MICHAEL VICK'S RETURN TO NFL: LOOKING AT BOTH SIDES OF THE FIELD
Monday, July 20, 2009 at 08:00AM 
Michael Vick (Copyright "The Starting Five") Every time I write about athletes, I feel inclined to remind you that I was engaged to an NFL player for the first 6 years of his career. So, my opinions of professional athletes and professional sports comes with a rare insider's perspective: a) most significant others of professional athletes do not publicly share their opinions, and b) if they do speak out, they surely don't they bring a combined legal background.
With that said, the Michael Vick issue allows for me to look at his case from both sides of the field. On one side, I'm a criminal defense attorney. On the other side, I'm a insider who has witnessed the behaviors of professional athletes who hold themselves out to be role models but certainly do not act accordingly.
From the criminal defense attorney's side of the field, I believe Michael Vick should be able to return to football. As an attorney who focuses her practice on expungement of criminal records, I believe people who have done their time for the crime, should be allowed to return to work. What else is Michael Vick going to do besides play football? No, don't make the argument that he has so much money to do something else. Money isn't the issue. What about the carpenter or the truck driver who is released after doing his time? These people must be allowed to return to work so they can provide for their families. If not, their risk of recidivism increases. Michael Vick did his time, now let him get back to the field.
From the other side of the field, as an ex-fiancée of a NFL player, I have reservations about whether Michael Vick should return. Criminal behavior in professional sports is rampant. The players are constantly getting into trouble; to name a few: Pacman Jones, Plaxico Burress, Ray Lewis...that's just to name a few. Then, you have the baseball players who are accused of using illegal steroids to enhance their performance. And if you put all the publicly known criminal behaviors aside, what about all the stuff that goes on behind closed doors that is never reported but generally known and accepted? From this side of the field, I say Michael Vick was given an opportunity to play in the NFL and by engaging in criminal behavior, he violated the terms of his contract. A professional athlete held to a higher standard - that's part of the job. From this side of the field, I say that if the NFL reinstates Michael Vick, they are sending the wrong signal to its players and its fans.
See my blog on Plaxico Burress: Professional Athletes Continue to Shoot Themselves in the Foot
Michael Vick, NFL, conviction, prison, reinstate in Sports 
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Reader Comments (3)
If Michael can make the team, he should play. In some cultures, dog fights are an acceptable form of entertainment.
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