JT the Brick

The Michael Vick dogfighting saga is the most disturbing sports story since Mike Tyson went to jail Feb. 10, 1992 after being convicted for the rape of Desiree Washington.

At that time, Tyson was one of the highest paid and most recognized athletes in the world. After serving more than three years in jail, Tyson’s boxing career was finished and he was never considered a stable human being as his life continued to spiral out of control.

I do not know what will eventually happen to Vick, but he is without question the most tragic sports figure of the new millennium. Hopefully, this ends up being the worst story I have ever reported on by the time my career ends.

Vick turned out to be a bad guy. Don’t listen to any of his former teammates or members of the media who tell you anything other than the fact he is a felon who killed helpless animals for entertainment and making money. I can’t begin to tell you why a person with superior athletic ability would put their career in jeopardy by getting involved in such a disturbing activity.

At some point, Vick will sit down with a credible member of the media and apologize. I’ll be interested to hear about the time he first got involved in dogfighting and why it gave him a rush. Who were the early influences in his life that convinced him that this barbaric sport was entertaining and acceptable?

I also want Vick to explain why he couldn’t stop funding “Bad Newz Kennels” even after Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank signed him to a $130 million contract. When he signed that 10-year contract extension in December of 2004, his $37 million signing bonus was the highest amount of money ever committed to a professional football player and it looked as if his career was on track with the greatest legends to ever play the game.

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Vick’s career is most likely over. He will eventually play again after he serves his prison sentence and try to salvage what is left of his diminishing athletic skills and reputation.

The problem for Vick is that the majority of NFL fans never want to see him on a field again. Fans are the ones who put down their hard-earned dollars to pay for tickets that help pay the high priced salaries of professional athletes who entertain them.

Not many fans or corporate sponsors will want anything to do with Vick when he eventually regains entrance into the NFL. These fans call my radio show and keep me on edge because they are so emotional about this topic that some can’t control themselves while on the air. They are dog owners and decent human beings who feel embarrassed that they once cheered for the incredible quarterback who had the ability to change a game on any single play.