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The name Michael Vick now has most people thinking less football and more dog-fighting. So could that new link ever break? NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is giving it a chance -- allowing him to participate in pre-season practices and a couple of preseason games, with the possibility of full reinstatement in October.
We’re looking at media perspectives on the message the decision sends and if a team will even take him. Let’s start with CNN, who right after Vick completed his 18-months in prison, talked to an animal protection advocate. She says, if Vick gets his job back, it sends the wrong message.
“This sends a horrible message, our youth idolize these players, it sends a message that what he did was okay, the statement that you played, Michael Vick blamed this on being immature, we’ve all been immature at one point in our lives, but we didn’t torture animals. Drowning them, electrocuting them, hanging them, taking people’s family pets and throwing them into a ring with fighting pit bulls. This is not immature behavior, this is sadistic and demented.”
But a commentator on MSNBC says just the opposite is true – that if Vick can come back as a better person, it sends a positive message.
“He can be a role model for a person who reformed himself, I mean what a brave thing it could be to have this incredible disgrace in your life and come back, if he can, if he can do it. I mean, what are we going to do, put him in jail, throw away the key forever? If he could become a spokesperson for not having this horrible past.”
A reporter with W-USA-9.com went straight to those who could be side-by-side with Vick -- Redskins players. They say they’re open to the idea.
“I definitely would welcome him, like I said, that’s my whole thing, a second chance is a second chance.”
Not so fast, says the senior NFL analyst with ESPN. He says with advertisers and ticket-buyers looking on, the talk within teams isn’t looking good for Vick, at least for now.
“It’s so varied, for instance, I’ve talked to a team where I think the general manager and the coach kind of, were willing to have a, really, have an open mind to it, only the owner to shut it down, saying look, you know, it’s soft sponsorships out there, it’s a soft ticket market, I don’t even want to go there right now, and I really believe it’s about the calendar, it’s too close to the start of the season for many of these owners.”
But an NFL insider with FOX Sports says it all depends.
“Teams are really monitoring what the reaction of the humane society, PETA, all these different groups are going to be, how outraged people are, or the other way, how people, if people are going to say no it’s time to let Michael Vick back in, if there’s not going to be a big outrage, than I think you’ll see a bunch of teams decide to make inquires, line up, see where Michael Vick is, see what kind of condition he’s in, because again, the number two quarterback position in this league is a very important position on each team.”
So what message do you think this sends, and should a team even take him?
