Tony Dungy and Michael Vick

[ALong13]

I'm willing to give him a second chance, and I believe everyone has a second chance, after that if he gets in trouble he's gone. For example, Pacman got his second chance and screwed up, don't let him back...Vick now needs his 2nd chance...plus I'm sure the Bengals can always use him...

[O.S. Buc76]

Vick has paid his price for what happened and hopefully has learned his lesson; and I think he's more guilty of allowing his ghetto thug family members & friends to use his money and his various properties for all kinds of illegal activity, than he is for being some horrible animal abuser. Hopefully he SEPERATES himself from all that and begins a new chapter in his life.

Witnesses stated that Vick actually took part in the torture of the dogs. Nobody does that unless they enjoy it. That is just sick, and he does not deserve to just pick up his life where he left off. He should be banned from the NFL for life. As I said earlier, the torture element is the only thing I have a problem with. If it was my call, he would rot away his life in a state prison in general population.

As for how others treat their fighting dogs, I am giving people the benefit of the doubt in believing that torturing the dogs is not a priority.

The stories are all contradicting because another report says that Vick claims he had no knowledge that alot of these fights were even taking place, and there's still no real footage of him being actually AT these various dog fights. 

[king_frog]

Let he without sin throw the first stone !! Only God and Vick know if he is truly sorry !! He has served his term, letem play !! If he hasn't changed, we will know soon enough !!

[jaybuc88]

I'm willing to give him a second chance, and I believe everyone has a second chance, after that if he gets in trouble he's gone. For example, Pacman got his second chance and screwed up, don't let him back...Vick now needs his 2nd chance...plus I'm sure the Bengals can always use him...

I agree with this statement

[LtFox]

Vick has paid his price for what happened and hopefully has learned his lesson; and I think he's more guilty of allowing his ghetto thug family members & friends to use his money and his various properties for all kinds of illegal activity, than he is for being some horrible animal abuser. Hopefully he SEPERATES himself from all that and begins a new chapter in his life.

Witnesses stated that Vick actually took part in the torture of the dogs. Nobody does that unless they enjoy it. That is just sick, and he does not deserve to just pick up his life where he left off. He should be banned from the NFL for life. As I said earlier, the torture element is the only thing I have a problem with. If it was my call, he would rot away his life in a state prison in general population.

As for how others treat their fighting dogs, I am giving people the benefit of the doubt in believing that torturing the dogs is not a priority.

You certainly have a right to your opinion, but hasn't Vick paid his price to society? He lost his freedom, filed for bankruptcy, and lost his career. I would agree that this doesn't erase what he did, but how far do you take it. He has to live with that stigma everyday. People hate this guy. He has to feel that. In some ways he has a life sentence.

Regarding Dungy...I admire him MORE for trying to help him. Whether you agree or not, Dungy walks the walk regarding his faith. Christianity teaches that we are all redeemable and Dungy sees that in Vick. Dungy has to know that he will take a hit to his image with some fans (you being one of them), yet he does it anyway because he believes it is the right thing- not the popular thing. Real men do what is right and don't waste time with people's perceptions. When you think about it...who has the more hardened heart...you or Vick? You aren't willing to EVER forgive him. I, personally, have never liked Vick, but I think he should be given a second chance at proving his worth as a person. People change. Will Vick? Time will tell.

[JM2]

Forgiveness is never a mistake. That isn't to say you put blinders on, actions must still be taken in a responsible manner but, to harbor ill will doesn't hurt the object of the feeling as much as it does the one that carries that feeling inside. Let it go.

I'm curious why the NFL should be singled out as a career path denied to Michael Vick. What careers would you deem acceptable? And what would be your reasoning for picking those jobs in particular?

[oregonbucfan]

Ask yourself is Mike Vick any worse then Larry Johnson?

Who served a stiffer penalty for? Who abused an animal multiple times? Who abused a women multiple times?

