Obama May Forgive Him, But Michael Vick Is No MVP

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This sad excuse for a human being tortured, willingly, murdered, painfully, innocent animals whose welfare was entrusted to him. he took from them what wasn't his to take. all you care about is your stupid mvp award; do you know or do you want to know that it matters not the least in the scheme of things whether your team or the other team wins or loses this game or that game? The state of the nation, the welfare of the world, the betterment of mankind does not revolve around football. It's a game, people. Do you think a life - human or non-human -is less important than a bunch of guys running around a football field or some “award”? Does a dog not feel pain as a child feels pain? Does an animal deserve pain because it's not human? Do you seriously think football players are “heroes” and role models? They are athletes who get paid enormous sums of money to perform. My local volunteer firefighter is a role model and hero. If michael the dog torturer, dog murderer, soulless creature had done to a child what he did to dogs, would you still feel the same way? No? So what's the difference? Both a child & a dog look to humans for protection, for their well being. not to be torn to pieces for entertainment, to be electrocuted and hanged for fun and convenience. Vick deserves NO second chance. PLEASE. He is suddenly and only sorry because he got caught & then sent to prison He will have paid his dues when he is dead & gone because someone has tortured him the same way he did those dogs & the world will be a better place. It is not MY responsibility or my duty to forgive him; it is his god's. It IS my responsibility to say it loud & clear when I hear people making excuses for him that he deserves no pity, no second chance, no benefit of the doubt. By the way, I am a vegetarian; I don't eat anything that ever walked, ran, crawled, flew, swam, etc. I don't buy leather; I don’t wear wool; I don’t buy fur; I only shop cruelty free. So spare me your lectures.

Christine of CT 10:04PM December 28, 2010

Everyone will remember Vick for dog fighting. But what Vick supporters (willfully) neglect to bring up is the torturing and killing of these animals outside of the ring. Hangings, beatings, drownings, electrocutions. If the kid next door was caught committing the same acts in his back yard, I doubt you would trivialize the nature of his acts in conversations about sports. Wake up, people.

LB of MD 9:48PM December 28, 2010

I find it funny that people who have an issue with forgiving Michael Vick. I am so glad that the President had a positive reflection. Let me just make a statement. I find it to be very hypocritical of people who have an issue with Michael Vick. Did he make a mistake in the dog fighting? You bet he did. We as a country re-elected Bush. He has sent millions of innocent people away to a war that is pointless. No its not dogs, but it human lives. Yet forgave him. Don't get me wrong, I am not justifying the actions of Michael Vick. Yet people still judge and condemn his past actions. He is truly apologetic about his actions.
What I find to be pathetic is that people wear make-up. Animals are mistreated and abused far worse than what Michael Vick could have possibly have done by cosmetic companies. They are using animals so that people can look beautiful. Yet I don't see these same dog and animal lovers boycotting Maybelline, Artistry, Mary Kay, or Avon. Go figure... I guess its okay to hurt animals in the name of beauty and modern science... GIVE ME A BREAK PEOPLE. Vick lost everything. Yet we cannot forgive some of the most vile individuals i.e. - yet some of the people profess to be of some type of faith. Yet the writers, the journalists, and whomever else can't do something simple as forgive. My stance is shame on you. Michael made a mistake, but yet how many times have you been forgiven for something that was little or big. The point I'm stressing here is that people make mistakes. The person reading this response will probably make a few more in their lifetime.
Learn to forgive because honestly it only holds you back. Mike has paid his debt to society. He is speaking about the wrongs of his actions. He does not make any excuses. Once he was released, he was mentored by Tony Dungy. He is making steps to right his wrongs.
Now with that rant... I think that both Tom Brady and Michael Vick should be co-MVP's. Michael Vick this whole year has done everything humanly possible t polish up his act. Lets not forget in far less games. He has produced about the same numbers as Brady. Let's look at some of things Vick has done. Not only is a threat to run, but he can flat out beat you single handedly. Lets ask the Redskins, the Jaguars, the Colts, and the Giants. Are athletes supposed to be role models. My stance is that everyone should be accountable for their actions. So everyone has the potential to be a role model. The story of Michael Vick should be one that we learn from and embrace. Is he a role model.. The answer is of a two-fold nature. The Michael Vick of the Falcons prior to jail would definitely not have been a role model. The Michael Vick of today is a role model.
His life shows that when given a second chance, you can make a dramatic change for the better.

