Castrodale: Michael Vick has new lease on life, with an option to buy
Sep 28, 2010, 2:00 PM EDT
Editor’s note: Jelisa Castrodale’s column will now be appearing on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On the other weekdays it opens for Donny and Marie at the Flamingo Showroom in Las Vegas.
When jazz age novelist and frequent ascot wearer F. Scott Fitzgerald died in 1940, he left behind an Intervention-worthy drinking problem, an institutionalized former wife and a stack of disorganized notebooks that a well-meaning editor would later assemble into his final novel. On one yellowed page, he bitterly scrawled “There are no second acts in American lives,” which works as an epitaph but not so much as fortune cookie filler.
It’s a bummer for Fitzy that he was under a marble slab in Maryland seven decades before second acts became our standard of living. If it weren’t for second acts or second chances, VH1 wouldn’t have a single prime time program, we wouldn’t watch a shirtless, mud-caked Jimmy Johnson stare blankly into the camera on Survivor and Michael Vick absolutely wouldn’t be preparing for his second week as Philadelphia’s starting quarterback.
Two years ago, the thought of seeing Michael Vick scrambling around a football field again — evading defenders and leaving would-be tacklers with their arms around his shadow — seemed highly unlikely, if not flat-out impossible. You know why. Everyone knows why, even those who never watched his record-setting seasons at Virginia Tech, the ones who had no idea he’d been the NFL’s number one overall draft pick, or paid attention when he spent a pair of Februarys playing in the Pro Bowl.
Everyone knows Michael Vick because of the dogs.
Because of what he did with them.
Because of what he did to them.
In August 2007, Vick pleaded guilty to felony dogfighting charges and was sentenced to 23 months in prison. He served nineteen months in a federal facility and spent another two on house arrest. The NFL suspended him indefinitely, without pay, and commissioner Roger Goodell condemned his actions as “cruel and reprehensible”. As a final exclamation point on the severity of his actions, Reebok stopped manufacturing Michael Vick jerseys and quickly pulled the existing ones off of store shelves and websites like they were tainted, toxic products … and who would argue that they weren’t?
Since his release in July 2009, Vick has been uncharacteristically humble, soft-spoken and apologetic.
“Sign him,” Philadelphia’s then-quarterback Donovan McNabb texted coach Andy Reid.
So they did. After Dungy was willing to vouch for his character, the Eagles immediately gave Vick a one-year deal, apparently assuming that Vick had spent the past nineteen months living The Longest Yard, lining up beside Burt Reynolds and scrimmaging against the guards every Sunday.
“My hat is off to Donovan because Donovan kind of led the charge on this whole thing,” Reid told the Philadelphia Inquirer at the time. McNabb was more than willing to work with Vick, teaching him the playbook and otherwise treating him as a fixer-upper with an unfortunate felony conviction.
By all accounts, Vick respected McNabb’s leadership, both on and off the field. An August 2000 ESPN the Magazine noted that the then-Virginia Tech freshman version of Vick carried a notebook covered with taped-on pictures of McNabb, providing the most startling glimpse into the future since a preteen Katie Holmes spent her evenings making out with a Top Gun poster.
And then McNabb was gone. On Easter Sunday, the Washington Redskins woke up, rubbed the sleep out of their eyes and discovered a basket filled with half-eaten marshmallow Peeps, soft plastic grass and a slightly disgruntled Donovan McNabb.
Reid and the Eagles management decided to base their offense around the largely untested Kevin Kolb, the 2007 second rounder who might eventually develop into the off-brand Drew Brees or — more likely — a beefier Marc Bulger. Kolb had one solid start last season, racking up over three hundred yards against the Kansas City Chiefs, a performance that should come with some kind of disclaimer since even Katharine Hepburn could’ve connected eight or nine times against their defense. Is she even alive? It doesn’t matter.
Unfortunately for Kolb’s Kareer Aspirations, in Philly’s season opener against Green Bay, he took a hit from Clay Matthews that left him with a chunk of earth in his facemask and a brain that was scrambled like a pirated cable channel. Enter Michael Vick, who threw for 175 yards and a score in the Eagles 27-20 loss. Since Kolb’s concussed brain was still the consistency of baby food, Vick got the start the next week, showing flashes of brilliance and making throws that Kolb would struggle to imitate on an Xbox.
Reid insisted that Kolb would remain the Eagles’ official starter, while Vick was equally convincing when he told reporters that he would be A-OK with the backup role. “That’s been my mindset,” he said. “I’ve been working hard to be reliable whenever I’m needed. That’s the way it’s … gonna be throughout the season.”
