Second Chance

In today’s San Diego Union-Tribune Jim Trotter argues that Michael Vick should be given a second chance at playing in the NFL after serving time for his role in the dogfighting scheme at his home in Virginia, a role of which he is most certainly guilty.

I could not disagree more. I respect Jim Trotter and his football acumen, but on this issue I believe he is absolutely, dead wrong.

He cites examples of other NFL players who have been given second chances and made good, but the offenses of those players are almost trivial compared to the role played by Michael Vick, and they are lesser both in kind and in degree.

The transgressions of those players were momentary lapses of judgement, impulsive actions. Vick’s actions were cold-blooded, long term, calculated, inhumane acts committed for personal financial gain.

The moral turpitude of the acts committed by Vick defy imagination. Personal drug use or the rash use of a firearm can be understood, forgiven. How can we forgive the repeated, cold-blooded murder of helpless animals?

The gambling engaged in by the examples that Jim Trotter cites is players placing bets. Vick didn’t merely place a few bets, he organized, funded and was the central figure of a major gambling ring.

Second chances are for people who make mistakes. What Michael Vick did was no mistake.

Chargers Saturday night

Yeah, on the good end of a 30-13 score. But the first string offense played
a full half and wound up with 118 yards and 7 points. That's a long way from being a stellar performance, but they looked better than the defense did. Defense featured lots of missed tackles, blown coverages... Sigh.