Just a few weeks ago, Marcus Vick was still regarded as a good pro prospect. Then we got word of an arrest for speeding and driving while his license was under suspension, followed by the incident in the Gator Bowl in which he showed his respect for the game by stomping on an opponent’s leg.

Now, the word out of Suffolk, Va., is that he’s been charged with three misdemeanor counts of brandishing a firearm. According to reports, the incident occurred at a local McDonald’s. Police say Vick had a difference of opinion with some other kids, and, apparently at a loss for words during the argument — it’s possible he didn’t pay enough attention during his Debating 101 class — pulled out a gun and threatened them with it.

Working just from memory, this is what I’ve got on Vick over the past three years: Underage drinking with barely pubescent girls, speeding with marijuana in the car, spending a season under suspension from the Virginia Tech football team, flipping the bird to West Virginia fans, driving while suspended, intentional stomping, getting kicked out of college and now, flashing a piece at a burger joint.

And that’s just the charges we know about. There could be more.

There’s no way he should be allowed into the NFL. Terrell Owens was never accused of being anything other than a self-absorbed disruptive influence, and that was enough to boot him off the team. To allow Vick to play would be saying it’s better to be a criminal than an egomaniac, which, from a team point of view, it probably is, which says things I’d rather not get into right now. Remember, the Baltimore Ravens had no problem waiting for Jamal Lewis to serve his sentence on drug trafficking charges, just as long as they thought he could still run with the ball.

So far, I’m not aware of the NFL saying that somebody who was eligible for the draft couldn’t be drafted. So I’m not expecting it to happen this time. For all I know, labor laws may prohibit that kind of ban.

Slide show   Week in Sports Pictures Flying on the hardwood, racing on the rink, getting physical on the gridiron, and much more. more photos

But this would be a good time to think about a character clause of some kind. At a minimum, ban him for a year, and make his eligibility dependent on getting some psychiatric help for what is obviously a problem.

The guy was on top of the world, and it wasn’t enough to make him happy. And if he finds it necessary to pack heat to pick up a Happy Meal, there’s something seriously wrong with him.

I hope he gets better. But I wouldn’t want him to make the effort on my payroll. I’m curious to see if anyone will.

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