As I understand it, Michael Vick has a new job working with several Boy’s and Girl’s Clubs in Virginia where he will be involved in fitness activities. He is still serving his federal sentence and has not yet be reinstated into the NFL. I would presume that his role is to be, on some level, a role model to these kids. But what message is he supposed to pass along?
He did not stop the dogfighting until he was caught. This was an activity that occurred multiple times over the years so he had plenty of time to decide to stop. He was not under the influence of anyone or anything to the point that he could not change his behavior. Part of his punishment is to educate these kids. You don’t want him to say that he’s only working at the Boys & Girls Clubs to fulfill a requirement, that, if given the opportunity, he’d rather be playing football than be a role model to them. Sure he can say dogfighting is wrong and I guess that, since they are kids and may not follow the news, they won’t know he didn’t think that until he was arrested for it.
The financial reorganization plan he is working on to resolve his bankrupcy issues is structured as if his playing in the NFL in the future is guaranteed. So he’s planning to pick up right where he left off. So he can’t say going to prison really hurt him. In this ecomony, bankrupcy is practically an everyday occurance and happens to people with a lot less income than him. The bankrupcy isn’t necessarily due to his financial irresponsibility. So how does he learn and grow from this so that he can tell kids what not to do?
Sure, he was probably hanging around the wrong people and that fostered these activities. But since he’s not been out of jail long, I don’t think he can show that he knows how to avoid the bad people and pick the good people. He probably hasn’t lost familial relationships over this so he can’t say he’s suffered in that way.
Hopefully HE will learn what they may not have taught him in college, that he cannot trust that everyone he comes in contact with is there for the right reasons and that, when employed by the NFL (or any company) he is in the public eye and must conduct him self in a manner that represents the league, the team, and himself, well. I believe that talented kids are given lots of help to get through the academics of college and as money-makers for those colleges are placated to stay with whatever attention and perks are needed. He quite possibly never learned a lot of things about how to get along in this world.
Posted by medivalia 