approved his return, but I had hoped that the teams would have more sense than he (something I keep hoping for with the NBA and Stern) Unfortunately, the Eagles have proven me wrong, and some of the players & coaches I used to respect have come forward to say they agree with that decision. It has been hard to embrace the NFL for years, knowing how they embrace thugs in their midst, but I loved the game enough to grit my teeth and keep following. This seems to be the last straw for me - and, judging from Twitter, many others as well.
Posted by Vox at August 14, 2009 03:31 PM | Sports