Sunday Question
Do we forgive or forget?
Last season, Michael Vick signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as potentially the third-string quarterback. He had Donovan McNabb
and Kevin Kolb in front of him. Then, the Eagles amazingly shipped McNabb to the Washington Redskins and proclaimed Kolb king for about a week.
Then, Vick took over.
And he was fantastic.
In seven games with the Eagles, Vick has completed 62.8 percent (120-for-191) of his passes, the best completion percentage of his career, has thrown for 1,608 yards and 11 touchdowns, and ran for 375 yards and four touchdowns. Remarkably, he has yet to thrown an interception.
Vick has led Philadelphia to a lead in the NFC East with a 7-3 record. Before the season, no one predicted the Eagles would have such a good record or that Vick would become an even better quarterback than he was when he played for Atlanta.
There was no way to know how a guy would play especially because he was in jail for about 18 months (I didn’t look up the number).
When it comes to trading cards, Vick is king there too.
His 2001 SP Authentic Jersey/auto Rookie Card is on fire (ebay link). Right now, this card is selling far and above $1,000. Once upon a time, you could have gottten this card for less than $100.
Vick paid his debt by spending time in jail. He seems reformed by saying all the right things as he has become the center of attention again for this remarkable play on the field.
So the question is, have collectors forgiven or forgotten his past deeds?
Sign up for the Card Chat newsletter here!
I think most collectors and football fans have forgiven Vick. The emphasis in our fast paced world seems to be on what you've done for me lately, and Vick has produced on the field.
However, I am not so forgiving just yet. I certainly feel Vick has every right to be out on the field as he has served his time and more considering the financial obligation he now has since the forfeiture of his Falcons contract. I think it's too early yet to see if he is truly sorry for what he did and has a changed perspective. Not because he got caught, but because what he did was wrong.
I think a lot of people… especially Eagles fans have forgiven Vick. He's paid his debt to society, serving his jail sentence and doing his best to move forward with his life.
I've always been the teacher who tells his students that everyone makes mistakes… but what's important is that we learn from those mistakes.
For the most part, I think Vick has… but for some reason… I myself have not completely forgiven him and his friends for their actions… and honestly, I'm not sure I'll ever completely forgive him for his choices. What they did was cruel and will stay in the minds of many people who appreciate man's best friend.
I should say that there was a time, I despised him… and wanted him to rot in prison… but I'm over that. There no longer is any hate… I just don't really like the guy.
Although I think his sentence was too light, he DID do his time and therefore, even if it's hard to do, it's time for everyone to forgive him. He, acccording to all reports and by public appearances, has said and done all the correct things since he's signed in Philly, so hopefully that makes it easier.
But, personally I'd never pay over $20 for his cards, unless it's to flip them. LOL It's not because of what I think of him, it's 'cuz they will crash again at some point.
I think there's a contingent of fans that forgave him even before he made it back to the NFL, but those are the same kind of folks that can love a puffer fish like Barry Bonds no matter what.
My guess is that most fans have forgiven him by this point, as he has followed the proper dance steps towards making things better after jail so far. However, I don;t think anyone will ever forget. He probably will never live down his past. He arguably was working towards induction in Canton eventually. He absolutely will have to remain squeaky clean and win at least one Super Bowl to be seriously considered at the end of his career.
He will tack on a few extra million bucks to his career earnings for maybe another four years or so, and probably fade away onto the golf course after that.
A testament to that is the Falcons are better off without him, even if that means the newer, and reputedly more mature Michael Vick as a player and a model citizen.
I not sure I have forgiven him but it's hard not to like him right now. If he continues to do the right things on and off the field there is not reason think bad of him.