Michael Vick: Come to the New York Jets with the Past in the Past

Dec 15, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback

(7) against the Minnesota Vikings at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. The Vikings defeated the Eagles 48-30. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

I thought this topic was a memory, but with the news that came out this week, it isn’t. Therefore, it needs to be repeated.

We have talked many times about the addition of Michael Vick to this football team. A while back, I presented my football argument against it, you can look back at it by clicking here.

If you notice, nothing about my argument has anything to do with his past legal troubles.  Why?  Because they don’t make a difference at this point.  Michael Vick has paid his debt.

Craig Hoffman spoke very eloquently on this topic here, and that is what I am piggy-backing on with this morning’s opinion.

A few days ago, we learned that there is a petition circulating with some fans, that has been presented to the SUNY Cortland president.  This petition is requesting that Michael Vick be banned from the Cortland campus.  Why?  Because of his previous troubles with the dog-fighting.  We don’t need to go into detail, it has been more than well-documented.

Anybody who follows this site with any regularity knows how I feel about bringing Michael Vick onto this team.  I hate it.  I have hated it from day one.  My argument that I have linked to actually predicts that it could turn into a disaster.  But the point is, it has to do with football, and how he will fit in with this football team.  It has nothing to do with dogfighting.  That is in the past.

On that, Michael Vick comes to the New York Jets with the past being just that, the past.

In this country, when you get convicted, or you take a plea bargain on a crime, you are sent to jail, and you are part of the “Department of Corrections”.  The idea is that we are sent to prison, to correct the behavior.  Once you have served your sentence, that’s it.  You have done your time for your crime, and you get the right in this country to move on.  If it isn’t a crime that has put you away for life, you get the opportunity to move on.

Michael Vick went to prison for his crimes.  He did his time for his crime.  Tony Dungy spent time with Michael, and was able to tell that he was a changed man.  He has behaved like a changed man since he has been out of prison.  Michael Vick has been, for all intents and purposes, a model citizen this time around.  We know how much of a disciplinarian that Roger Goodell is, and even HE is comfortable with Michael Vick working again.

Who are we to say that he shouldn’t, due to something in his past?  It isn’t fair.  The guy did his time, and that is all he needed to do.

You want Michael Vick here?  That’s great.  You don’t?  That’s also fine.  Just keep it to a football and team-related argument.  Stop with the petitions related to dogfighting.  He did his time.

Michael Vick comes to New York with his past being the past.