I can imagine the living hell that Michael Vick is going through right now. By all accounts, Vick has been going balls out to get his life, physical conditioning and football prowess back in order, but it's going to be an uphill battle.
It's not his time off from football and in prison, PETA or even the demons of dog fighting itself.
I have no doubt that in due time, Michael Vick will be fine on the athletic and physical levels; I just think that it's going to take an awful lot of psychological and emotional stress for Vick to come back full circle and more from what's one of the most notorious cases involving an NFL star ever.
In other sports, Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali staged successful comebacks after spending extended time away from their sports. Jordan's near-two-season retirement provided His Airness with the impetus to win three more NBA and scoring titles and two more MVP awards, establishing himself as by far the greatest of all time, if there were any doubts.
Ali's 43 months of forced time off from boxing due to draft-dodging charges wasn't enough to keep him from accomplishing his legendary trilogy (including the gut-wrenching "Thrilla in Manila") against Joe Frazier or handing George Foreman the beating of his life in "The Rumble in the Jungle."
However, the difference between the cases of Michael Vick and Jordan/Ali is that Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali already had established themselves as transcendant superstars before their hiatuses.
Michael Vick had his moments as the performer of some of the most amazing feats in football, but let's face it : The NFL's icons have been players like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, both of whom have won Super Bowls.
Michael Vick always was and most likely still is a superathlete, but let's face it : The NFL has had its superathletes. Just think of two-sport icons like Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders. Hell, Vick isn't even the first superathlete from his own hometown. Allen Iverson holds that distinction.
If Michael Vick hasn't proven yet that he can win a Super Bowl or established the transcendence of his style, how patient will coaches, teammates and fans be with him while he works off the rust and adjusts to his new team and surroundings? How long will they put up with the distractons that he will generate?
If Michael Vick gets stressed out early with his football and support system, how will he handle the additional pressures from the media and animal rights groups dogging him about his dog fighting controversy?
Seattle may be no Dallas or Pittsburgh, but believe me : If Vick were to play there, reporters and PETA will find a way to be right where he is.
Having not occurred to me that pro wrestling was fake, I was absolutely terrified to see The Undertaker, a giant of a man, grab the Ultimate Warrior, stuff him in a coffin, and lock it shut - airtight.
As a child, I was damn near traumatized by the experience, seeing one of my favorite wrestlers passed out in the coffin after WWF officials frantically opened the casket to finally give the Ultimate Warrior some air to breathe.
How I felt as a shocked young fan, helpless while seeing Warrior get stuffed senseless into a casket may be how Michael Vick is feeling at the moment : claustrophobic, sociophobic and walking on eggshells as he tries to navigate his present and future.
Michael Vick will have to handle criticism from within his own silo and the public. He will have to dodge pass rushers on the field and possible physical attacks from activists and avengers off of it. He will have to exorcise his own demons and the ghosts of his dead dogs while he's awake and asleep.
Michael Vick will have to be agile and foxy on the gridiron and savvy and determined like Neo in life. If Vick lets Agent Smith get to him before he solves The Matrix, then his football career will be as good as over.
And all his hard work up until now will be for naught.
2 comments:
Does Michael Vick Deserve a second chance?
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Rockstar, although I think Michael Vick deserves a second chance, I see where you're coming from.
I myself hate the fact the poor creatures had to go through what they did and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.
I admire Brandon Bond's efforts to save the dogs and the world needs more people like him.
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