Jarvis of DC 8:42PM December 28, 2010

I understand your reasoning for not being able to forgive Michael Vick, I have a dog myself and love her, and couldn't imagine anybody harming her. But to take away something like the status of MVP from a man that has come from the bottom to the top is just wrong. True, he did do terrible things, but he has worked to redeem himself and to earn the respect of people again. He has put in hours of work to the game of football, and his play on the field has nothing to with what he does off the field. MVP is not based off of behavior, it's based off leadership, hard work, and commitment to be the best and never give up, all qualities which Michael Vick has shown.
I also feel as if you shouldn't care what Michael Vick has done. Who are you, to say that he doesn't deserve to be the MVP of the NFL? The United States is a country based off the belief of second chances, so how come when somebody takes advantage of an opportunity at redemption must you jump on him, and tell the world why he doesn't deserve all the praise he is getting? Stop wasting your time making obnoxious articles, and go do something with your life.

James of NJ 7:56PM December 28, 2010

Michael should definitely win MVP this year.not only is he the most exciting player to play the game since Deion sanders. He has paid his debt to society and has done a great job so far rebuilding his career on and off the field. He has the stats this year besides missing games and had one of the greatest comebacks ever last week. Besides Tom Brady has had better seasons in wins and number and he's won it before anyway. Just quit complaining. Give Vick MVP and a monster contract next year to get out debt!

Greg street of TX 6:22PM December 28, 2010

I think Michael is having an incredible year and so is Brady, but the difference as I see it is that Tom Brady has played all of the games this year and accumulated the stats he has, while Vick is not a complete season, due to injuries etc... If Mike p,ays this way next year all year then absolutely give him the award.

Norm of MA 5:26PM December 28, 2010

While I think its absurd that Obama even makes comments about Michael Vick (he needs to be doing something a little more Presidential, like helping fix actual problems?) thats obviously not your issue.
Your issue is with Michael Vick's previous actions.
I own 4 dogs. I love all of them dearly. If someone threatened my dog's safety, well, lets just say they'd receive the stiff end of my size 14 shoe.
Anyways - you can't root for him? You don't think theres any possible way for him to be a role model?
The man served his time in prison. The man sat on the bench pretty much the entire year before this season.
I read an article stating something in the area of 75% of his salary is going to pay restitution and previous debts.
He also has no requirements to do the outreach work he does. He speaks to schools and such trying to keep them away from the roads he's traveled.
Maybe not a freaking Super Man or the "IDEAL" role model, but the man is trying to simply drag himself out of the gutter and make something from himself.
Personally, I find it very admirable to lose EVERYTHING and fight to regain it. He's paying his dues, why can't everyone leave him the hell alone? You that jealous you can't fix your own mistakes? Everyone deserves a second chance.
He didn't murder, he didn't rape. Go about your day.

Beau of TX 5:18PM December 28, 2010

The MVP award has nothing to do with "good behaviour" off the field. Maybe you should go back to baking cookies Susan and leave football talk to those who can seperate their emotions from their intellect. The MVP award shouldnt go to Brady because its not the Most Valuable Quarterback, its the Most Valuable PLAYER. Anything Brady can do as a quarterback VIck proved he can do, not too mention he runs the ball better than any qb in NFL history(can Brady scramble for 40 yards and bring his team back from a 21 point defficit in 7 minutes?). This is his year and if you would withhold the award from a man who clearly has paid his debt to society by, losing 10's of millions of dollars, sitting in Federal Prison for two years (all over a few dogs when murderers of human beings often get less time) and worked himself up from 3rd string to possible MVP candidate in only 12 games, well i think your in the wrong business sweetie. LIke i said, go back in the kitchen and make some brownies for tonites game.

Sick of you Crybabies of VA 4:46PM December 28, 2010

It is outrageous that President Obama is supporting Micheal Vick.
As stated in other comments Vick's crime is criminally psychologically based and the repeated abuse even after his father told him to stop just shows the character of the person. He does not deserve a "second chance" at a high paying career that the NFL would also call a role model for our youth. A second chance is one in which a person serves their time and finds a job, not be reinstated into such a job. President Obama is wrong, the NFL is wrong, what is wrong with these people thinking like they do. It does not speak well of where our country is headed.

V.Martin of MD 4:20PM December 28, 2010

MVP stands for Most Valuable PLAYER. It doesn't have anything to do with anything OFF the field. I'm a dog lover and a dog owner. I don't like what Vick did but I truly believe it was something within the culture he was raised that he did not really see how it was wrong or care. Cock fighting is also illegal in this country but is popular in other countries and happens here in secret like dog fighting. I wonder if people would treat him the same if that's what he was convicted of? Do people consider the feelings of chickens or roosters to be less important than dogs? Americans - mainly white america - love dogs and treat them like people for the most part. But animal cruelty includes all animals doesn't it? What about animal testing? No one is getting arrested for that but I bet it would make you sick if you saw what they did to those poor defenseless animals.
None of this has anything to do with the MVP award. I think Tom Brady should win it actually but I definitely don't think Mike Vick should be excluded from consideration for something that has nothing to do with the award.

Karen of NJ 4:19PM December 28, 2010