The scales of justice have been calibrated, the debt to society paid in full and now the life of Michael Vick lies in the balance. Once known as The Experience, Vick is now an – experiment – for any NFL team willing to take the chance. With all of the NFL teams having started training camp no club has come forward to express interest in the maligned former star with the exception of possibly the New England Patriots.
Know facing the court of public opinion many feel the punishment should continue despite Vick having already taken one of the largest falls from grace and wealth in sports history. Vick’s financial loss estimated between $100-$150 million dollars for his part in a dog fighting ring conducted on his property. In retrospect, O.J. Simpson’s civil judgment for the murder of two human beings was $33.5 million.
The fact is there are many who value the life of a dog, man’s best friend, over man himself. Leona Helmsley left $12 million for her Maltese dog “Trouble” – no relation to Vick’s Bad News Kennels – and left nothing to two of her grandchildren. A little known fact is that the L.A. riots in 1992 was as much, or more, about a dog being valued over human life than about Rodney King suffering police brutality. The verdict in the King case sparked what was already a powder keg in the Los Angeles community.
Her name was Latasha Harlins, she was a 15 year-old high school student who was shot in the back of the head by a store owner who thought she was stealing. She died with $2.00 clenched in her hand, the money to pay for the $1.79 orange juice. The judge in the ensuing murder trial, Judge Joyce Karlin handed down a verdict that included no jail time and a $500. fine. In an earlier case in the same county of Los Angeles, Brendan Sheen was given 30 days jail time for kicking his dog. The Los Angeles community was outraged but waited to see how the Rodney King verdict would end just a couple of weeks away.
The rest of the story played out on national television with L.A. ablaze in the worst riots since the assassination of Martin Luther King. The mantra in L.A. was, “kick a dog go to jail, kill a (child) walk away”.
Whether it’s animal abuse, child abuse, murder, infidelity, or rape, we choose whom to vilify and whom to glorify whether it be a conviction or an implication. John Dillinger was one of the most deadly criminals of the 20th Century who is still being glorified to this day with Johnny Depp playing Dillinger and raking in millions in the movie Public Enemies. Even President Bill Clinton still loved, accepted, honored and respected, lied and cheated on his wife in the White House. Clinton still had the influence and respect to get American prisoners released from Korean jails this past week. While politicians like John Edwards, Gary Hart and New York Governor David Paterson were exiled for their infidelity.
We pick and choose who our heroes are and judge who gets a second chance and who doesn’t. Even the sports world, there are those who get a second chance and those who don’t. Marv Alpert was recently the announcer in Super Bowl XLII (and five other Super Bowls) despite felony ch arges in a sexual assault that was reduced to conviction of assault and battery on a woman. Kobe Bryant accused of raped and admitted to infidelity, settled in a civil suit and eventually regained his commercial endorsements. Bryant is now widely accepted and celebrated – except in Denver, Colorado – the state where the alleged rape took place.
Other athletes still accepted as super-star heroes despite their indiscretions include the likes of Super Bowl MVP, Ray Lewis (obstruction in murder case), Alex Rodriguez (drugs), Manny Ramirez (drugs), and Michael Phelps (drugs).
Contrary, for similar offenses, there are those who are not forgiven like Barry Bonds (drugs), Marion Jones (drugs), Mike Tyson (rape), O.J. Simpson and Ray Carruth (murder).
Glorified or vilified, forgiven or banished, each individual has one thing in common; each is human and incapable of being perfect. The true measure of success is when you fall down and can get back on your feet. Forgive yourself and hope those around you can do the same. Learn from your mistakes and become stronger because of them.
Was the price Michael Vick paid and continues to pay commensurate to the crime? Is Michael Vick truly remorseful for what he did? Can Michael Vick ever be forgiven?
