Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick has been a star athlete as long as anyone can remember, rising to national prominence as a true freshman at Virginia Tech, entering the NFL as the No. 1 pick in the draft, becoming the first quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in a season last year. It seemed whenever encircling doom had him dead-to-rights, the elusive Vick would slip its clutches and run to daylight.
That run came to an end this week, and the man seemed rather perplexed by the development.
All sorts of things have been said and written about Vick, who threw away millions of dollars and a brilliant career by bankrolling an illegal dogfighting and gambling operation in Virginia. But that wasn’t the first time evidence linked Vick to questionable behavior: Civil lawsuits, water bottles with secret compartments and questionable photographs are all part of his resume.
Those memories, along with testimony about his cruel treatment of dogs, will go a long way toward determining his public image. His connections to gambling, however, may determine the future of his football career. Vick could be out of prison in two years, but his participation in a gambling enterprise could cost him an additional NFL penalty. How will the league that gave “Golden Boy” Paul Hornung a lifetime ban in 1963 — he was reinstated a year later — for associating with "undesirable persons" respond to the facts in the Vick case? Stay tuned...
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