That lasted one day. “Michael Vick is playing out of his mind right now and that’s a beautiful thing,” Reid gushed, beginning the press conference in which he would place Vick on top of the quarterback depth chart.
Vick made the most of his first official start, going 17-31 and passing for 291 yards in Sunday’s 28-3 throttling of the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team that couldn’t be more unwatchable if they’d been directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
So what happens now, save for the inevitable stories about redemption and an embarrassing number of canine-themed headlines? Off the field, Vick obviously needs to avoid anything that involves a police investigation, like when his thirtieth birthday party ended after one guest blew out the candles with a handgun.
On the field, he’s working through a one-year contract and the Eagles haven’t talked about an extension; he may not be Mr. Right, but he’ll work as Mr. Right Now. Of course even if he leads Philly to a Super Bowl victory, wins the MVP award and in the offseason he throws together a cure for pancreatic cancer, there won’t be unanimous celebration and enthusiastic applause. He’s never going to get a Disney-produced bio-pic, and not just because Kevin Costner’s too old to convincingly play him. His past is indefensible and, for many people, inseparable for from his present.
“It takes time. You have to go out and do the right things,” Vick told an Atlanta radio station earlier this year. “It takes patience for you to go out and fulfill all your obligations. And that’s what I plan on doing.”
Or as F. Scott Fitzgerald scribbled in one of his final unorganized notebooks, “Action is character.” That’s not a bad way to start your second act.
***
Jelisa Castrodale is a writer and comedian who has learned a lot about life by making a mess of her own. She chronicles her failures at The Typing Makes Me Sound Busy, and twitters while she waits at stoplights. Castrodale was featured in the book Twitter Wit and was named one of Mashable’s 10 Funniest Twitterers. Her column appears on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact her at jacastrodale@gmail.com.
Also by Jelisa Castrodale …
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- stopjockin'myswag - Sep 29, 2010 at 6:10 PM
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Ok, so prison time, approx. 1 million dollars in fines, bankruptcy (personal & business), loss of income and social standing aren’t enough?
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- tomtom - Sep 29, 2010 at 6:12 PM
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There are two sides to every coin. With neither side being more valid than the other. Some people call America the land of opportunity. I think it’s more accurate to call America the land of second chances. Because no matter how badly you screw up, Americans believe you should get a second chance to redeem yourself and help make things right.
Michael Vick has served his time and has repaid his debt to society. But I think that he’ll always be a viewed as a monster in the court of public opinion. And I’m fine with that. If you do the crime, do the time. If people want to forgive him fine. If not, just as fine. This is a free country and everyone’s entitled to their own opinions. Let Vick have his second chance. It’s the American thing to do.
And to those who pulled out the race card. Please stop. I can’t speak for everyone, but I know the same folks bashing Vick were the same ones also bashing Ben Rothlisberger over the rape allegations. In fact everyone was bashing Rape-lisberger except for the most hardcore Steelers fans with their pathetic defense of him.
For all the animal haters, I think you’re being too insesitive. You may not care if innocent animals are cruely tortured and killed. Because, hey they’re just a bunch of dumb animals and we’re the humans. Who gives a crap how they’re treated b/c hey we got bigger stuff to worry about.
Perhaps, but I’d argue that’s the same line of reasoning that allowed the enslavement and mistreatment of human beings for thousands of years. Because hey, slaves aren’t really human so who cares if someone tortures and kills their slave for their own sadistic pleasure? Forget the slaves, free people are going hungry. We got bigger things to worry about.
I’m rooting for Michael Vick to make the best of his second chance. I’m hoping a bunch of positives can come out of this.
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- KevHouston - Sep 29, 2010 at 6:15 PM
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I hope you never make a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes, some more heinous than others. Some people forget that Paul who wrote nearly 1/2 the new testament used to kill Christians.
Forgive and forget. You need to do both, or it is like you haven’t done either.
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- birdpilot - Sep 29, 2010 at 6:21 PM
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Because he SERVED HIS TIME!!! Damn it!
I guess YOU NEVER did ANYTHING that would look bad if we saw in on the front page of the NYT?
Forgiveness for a person that has atoned for, and paid for, their mistakes is a virtue. Evidently you are NOT virtuous yourself.
