Enough Is Enough With Michael Vick Critics

No, this is not another nagging article attempting to persuade an audience of Michael Vick’s bad sportsmanship or to prevent him from re-entering the NFL. And no, I’m not an associate of PETA.

I’m just a sports fan. Who likes his sports. And his games. And his players.

And I am over the constant pestering over Michael Vick as he is released from prison and returns back to his Virginia home.

I also believe his 23 month sentence was sufficient for his previous actions. The dog fighting he participated in was both illegal and immoral. And I don’t condone it whatsoever.

But he has served his time.

Now that he is in the home stretch of his sentence—and now in home confinement— serious thoughts about playing football are coming afloat—by both us fans and Vick, himself. Paralleled with that is NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell’s decision on reinstating Vick.

Which ultimately becomes the biggest and most important decision in this whole Vick case.

Many people are arguing he shouldn’t be reinstated because of his crude acts committed years ago.

That’s ridiculous.

If my memory serves me correctly, didn’t Adam “Pac-Man” Jones get reinstated this past offseason? Yes. After repeated instances of weaponry and strip club antics? Yes.

I am a strong believer in second chances. But “second” chances are over after a few. Adam Jones abused that privilege of "second chances" about 12 times. Vick has yet to do that.

He deserves another shot in the League. I believe that he remorsed often in prison and changed his life around, learning what is right and what is wrong.

Sometimes it’s even more meaningful to go through something like a two-year hiatus, learn from mistakes, and grow emotionally.

Even though I have never met Mike Vick, I can guarantee he went through some kind of emotional and remorseful mediation process to get his head in the right place.

But I will need to see Vick come out publicly. He needs to apologize for his heinous acts once more. And truly and genuinely convey his sorrow and apologetic personality. Maybe even work in the public eye against dog fighting in the future.

Back to the playing field, Mike Vick is an athlete with skills that most of us probably have forgotten to a degree. Do you remember, in 2006, Vick was the first QB to rush for over 1,000 yards? Yea, pretty unreal.

And it is with my whole heart that I hope Vick will get a chance to play for a club this season in the NFL. Whether it be starting in September or sitting back for a year or two to learn the offense again, he deserves a shot to show his uniquely rare skill set.

Yes, he hit a big bump a few years ago. And yes, it was a major speed bump. But now he has spent the time of punishment and has equally paid for what he did.

If the world is right, it should be a clean slate for Vick; and a whole new venture in the NFL.

As a sports fan, I cannot wait. 

This article was orginially published on The Purple Trojan

Brian Wagner is a Minnesota Vikings staff writer at Most Valuable Network.