Those who know me also know that I am a BIG fan of the Atlanta Falcons and have been since I was a kid. I love football and the NFL and even though the Falcons have had a history of pretty bad seasons, I have always been loyal. The best thing that ever happen to the Atlanta Falcons was when the original owner finally decided to sell the team Arthur Blank, founder of The Home Depot. The Falcons needed someone who was an aggressive business owner and knew how to make a business work. Naturally, we would like to see a Super Bowl win, too.
Those prospects seemed hopeful when Michael Vick was signed to the team. After playing a year behind veteran quarterback Chris Chandler, Vick soon became the quarterback of choice and for obvious reasons. The man is talented. At the time he was what the Falcons needed to be put on the NFL map. He became the highest paid player in the NFL. I quickly became a Michael Vick fan.
After a year or two I began to dislike Michael Vick. It became clear to me that he was no longer the player Atlanta needed but few refused to see it. He became an arrogant, selfish player and ALL eyes were on him. Weren’t there other players on the team? Was he the only one on the field? For the amount of money he was making, should he not have been taking our team to the Super Bowl, and winning? Atlanta and it’s fans were so desperate for a savior that we quickly believed in this man and became blinded by his true character.
Eventually, the truth became clear. He was a man who lost his love for the game and played because he had a big contract and not because he wanted to be a winner or part of a team. His private illegal affairs soon became public and not only were the Falcons shamed by it, but the NFL and American Sports were too. Atlanta became a city of shame.
Yesterday, Michael Vick was released from prison, serving a well-deserved sentence. He is confined to his home in Virginia, a multi-million dollar home. Is his success measured by how much money he has? Should he be considered successful as a business man? A NFL quarterback? As a man? Or is Michael Vick a failure?
As a fan of the Falcons and the NFL, as a business owner, as a lover of animals and a former Michael Vick fan, I have to say NO. Michael Vick is living proof that one bad decision can ruin the good reputation of a lifetime. Can he be successful again? YES. It will just take a lot longer this time. It is my wish that he changes his life for the better and that the rest of us learn from his dismal failure.
