By D'Arcy Maine, NFL Draft Bible
As a struggling graduate student, I often daydream about what my life would be like if I were a professional athlete with a multi-million dollar contract, various endorsements and a fame that could get me essentially anything I wanted. It’s an enticing thought that has probably crossed the mind of every sports fan. I’d like to think that, in addition to my “Cribs”-worthy mansion in South Beach and a slew of sports cars, I would use my wealth and fame to do some good for society. And, many athletes today do just that, founding charities and foundations to benefit their community.
And then there are athletes like Michael Vick.
I didn’t want to write about him. There is such a media onslaught surrounding his case that I didn’t want to add to it. But I’m angry and in disbelief. I can’t believe a man with so much potential for greatness, on and off the field, could throw it all away for dog fighting.
Just the idea of dog fighting conjures up barbaric images. It is hard to believe a normal, sane person would want anything to do with such a practice. But, then the discovery that Vick himself participated in the execution of “underachieving” dogs in such heinous methods marks him as a very troubled young man.
If you asked me this time last year about Michael Vick, I would have been singing his praises. His well-documented childhood story is inspiring and hopeful. Vick managed to make it from an impoverished boyhood in a housing project to gain a full scholarship at Virginia Tech where he led the Hokies to two highly successful seasons, then opted to leave school after his redshirt-sophomore year to financially support his family.
As the number one draft pick in 2001, Vick quickly became a star in the league. By his second season he was the starting quarterback for the Falcons and was named to the Pro Bowl. Vick became the face of the Atlanta franchise and landed lucrative contracts with Nike, EA Sports, Coca-Cola and several others. In 2004, he became the then-highest paid athlete of all time in any sport with a deal topping 130 million dollars.
It is hard to imagine growing up in poverty and then suddenly being one of the richest people in America by the age of 25. But for Michael Vick and his family this seemingly-impossible dream had come true.
Vick seemed committed to using his celebrity to help at risk youth in Atlanta and in his hometown establishing “The Vick Foundation”. His success on the field also served as an inspiration to the African-American community as he became one of the most talented African-Americans to ever play the position. Vick became a role model in Atlanta and across the country.
In 2005, his younger brother Marcus was thrown off the Virginia Tech football team for legal issues and the story of a highly troubled young man emerged in the press. All the while, the elder Vick brother maintained his role model image. I remember being amazed at the extreme dichotomy of the Vick brothers- one the superstar athlete and the other a cocky thug who believed himself to be above the law. When the accusations of dog fighting first began in April, most quickly jumped to the quarterback’s defense and blamed Vick’s family who were mooching off of his money and behaving illegally behind his back.
But now we see a different picture of the superstar brother that ultimately isn’t all that different than Marcus. And now, after blatantly lying about his innocence, the $130-million-dollar man will plead guilty next week to dog fighting.
It is not just his career that will suffer- he has let down Falcons fans and, more importantly, the millions of young kids who idolized him and used his story as an inspiration to better their own lives. Whether he chose to be or not, Vick is (or perhaps, was) a role model and a pioneer in the once- segregated quarterback position. Everything he does has been watched and scrutinized by the media and the public. Consequently, Michael Vick had a responsibility bigger than just to himself. And he let everyone down.
D'Arcy Maine delivers the NFL scoop every week at 4th & Goal. Make sure you stay in the know all season long with her exclusive "View From The Couch".
Email: darcy@nfldraftbible.com
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2 comments:
Thank you for focusing on the social responsibility that comes with being in the public eye. Pro athletes must realize the huge population of youth that grow up idolizing them, and they can be a healthy image among thousands of cocaine addicts, drunk drivers, etc. who are famous. It is too bad when someone throws it away like that, he really let a lot of people down.
Vick had everything going for him. It is difficult to believe what has been happening these past few weeks. Like you said he has always been a role model for many people. When he came into the league, he made his teammates better from the start and even brought a different aura to the game that we had not seen before. Now I honestly don’t care if I see him play another football game after his jail time.
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