Will Signing Michael Vick and Plaxico Burress Give the UFL a Bad Reputation?

(Photo by Jonathan Ernst/Getty Images)

Although no deals have been completed, after hearing that Michael Vick and Plaxico Burress might be heavily punished by Roger Goodell, I began thinking both could be heading to the UFL, the United Football League.

Does this set the wrong tone for the UFL?

Does the UFL want to be known as the criminal playpen for the recently convicted?

UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue has a very important decision to make should the possibility arise that Vick and Burress could partake in the premiere season of the new start-up league.

No matter your opinion on the two, would it be a good idea for the UFL to associate itself with such controversial personalities in its very first season?

It's likely that both Vick and Burress find work in the NFL this season.

Personally, I feel that Vick has done his time. I'm a animal person and what Vick did can never be condoned. Ever.

However he has fulfilled his punishment, he has been left a broken man with a tarnished reputation. Why not let him play?

When Vick was at his best, he was one of the most exciting players to watch in the NFL. Who didn't like seeing him take off when the pocket collapsed? He could turn a sure sack into a 15-yard gain.

Before you start to wonder; I'm not a Atlanta Falcons fan.

He has already filed for bankruptcy, and he has negated any future lucrative endorsements that would likely of been coming his way. His megabucks contract has gone down the pan, and if he was to come to the UFL he would not receive a mega-contract; he would have to earn every penny, and rightfully so.

The UFL could benefit from the publicity that comes with signing Vick, but would it be positive publicity?

Well, we all know the saying—there is no such thing as bad publicity.

Will people watch to see Vick? Of course they will.

I think the positives outweigh the negatives when it comes to Vick. He has done his time. Now let him play.

I haven't focused much on Burress because I really don't think he will join the UFL. I think he will have too many NFL options, and his ego will be too big to join a start up league.

Of course it completely depends on what Roger Goodell does, if he decides that Burress should be suspended for the entire 2009 season, then maybe he has no choice. If he loves to play football, perhaps at his age he can't afford to lose a full season of football.

If the UFL were to sign Vick and or Burress, I would support the decision, a welcome publicity boost to a promising football league.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?