Gone to the dogs?

Earlier this year the NFL was rocked by the arrest and indictment of Atlanta Falcons star quarterback Michael Vick on charges of dogfighting.

Vick, who has a career 11505 passing yards for 71 touchdowns, has been a unique talent within the NFL. His all round abilities have made him a household name in Georgia. Not to mention his tendency to scramble out of the pocket when his opponents least expect it. At the Falcons, he had formed strong and productive partnerships with half-back Warrick Dunn and tight-end Alge Crumpler, which produced one of the NFC’s most exciting offenses.

In only two years, Michael Vick has gone from the league’s most marketable player to a pariah in what was described as “the most dramatic and rapid fall from grace that I've seen any athlete experience in contemporary American sports” by agent Leigh Steinberg. The dogfighting charges, which will probably land Vick 12 – 18 months in prison, have destroyed the reputation of the man who was easily one of the most talented quarterbacks the NFL has seen to date.

As the arrest broke the NFL chairman issued an immediate and indefinite suspension on Michael Vick’s status as a player. The restrictions will be likely to last until Vick’s release from prison, should he be jailed and perhaps beyond. These are likely to destroy what was an immensely promising career.

Vick pleaded guilty to the charges and will face sentencing on the 10^th of December. He could face up to five years in jail and a $250,000 fine for his part in the dogfighting ring.

At this point the reasons for taking up such a cruel and illegal sport can only be speculated upon. Too much time and money on his hands and boredom may have contributed but historically this is one of the biggest scandals to hit sports since Mike Tyson’s imprisonment for rape.

In his absence the Falcons have sunken to the bottom of their division and third-bottom in the NFC. This is a disastrous outcome for a team that has always had the potential to be a deep playoff team. For Vick the consequences are much more serious. His career in Atlanta is in tatters and with the prospect of prison time, a six-figure fine and further sanctions from the NFL he will be lucky if he ever takes to the field again as a professional football player.

Will his talent be lost to the NFL as a because of these mistakes? If he pays his dues then let us hope that he will be allowed to return to the league and dazzle us all once more with what he is capable of.