FOX Sports on MSN - NFL - Vick deserves shot at redemption

I agree with the president of Atlanta's NAACP. The NFL should welcome Michael Vick back to its league once he has finished serving jail time for his involvement in dog fighting.

"As a society, we should aid in (Vick's) rehabilitation and welcome a new Michael Vick back into the community without a permanent loss of his career in football," R.L. White said on Wednesday. "We further ask the NFL, Falcons and the sponsors not to permanently ban Mr. Vick from his ability to bring hours of enjoyment to fans all over this country."

You know, this is so stupid. The guy would fight dogs. They guy would kill dogs in pretty vicious ways. But, yeah sure.. let's have him play some more football for the fans! At what point do athletes have to pay the price for the part of their job they agree to, but don't get paid for? That's being a role model to kids. "I didn't ask to be a role model", is surely what they'd say. Yes you did. When I was growing up I played baseball, and I also played chess. I didn't ever want to grow up to be a pro chess player, or collect chess trading cards, or wear a Kasparov endorsed piece of clothing. Why? Because I would look up to the ball players. They are your heroes as a young kid (if they still are in your 30s, you're a freakin loser). They aren't non-existent superheroes, they are real people. When I was a kid and used to go to Yankee Spring training, I was in awe when I met Yogi Berra and Ron Guidry. I wanted to eat what they ate (Wheaties), drink what they drank (Gatorade), drive what they drove (a sports car) and be like them (Be Like Mike, remember that?).

So, when you are an athlete, you are asking to be a role model. You *want* to be a role model. You want more kids wearing your jersey than someone else. You want your poster on their wall, then cheering for you, buying your shoes, and buying whatever product you are endorsing. Then, you go and kill some dogs, but that essentially doesn't even get you fired. Drugs, rape, assault... what exactly can you do to get kicked out of a league aside maybe point shaving?

At some point the leagues should do something. If they did, then maybe some of these stupid players wouldn't walk around like the gods they aren't, but are treated as.