Mike Vick deserves a 2nd chance and he paid a bigger punishment then people in the NFL who have done things a lot worse

[1sparkybuc]

Not every human being is worth saving and some people are too stupid to realize that fact. Michael Vick is long past deserving of a second chance. He is evil. He is a liar and each of us should be so broke. My opinion of him does not matter and will have no effect on what the league does. It is simply how I feel. Tony Dungy is wasting his time with this piece of human garbage.

[Biggs3535]

I'm curious why the NFL should be singled out as a career path denied to Michael Vick. What careers would you deem acceptable? And what would be your reasoning for picking those jobs in particular?

Take the NFL out of the equation.  If an employee of Microsoft was involved in a similar situation, and this employee lied to Bill Gates repeatedly (like Vick did with Goodell) about the circumstances surrounding the conviction, then Gates would be well within his rights to not allow that employee to work for his company for any time period he deemed necessary.

[012805]

Damn the man made a mistake, He's learned his lesson and I can bet you it will not happen again, If the DT on the Rams can get another chance no I mean two chances , Vick deserve a chance. You act like no one can change , let's give the brother a chance to see.......

[hoodsbucs]

If any one of us got caught doing this, im sure we would have been fired right on the spot...

And because we have found God and learnerd from our mistakes, we should get our jobs back?  fudge THAT!!!

Its bad enough athletes get special treatment/attention their entire lives...make an example out of this $h!t head...redeem my a$$

[Ladyfan]

IMHO  too many people who are not privvy to personal information and who then make absolute determinations about the future of a "sinner" , in this case Michael Vick,  and who further decide that he should be punished forever etc. are lacking critical values that could make such a huge difference in the world in which we all live.  One, they are so sure of their perspective that they arrogantly condemn someone and would, if possible, deny them the opportunity to make up for the past.  Two, they lack compassion, grace and charity of mind.  It is much more difficult to forgive people than to condemn them.  But the act of forgiving itself, the effort we make as humans to put ourselves in another's shoes and then struggle to find a way to forgive them, TRANSFORMS US.

Whatever ugly things Michael Vick did, from one human being to another, I favor forgiving him and giving the man a chance at redeeming himself.  What good does it do us to have another felon shunned, unable to ply his trade, earn a decent living for his family etc.  How does that enrich society to over and over and over repeat what he has done and make him pay pay pay.  

Everyone has something cruel inside of him/her. All saints and many religious leaders say so.  Something we either won't or don't admit.  And yet, we feel perfectly within our rights to ride someone else's life into the dirt. It doesn't matter what religion or non-religion one follows, as a practical matter it is better to allow someone to redeem themselves than not.  The people who are able to rise up after having been tried and convicted ( whether legally or not)  offer a great deal to those of us who don't always have to courage to repent and live on to do good deeds.  If society goes out of its way to hold a grudge even after the legal price has been paid, then society will never know the value, the inspiration and the personal growth from the act of forgiveness.

The most recent example of this was the compassion for the gun man who killed all the Amish children in their school.  The Amish sought out the man's family and offered them comfort and included them in their mourning process for they too had lost a son.  It wasn't easy and the Amish said so.
But years later they have a healed community instead of a divided community ....I sure admire that spirit.  Wish more did.
I personally don't find the bitterness and anger towards Michael Vick attractive, useful or in any way redeeming or elevating of the people articulating and promoting such hatred.

[hoodsbucs]

^^^How many times can one be forgiven?

How many chances does one get??  Hes had his chances in life...free schooling...free grades...free sponsorships....free marketing....free products...this man along with hundreds of other athletes have been handed everything for most of their adulthood....

You would think with that much attention and spotlight you would try to do good in this world but you go ahead and screw it up?  Im sorry, but I cant feel bad for someone like Mike Vick...He wrote his story...He should live with the consequences.

[O.S. Buc76]

If Vick was let's say a plumber before he went to prison, should he not be able to go back to working on toilets and pipes when he gets out?

[Biggs3535]

If Vick was let's say a plumber before he went to prison, should he not be able to go back to working on toilets and pipes when he gets out?

If there is an owner that wants to hire him, sure.  If the owner of his previous company is pissed because his employee lied to him over and over and over, then that owner has the right to kick him to the curb.

Playing in the NFL is a privilege, not a right.