Has Michael Vick paid his dues?

While this is in the realm of sport, I felt that someone should do something on this, so I decided to do so. Also, I live 2 miles from where he used to play, so yeah...

This question is this:
Has Michael Vick paid his debt to society?

While it is well known now that he has been conditionally reinstated by Roger Goodell, viz:

Vick can immediately take part in preseason practices, workouts and meetings and can play in the final two preseason games -- if he can find a team that will sign him. A number of teams have already said they would not.

Once the season begins, Vick may participate in all team activities except games, and Goodell said he would consider Vick for full reinstatement by Week 6 (Oct. 18-19) at the latest.

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Though reinstated, 27 of the 32 teams (as I type this) have turned down any possibility of putting on their teams, including the Falcons. While I can't remember all the teams that may take him back, the Vikings and the Cardinals were two of them. There is an increasing possibility that he may play for the new United Football League should no teams take him.

Even with this, his serving of his 2 1/2 year prison sentence, and his filing into bankruptcy, some still cannot see Michael Vick having atoned for his transgressions, including PETA saying that he needs a full brain scan. Their president, Ingrid Newkirk, saying:

"Saying sorry and getting his ball back after being caught enjoying killing dogs in hideously cruel ways for many years doesn't cut it,"... "Commissioner Goodell knows that he has an obligation to the league and to millions of fans, including children who look up to ballplayers as idols ..."

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In my opinion, I do feel that Michael Vick has atoned. However, with America being the must love dogs (pun intended ) nation it is, his road to redemption will be made impossible, which would be rather unfortunate.

However, I want to know what you think. Has Michael Vick fully paid his debt to society? Happy debating.

I do believe he has fully paid his debt to society. Of course some people hate him for what he did, but at the end of the day we are all human and we all make mistakes. Some of us just make bigger mistakes than others such as Michael Vick. Honestly I laughed when the PETA said he needed a full brain scan. Vick had a choice to run the dog fighting and he followed through with it. Was it right? No, but he made a mistake. If he does sometime like this again then I would consider a brain scan but the guy deserves a second chance. All I can do is hope that he learned his lesson and will not act like that again.

This also brings up the point that people don't respect what they already have. Vick had everything he wanted, he was a NFL player and had a ton of money but yet he would rather get himself in jail. To me this doesn't make sense because I would love to become a professional at anything, including Smash . As for him going to a NFL team, the team would need a lot heart. It isn't everyday that you sign someone that has killed dogs. Hopefully everything works well for Vick and that he can put all of this behind him and start another chapter on his life.

F1ZZ said:

I do believe he has fully paid his debt to society. Of course some people hate him for what he did, but at the end of the day we are all human and we all make mistakes. Some of us just make bigger mistakes than others such as Michael Vick. Honestly I laughed when the PETA said he needed a full brain scan. Vick had a choice to run the dog fighting and he followed through with it. Was it right? No, but he made a mistake. If he does sometime like this again then I would consider a brain scan but the guy deserves a second chance. All I can do is hope that he learned his lesson and will not act like that again.

This also brings up the point that people don't respect what they already have. Vick had everything he wanted, he was a NFL player and had a ton of money but yet he would rather get himself in jail. To me this doesn't make sense because I would love to become a professional at anything, including Smash . As for him going to a NFL team, the team would need a lot heart. It isn't everyday that you sign someone that has killed dogs. Hopefully everything works well for Vick and that he can put all of this behind him and start another chapter on his life.

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Some good points, but I think I can clarify for you why he may have gone the route of dog fighting. Please note I may not agree with these statements, but they are generally accepted as possible underlying factors to his imprisonment. A former mayor of my fine city , Andrew Young, saw this in Vick (http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1114033/index.htm):

But Young, as a black member of the Falcons' board of directors and an ordained minister, noticed things about Vick that fans and advertisers probably missed. He hadn't joined a local church. He didn't show any interest in socializing with prominent African-Americans from Atlanta who could provide advice on handling life in the public spotlight. He was "young and country," Young recalls, and he hung out almost exclusively with friends from his hometown of Newport News, Va. When Vick's rookie season ended, Young noted, he immediately "jumped on a plane back to Virginia."

In their brief talk, Young told Vick that being a star is a burden and that he needed to surround himself with smart, trustworthy people. He gave Vick his number and urged him to call. Over the next five years Young attempted to steer him toward a church near Newport News that he hoped Vick would attend.

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What I took away from this was that Vick, while having all the money in world, would spend it on his old life back in the Seven Cities of Hampton Roads (in Vick's case, this was Newport News). I remember watching a Real Sports report on how the Seven Cities (which are Chesapeake, Newport News, Hampton[my town of birth ], Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, & Suffolk) are experiencing a sharp increase of crime. In fact, Newport News is now the 119th most dangerous city in America.

You've heard the saying "Lie with dogs (no pun intended) and you eventually end up covered with fleas" right? Well, this may be applicable to Vick. If the only people he surrounded himself were from his childhood (which in turn was very rough), then he may not have the knowledge to do better. While I don't agree with this standpoint, it is one reason that is offered for his downfall.