Michael Vick's Redemption Song: The Resurgence of the Eagles QB

                Second chances are rarely appreciated, and unfortunately, they are sometimes taken for granted.  NFL Hall of Famers like O.J. Simpson and Lawrence Taylor have fallen victim to this frequently self-evident truth.  While there are thousands of people arrested every day, there are several –hundred Americans whom are released on a daily basis as well, and for whatever reason, whether it be blamed on faults in the American correctional system or just individual issues out of rehabilitation’s control, a good portion continue to become repeat offenders.

                After Simpson’s infamous 1995 murder trial, he was later convicted of 12 charges in 2007 including robbery, coercion, kidnapping and conspiracy, and was sentenced to a maximum of 33 years in federal prison with parole eligibility in 9.  Despite not having any major arrests against him, Taylor had been a high-profile drug user his entire career, and just when it seemed that he had been living the straight-life with over 10 years of sobriety, he was charged with third-degree statutory rape and was later charged with third-degree patronization.  He was indicted of these charges, pled not guilty, and faces up to 5 years in prison and life-time sex-offender registration as he awaits trial.

                Michael Vick was a young guy with lots of promise, being the 2^nd runner-up in the Heisman race in 1999, tying the record for the highest placing freshman for the trophy.  He won the first ever Archie Griffin Award, won the ESPY for the College Player of the Year in 2000, and was selected as the first overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons; the first African-American to receive the honor in league history.

                In his first six years in the NFL as the driving offensive force of the Georgia Dome, he led the Falcons to several NFC South titles and numerous playoff appearances, including one NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005.  He was a Pro-Bowler in 2002, 2004 and 2005, while setting a number of rushing QB yardage records and milestones.

                In spite of these achievements, Vick managed to juggle success with notoriety hand-in-hand.  In 2004, two men were arrested for possession of marijuana in a truck that was registered to his name.  In 2005, he was accused of passing a sexually transmitted disease to a woman who’d said he had withheld the information of him having it from her, while he secretly inquired medical attention under the moniker “Ron Mexico”.  After a big loss to the New Orleans Saints, Vick flipped the bird to Atlanta fans after they’d erupted in boos at the team’s performance.  Still, all of this on-and-off-the-field misbehavior would not compare to the ensuing issues.

An investigation led to the discovery of the Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting ring which happened to be located on a piece of property owned by Michael Vick.  He, along with four friends, were convicted of felony conspiracy and dogfight promotions.  Vick was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of probation.  He lost whatever endorsements he had left after the middle-finger incident the year before, he was released from the Atlanta Falcons, an arbitrator ruled that Vick had to reimburse $19.97 million of his original signing bonus back to the team, and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008.

                All things had seemed to hit rock bottom, but then the media back-lash that followed would prove that there was still more falling to do.  PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) called for national campaigns against dog-fighting, and essentially, against Vick.  If he had not been viewed as the most hated man in sports, he may have very well been the most hated man in America throughout the time.  Despite being defended by many sports’ figures, the general consensus was that Vick was a money-hungry, ill-mannered animal abuser who viewed dogs as nothing more than pawns to a means of entertainment.

                In 2009, upon release from incarceration, Mike was signed to a 1-year, $1.6 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, with a possible extension into the following year for $5 million.  Apparently, QB Donovan McNabb had suggested the idea to Head Coach Andy Reid, whom which Vick backed up for the majority of the 2009 season.  In an NFC Wild Card game against the Dallas Cowboys, Vick threw a 76-yard TD pass to Jeremy Maclin, the longest pass in a Philadelphia playoff game and of Vick’s career.  During the offseason, Vick said “I feel like I'm probably better than I ever was in my career, as far as the mental aspect of the game… Physically --- That will come.  That is easy.”  This would only prove to foreshadow things to come…

                After the Eagles took the option to re-sign Vick with a $1.6 million bonus, Andy Reid had already slated Kevin Kolb as the starting QB of his offense after having traded McNabb to their division rivals, the Washington Redskins.  Kolb was taken out of the first of game of the season with a concussion, where Vick pretty much took the game over from the 2^nd half on.  He rallied the Eagles from a 20-3 deficit to a 27-20 loss, coming up short on a late 4^th quarter 4^th-and-1 play.  Reid, still adamant about starting Kolb in Week 2, had to swallow his words by the end of the game, after benching Kolb and reinstating Vick mid-game as he carried Philly to a victory with two TD passes and 37 rushing yards.

                He took a nasty hit in Week 4, where he was sandwiched by two defenders, causing a rib cartilage injury that side-lined him for the rest of the game and the next three weeks.  The Eagles would lose this game to the Redskins, led by one of their former team captains, Donovan McNabb.

                After returning in time to start for a win against the Indianapolis Colts, Mike knew the time to truly redeem himself had come to the fore.  A Week 10 Monday Night Football rematch in Washington gave Vick the opportunity to show the nation what he was truly capable of against a team that had unexpectedly gotten the best of him.  Vick displayed an outstanding, career-setting performance with a total of 4 passing touchdowns, 2 rushing touchdowns, 333 passing yards and 80 rushing yards.  The show began with the first play of the game being an 88-yard TD bomb from scrimmage to Desean Jackson, leading the Eagles to a 28-0 run in the first quarter alone, as he became the first player in NFL history to pass for three touchdowns and rush for another two in the first half.  The MNF massacre ended in a 59-28 Philadelphia victory, lifting them to a tie with the NY Giants in the NFC East, which would later be broken by another Philly win against NY this past Sunday night with another stellar exhibition by the quarterback.

                Here was a man who was on consistent path of reaching the top, but kept letting bad influences get in his way.  He was nearly broke, and had been locked behind bars for close to two years.  He had it all, and had it all taken away in an instant.  These are the road-to-glory stories frequently fabled in made-for-TV movies.  This reality-TV version of it is much more fitting.

He has not only re-earned his spot back into a league that had cast him away, he’s not only managed get a starting job back, but he is conceiving one of the greatest comeback seasons in NFL history!  He may very well be on pace for achieving both the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award as well as the NFL MVP at the same time!

                He has not only revived the hopes of the Philadelphia Eagles after trading away a franchise quarterback, but he’s revitalized the league in an exciting and entertaining way never reached before since even earlier in Vick’s career.  He’s playing at a level he’s never experienced before.  What he does on the field isn’t something you can teach; he has managed to merge a new found understanding of the game of football with his irreplaceable natural-born abilities, creating a hybrid of player only seen in one person since the inception of the league.  No other quarterback in the league can run as quickly, evade as elusively, while now throwing and passing strongly and precisely, nor lead as confidently and furiously as Michael Vick.  He’s a force to be reckoned with in the NFL and only amplifies all of those players around him.  Young teammates like Desean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Lesean McCoy are playing remarkable ball with Vick at the helm, and with the Philadelphia Eagles defense playing as stoutly as they have, they could very well be on their way to a second Super Bowl appearance in under 10 years (a big feat considering this franchise hasn’t won a national championship in over half of a century).

                Anyone who is alive today and loves the sport of football should appreciate and cherish this man’s resurgence to triumph.  Sure, he’s made mistakes, grave, unforgivable mistakes, but we are all human, and if we cannot learn through guidance, we can do it through trial and error, regardless of how many times it takes.  He traveled the road to perdition and slammed into a wall; he picked up the pieces, and is on the high road back to redemption.  The season is long, as is every game week to week, but if Michael Vick has not earned your respect, he will strive to do so on EVERY given Sunday.