Mike Vick is Done

I do not know a lot about football, pro or college, nor do I know much about dog fighting or the laws surrounding it. But, Mike Vick was just sentenced for 23 months in prison with three years probation. Which should mean he will be released in October 2009? He is losing the 2007-2009 seasons and would not be back in football until maybe 2010 (plus NFL suspension). Mike Vick is basically done playing at least quarterback.

Who even knows if his style of quarterback will be in at that point. Colt Brennan could be an NFL QB launching passes all game or maybe Pat White and Tim Tebow recreate the QB position in the NFL. Who is to say what the quarterback position will be like in the year 2010. It is safe to assume that Vick will receive additional punishment from the league, then you must take into account that teams will not want to risk signing Vick due to public relations issues and his declined (assumption) skills on the field.

Now we do not know right now what type of prison he will be in, but this is a white collar crime so think something somewhat similar to Martha Stewart jail. According to ESPN’s Roger Cossack the sentencing is this strict (it was assumed 12-18 months) because Vick did not accept responsibility for the crimes he plead guilty for.

The position of quarterback as I already mentioned is evolving. There are still slingers, Tom Brady and Brett Farve for example with Brennan and Chase Daniel as QB’s of the future in that mold. On the flipside they have running-QB’s such as Vick. These QB’s fit into a Vince Young type of mold at this point, in which the running-QB is not built like a stereotypical QB, he is built larger in order to absorb a hit. Maybe this is just my opinion but the running-QB in football is now Young or Tebow, big men who can throw the ball and run while being able to take a hit. Not to take anything away from a player like Troy Smith who is a third-stringer in Baltimore who is built more on a Vick type standard (both six-foot and under 230) however even Smith is a bigger stronger player then Vick is.

As the game of football evolves Mike Vick will not. Vick will be trapped behind bars unable to properly train himself for a return. I have never been in prison so I have to assume that exercise equipment in prison is not as nice as in the Atlanta Falcons weight room, nor is Vick going to be able to work out in jail yard football with people capable of playing in the NFL or even the college ranks. Playing on the yard is not going to give Vick linebackers like Ray Lewis or defensive backs like Marcus Trufant.

Taking a step back from the on-field issue, it is a depressing thing. Vick was not allowed to wear civilian clothing because he is already serving his sentence and was required to wear a black and white striped jumpsuit. Vick came from not so great upbringings and was still connected to that town he grew up in (there is a great article from Sports Illustrated a few weeks back about this). Vick was the first black QB to be drafted No. 1 in the NFL draft, he came a very long way from where he began his life. On all accounts this is a tragic situation for Vick, for the NFL, for professional athletics and of course for the dogs and all animals.

(Keep in mind, he still has charges at the state level and the NFL has not been able to punish him for a failed drug test for Marijuana)