Anyone catch 60 Minutes this evening in which Michael Vick was interviewed by CBS correspondent James Brown? Vick is attempting to change his public persona and play football once again with the Philadelphia Eagles. The public outrage has been monumental. So much so that on September 13th, nationwide protests are planned in major cities to bring awareness to all of the details of the brutal killings of the dogs Vick helped with or allowed and to honor the memories of all the dogs who lost their lives.
The interview- I watched. I listened. Vick knows he has to change his image in the public’s eye for the horrendous criminal acts he perpetrated against man and woman’s best friend.
There were no surprises for me. He repeatedly stated the obligatory “I’m sorry”. As James Brown said in an interview on CBS’s Early Morning Show, Vick was consistent with his apologies. That he was.
My advice to the people he hired to help revamp his image. Get rid of the smirking. And be more honest with your answers.
Brown: “For the cynics that might say I don’t know, Vick might be more concerned by the fact that his career was hurt, these dogs were hurt.”
Vick: “Football don’t even matter.” (If football “don’t” matter, then why have you tried so diligently to get reinstated to the NFL, Vick?)
Vick did not convince me of his remorse in this interview even though I had an open mind. However what did become apparent to me is that I don’t believe he is capable of feeling true remorse. Remorse- a gnawing distress arising from a sense of guilt for past wrongs. Nope, didn’t see it.
I heard his words but was unable to feel the emotions associated with them. That is because this man is not capable of feeling compassion for others, most likely due to his upbringing. Vick made the claim he was involved in dogfighting by the age of eight. It was commonplace where he lived. This is what he knew. This is what he saw. This is what he lived.
Does this excuse him for the horrific and brutal killings of dogs? No. To sum up what I feel and most likely what is true of Vick goes something like this.
Vick is not man of high intellect. His youth was devoid of compassion for others and animals (notice in the interview he never referred to his victims as dogs but as animals….to me that is a clear indicator the dogs were just that….animals.) He knows he did wrong only because he got caught and had to serve a jail sentence. I sincerely don’t believe he understands the torture he inflicted on those dogs.
He knows and clearly understands that the public outrage has hurt him and he needs to change his image to stay in the one arena where he excelled – football. So he had to enlist the help of professionals to help him to make that transition to a sorrowful dog fighter and killer.
Did it work? Time will tell. If he is truly repentant, his actions will reflect it. If not, then the NFL needs to get rid of this player once and for all. But we know the NFL will not get rid of Vick. His playing skills and his ability to turn a profit- those are what matters to the NFL. If he doesn’t succeed at those, he will be sent packing.
For better or worse, Vick has put a spotlight on dogfighting like no other. Alot of good can come out of this if he follows through on his promise to talk to the troubled youth who may engage in this cruel and barbaric behavior and work alongside the HSUS to shine a light on dogfighting. This can prove to be a testament to being the changed man he claims to be and let’s hope it’s true.
Did Michael Vick’s interview sway you to believe he is remorseful? Weigh in on your thoughts.