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- guest - Sep 29, 2010 at 6:22 PM
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@ Larry H
are you kidding me right now? RAY LEWIS was involved in a stabbing where a HUMAN BEING was MURDERED, and he FLIPPED ON HIS FRIENDS in court SO HE COULD SLITHER OUT OF TROUBLE AND GET PROBATION.
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- cj - Sep 29, 2010 at 6:38 PM
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What that sicko Paul did does not provide an excuse for Vick’s behavior or anyone else. Paul is a major reason Christianity if so F***ed up. No real God would make Paul a hero. Paul is the reason I can’t stomach christian church. Nothing Christlike about Paul.
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- cj - Sep 29, 2010 at 6:52 PM
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Why do people who claim to be christian elevate Paul above Christ?
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- queenie - Sep 29, 2010 at 9:16 PM
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vick’s a lowlife thug, who fought, tortured, hung, electrocuted, drowned, and murdered innocent creatures who were only doing what they were trained to do to please their owner. enjoy your life now, you monster, as your afterlife will be hell.
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- deiong - Sep 29, 2010 at 10:43 PM
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he did something with dogs? gross, next he’ll want tax writeoffs for him and his dogs. then parades and then allow it in the military and who knows what else.
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- shay - Sep 30, 2010 at 3:06 PM
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You are a sad person pat…get over yourself what you are really mad about it that he paid his debt and got his job back and is making a very good living. There are people that starve dogs neglect them all in the name of making a profit. Watch animal plant sometimes and I’ve seen some of the most unspeakable acts against all types of animals on some of thoes shows but none of thoes people get 24 months, some of thoes people they have busted more than once. So get a grip. I will continue to pray for that man and his family. And continue to hate all you want while he shows out on the football field.
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- Little D - Sep 30, 2010 at 4:18 PM
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When my daughter was a sophmore in highschool she stole a watch while on an FBLA trip…the first time she had ever done something wrong in her life. The teachers wanted to expell her or send her to in school suspension. However, she was and is my daughter. I am thankful that she learned her lesson not to still the hard way before it was a felony, but none the less she made a mistake. Michael Vicks made a mistake and he has paid restitution for that mistake. Should we just take him out and hang him? He is someones, son, and he is a role model for kids to own up to there mistakes. He admitted what he did was wrong…no it won’t bring back the life of the dogs. However, Vicks is a humane being and to many human beings are on drugs and killing other human beings or committing suicide because of all the peer pressure. Michael Vick has turned a bad choice of action into a good situation, whomever doesn’t see that is simply jealous of a good man.
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- Tastic - Sep 30, 2010 at 6:41 PM
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Michael Vick deserves a second chance. All people deserve a second chance if they are truly remorseful and willing to work their way back into society They also deserve to be able to work at their profession.
Vick is demonstrating he has the character to improve and shows us all that people deserve a second chance.
I hope he continues to improve and shows people what can be achieved if we are willing to forgive. Just don’t let us down again
Keep it up Vick!!! Well done!!!
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- lee - Oct 1, 2010 at 2:27 AM
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Don’t be so self righteous. I’m so tired of people judging this guy. I’ve been taught by my parents and others in the community were i grew up that only God can judge. Some of us act as if we never did anything bad in our entire lives we were perfect. But we all know that is not true. We all have skeletons including you haters. You may have more skeletons than Vick. So like “who are you to judge”?
There many people that have committed horrible crimes to other human beings and spent less time in jail. So take a look in the mirror before you start throwing stones, and get off that high horse of yours and wish the guy the best of luck.
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- Brian - Oct 1, 2010 at 8:00 AM
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Christian nation, my ass, you be whatever religion you want, but that scumbag doesn’t deserve a second shot, he should be applying for a retail job or pushing carts. Those dogs were tortured to death and you don’t have to be an animal lover to care about other living beings getting mentally abused then slaughtered. His apology is meaningless, weightless, and hollow. As for christian nation, just because a bunch of christians live here, doesn’t label the nation. Keep your fairytails to yourself.
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- jaeson cayne - Oct 1, 2010 at 12:19 PM
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I agree that Michael Vick did some horrible things to dogs. But one has to look at how he grew up. He grew up in a culture that said this was normal. He di dnot know any better. The “friends” that he associated with gave him permission do continue with this process. I am not making an excuse for him I am just tyring to shed a different perspective on the situastion.
As faqr as his football career, I believe that he should be given a second chance. People screw up and they shyould be given the opportunityh to right their wrongs. One comment was that he would be a good role model for those kids to show that even if you went on the wrong road, America allows you the opportunity to rehabilitate yourself.
