Michael Vick was one of the most electrifying players in American football. As quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons, he was the highest paid player in the league, and he pulled in tens of millions of dollars in endorsements.
But it all came to an abrupt end two years ago when police raided a farm Vick owned in Virginia and uncovered an illegal dog fighting operation. He eventually pled guilty to bankrolling the enterprise and participating in every aspect of it, including killing dogs that refused to fight. He was sentenced to two years in prison, and eventually declared bankruptcy.
Last month he was released and conditionally reinstated into the NFL.
Friday, at a press conference in Philadelphia, it was announced he'd be playing for the Philadelphia Eagles, after signing a two-year contract, with the possibility of earning nearly $7 million.
In his first interview since going to prison, Michael Vick explains what he did, why he did it, and how he says he has changed.
"The first day I walked into prison, and he slammed that door, I knew the magnitude of the decision that I made, and the poor judgment, and what I allowed to happen to the animals. And, you know, it's no way of explaining the hurt and the guilt that I felt. And that was the reason I cried so many nights. And that put it all into perspective," Vick told CBS Sports anchor James Brown.
Asked what he cried about, Vick said, "What I did, you know, being away from my family, letting so many people down. I let myself down, not being out on the football field, being in a prison bed, in a prison bunk, writing letters home, you know. That wasn't my life. That wasn't the way that things was supposed to be. And all because the so-called culture that I thought was right, that I thought it was cool. and I thought it was fun, and it was exciting at the time. It all led to me laying in a prison bunk by myself with no one to talk to but myself."
"Who do you blame for all of this?" Brown asked.
"I blame me," Vick replied.
I suppose nothing is more heart wrenching than to see a individual who has taken his life to another level and he is still hanging with people who are not where he is. Michael Vick sure you can blame you, but at some point in time when were you going to smell the coffee? Now you have jail time and a conviction, but at least you say you can see the light! unfortunately its never to late to make a change. I only hope that you surround your self with a group of people who can help push you to another level. Football is going to end sooner than you think and without any plans for the future, you will see the people you saw going up, except now you will see them when you are going down!
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