Maybe the NFL Will Let Vick Play, But Teams Should Stay Far Away

With the impending prison release of former Atlanta Falcons superstar Michael Vick on the horizon, there are a number of factors and issues the National Football League has to consider and prepare to deal with. This situation is, for obvious reasons, a highly sensitive and potentially explosive one that Commissioner Roger Goodell will have to thoroughly review and handle appropriately – which there’s no doubt he’ll do.

Regardless of ones personal feelings about Vick, the fact is he’ll soon complete his prison sentence and fulfill the conditions of his punishment for the crimes he committed. So as far as society goes, Vick will be a free man and able to move on with his life – which will most likely involve an attempt at a return to the NFL.

Although the NFL and Commissioner Goodell will have to determine how much longer Vick’s indefinite suspension will continue, individual teams are already considering whether or not they’d be interested in signing the three-time all-pro quarterback.

From a public relations perspective, it will be very dangerous for an organization to publicly acknowledge that it’s even considering signing Vick. The specifics of Vick’s crimes are still very fresh in the minds of many sports fans, and the nature of those crimes will never be understood or easily forgiven.

So for a team to endure the heavy scrutiny and intense negative reaction by the media and to jeopardize the support and trust of its fans and community by signing Vick, you have to be certain the QB will regain his Pro Bowl caliber game and be able to perform at the world-class level he once did.

If Vick joins a team and he struggles, the media firestorm surrounding the organization will burn a thousand times hotter then it would if he had put up big numbers on the field and led a winning team into the playoffs.

America loves a winner. And whether it's fair or not, almost any athlete can be forgiven for almost anything in America…as long as that athlete is a winner.

Look at Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. In 2000 Lewis was indicted for murder and aggravated assault when a fight between his group of friends and a rapper’s entourage, following a post game Super Bowl party in Atlanta, left two men dead.

In exchange for reducing the charges against him to obstruction of justice (a misdemeanor) and probation, Lewis testified against two of his associates and walked away essentially a free man (three years later Lewis reached financial settlements with families of both murdered men and avoided certain civil actions).

Since the ugly and tragic incident, Lewis has gone on to win a Super Bowl, be named its MVP, win two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards, earned six more Pro Bowl selections and now stands as a certain lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Despite suffering some initial taint to his public image, Lewis’s reputation rebounded quite well and he has since earned millions of dollars in endorsement deals.

If Lewis wasn’t a great player, would the Ravens, along with their fans and community, have stood behind him and allowed to him to continue to play for their team?

Not to mention the NFL (pre Goodell), that only fined Lewis and didn’t suspend him for even one game.

During his time with the Falcons (2001-2006), Vick experienced great success on the field and became a bonafide NFL superstar. But after almost two years in Leavenworth Prison, a federal medium-security institution, it’s extremely doubtful that Vick would be able to perform anywhere close to the level he played at before his incarceration.

For a professional athlete to miss two seasons during the prime of his career is a very significant loss of time. When you add the fact that the athlete has been locked away from society and unable to train or keep up with a proper dietary regiment important for a pro athlete, the probability Vick will rise again as a good player, let alone a great one, is remote.

So for an NFL team to take a chance on Vick would be extremely unwise. When you weigh the pros and cons, it makes no sense to try to incorporate Vick into your organization and your team’s community.

The media, fans and community surrounding a team would voice severe opposition to adding a player of Vick’s questionable character and criminal background, causing a public relations and marketing nightmare.

When you factor in further the extremely thin chance of Vick excelling again at the professional level, you have to realize that even considering signing Vick is a bad idea for a pro sports organization that relies heavily on its team brand and support from its community and fans.

Was I Wrong About "Boomer and Carton"?

The “Boomer and Carton in the Morning” radio show (aired weekday mornings on New York's sports radio 66 WFAN) was never a program I would have consider hard-hitting or with much substance.

Although I have to admit I’m not a loyal listener, only flipping on the show occasionally, the show’s style seemed more like a general entertainment-type program with an emphasis on sports. But certainly not a show to take seriously.

Craig Carton (pictured left) worked his way to the New York media market as a sports/shock jock radio personality. Before coming to WFAN in September, he had been involved in a few controversies as a result of some insensitive on-air remarks and other questionable acts. Although always a high-ratings grabber throughout his radio career, Carton most likely attracted his audiences through outlandish behavior and an adult-themed sense of humor (a la Howard Stern) - not for his sound knowledge or analysis of sports.

Boomer Esiason, of course, has been a popular New York-area and national sports media personality for quite some time. Attaching his much respected name to the all-sports station’s morning drive-time show gave it instant credibility and a much larger audience it otherwise wouldn’t have.

However, after listening to Carton and Boomer interview NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Friday morning my opinion of the radio show changed considerably. Expecting the usual soft-ball style questions regarding Saturday’s draft, the two radio hosts went after Goodell, professionally, with excellent questions about real and important issues affecting the NFL.

Carton turned into a real investigative journalist right in front of my ears, grilling Goodell about:

• Recent NFL layoffs

• The new NFLPA Executive Director and a possible upcoming labor dispute/work stoppage

• Why recently released NY Giants WR Plaxico Burress, who’s facing felony gun charges, was allowed to received a $1-million payment as part of his signing bonus

• The league’s position on Michael Vick returning to the NFL

Goodell is obviously always well prepared and media trained for the many thousands of interviews he’ll grant during his tenure as league commissioner. So when facing difficult but fair questions, like the ones from Boomer and Carton, Goodell naturally went into his safe corporate double talk where he doesn’t thoroughly answer the questions but kind of skates around them.

But Carton went right after him. When asked about the layoffs, Goodell spoke about how difficult it was to cut jobs and let people go. The commissioner defended the action by referencing the troubled economy. Carton went right back at Goodell, firmly questioning his answer with the fact that the NFL recently signed a four-year, $4 billion deal with DirecTV.

Goodell kept his composure and replied with another solid answer but his tone and mood clearly changed. Goodell, it seemed, went into PR lockdown mode and got real serious real fast.

I was really impressed with the interview and came away thinking that was an outstanding segment, not what I would have expected from “Boomer and Carton in the Morning.”

I’m not necessarily suggesting that the program is evolving. I’m just pointing out that Carton has a lot of guts and journalistic ability, a great combination to posses. Hopefully the show's audience will continue to experience those qualities.