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- JimmyMuchetti - Oct 1, 2010 at 4:29 PM
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You’re dreaming and trying to re-write reality to suit your purpose. Vick is a *****. Simply said that is it. He was deeply involved. Was there while killings took place. Approved of the abuse, and hasn’t finished taking care of his victims to this day. He is an ass.
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- solomon - Oct 1, 2010 at 7:23 PM
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Many humans have less worth than a good dog. They are less loyal, less honest, and often times less intelligent. They also make conscious and deliberate decisions to be cruel,deriving a sadistic pleasure from it. The rational mind is what is supposed to seperate man from animal, it doesn’t make him better by virtue of having it ,in fact it makes him a monster when he chooses to kill not for sustenance or survival, but merely for sport. “If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principle difference between a dog and a man.” – Mark Twain
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- solomon - Oct 1, 2010 at 7:44 PM
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Many humans have less worth than a good dog. They are less loyal, less honest, and in some cases less intelligent. They also make conscious and deliberate decisions to be cruel, often times deriving a sadistic pleasure from their cruelty. The rational mind is what is supposed to seperate man from animal,but it does not make man better by virtue of having it. In fact,it makes him a monster when he chooses to kill or inflict pain, not for sustenance or survival, but merely for sport. “If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principle difference between a dog and a man” -Mark Twain
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- june - Oct 2, 2010 at 1:11 PM
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i’m a cowboy fan and even i am pulling for michael vick. i can’t believe that people are so stupid and misguided that they take to heart and believe everything the media puts out there. ted kennedy killed a girlfriend while drunk, but he is hailed as an american hero. i still remember when vick was sentenced a co-worker said to me that they care more about dogs than about human beings. how many murders go unsolved each year in the U.S., there are murderers all around us in our everyday lives, some caught and some still will never be caught, and yet the public is outraged over some dogs dying, who cares. while driving down the street how many ants are we killing, spiders, roaches, if we eat meat and don’t lie an animal was slaughtered for us to have food. our society is so misguided and so wrong until you think you are right. the gays and lesbians don’t have to apologize and they are holding hands nowadays. if someone came and scrutinized your entire life what would they find, really mike vick has done nothing deserving of going to jail, but nowadays we live in an age of public debate. there are congressmen and senators or diplomats that have done far worse things and presidents come in and pardon them., scudder libbey ring a bell, bush pardoned him and there was no public outcry, why is there one with vick. obama let his friend be over the irs while he was behind on his own taxes., i didn’t hear a public outcry, he certainly didn’t go to jail and loose everything. we live in a country where slavery was legal for hundreds of years, are whites calling this reprehensible, unthinkable, or unspeakeable, i think not. our nation has become so politically correct until there is no line between right and wrong, there are bigger problems than dog fighting, really who cares if dogs fight, i certainly don’t. i’m a black male, how many jobs have i not gotten because of my skin color or because the crimes of the past have not faded, are whites and you know who you are, saying it is reprehensible, unspeakeable, or unthinkable, no they go own about their daily lives as if nothing happened or it was son long ago until it does not matter anymore. I WANT YOU TO GET A CLEAR PICTURE WHEN I SAY THIS, DID YOU KNOW THAT A WHITE MALE WITH A FELONY CONVICTION STANDS A BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING A JOB OFFER THAN A BLACK MALE WITH NO FELONIES AND A COLLEGE DEGREE SUCH AS MYSELF, NOW SOLVE THAT.
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- faith - Oct 5, 2010 at 3:00 PM
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It blows my mind how most of the people writing about what Vick did to the dog never think about what was done to the Indians and Blacks in this country at the hands of the white man. But never have they paid one day but every other race must pay when they do something wrong. I find that funny how people can always see the bad in others and want look at themselves in the mirror. I am so happy that God will be the final judge of this world.
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- Tony A - Oct 13, 2010 at 3:17 PM
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Well said…
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- Tony A - Oct 13, 2010 at 3:19 PM
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Vick, yes; Bush, NO!
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- maxz - Oct 15, 2010 at 1:34 PM
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You suck. Please hang yourself.
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- maxz - Oct 15, 2010 at 1:51 PM
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Martha may make meals from dead animal parts (which I wouldn’t eat because I’m a vegetarian) but she didn’t TORTURE, ELECTROCUTE AND DROWN the animals. Only a sick and deeply disturbed individual like Vick would do those things.
