AJC
Embattled Falcons quarterback Michael Vick said in a radio interview on WVEE-FM Monday that he was remorseful for the negativity his situation has brought to Atlanta and team owner Arthur Blank and that he is hopeful, but not certain, that he’ll play for the Falcons again.
Vick, calling from Virginia, also expressed gratitude to the number of fans who have stuck by him following his federal indictment on dogfighting charges. The interview was Vick’s first since charges were filed on July 17.
“Hopefully I’ll see y’all again,” Vick said in a taped interview with host Porsche Foxx, who said that she was advised by Vick’s legal team not to ask questions about his case. “It remains to be seen, but that’s what I’m working on.
“I just want to thank all my fans and all my support and all the people that are praying for Mike Vick and are in my corner right now. It’s a crisis situation for me, but I’m going to get through it and I feel, by the grace of God, that’s the only way. I believe in the outcome at the end, and that’s why I put my faith in the man upstairs. It pains me not to be down there right now, because I know so many people want to see me and I want to be there.”
As for his future with the Falcons, Vick said, “Hopefully, under the right circumstances, I think it can work. I know I put the city through a lot, my owner, Arthur Blank, who I love sincerely; I put him through a lot. It hurts me to put him through this situation.
“A lot of things would have to be worked out for him to put his faith and trust back in me. But if I had the opportunity, if it wouldn’t be a problem, I’d like to come back, under the right circumstances.”
The NFL has told Vick, whose trial is scheduled for Nov. 26, to stay away from the Falcons until the league completes an investigation to determine whether he violated its player conduct policy. Blank said last week that the team had planned to suspend Vick for four games, the maximum number a team could suspend a player for conduct, until the NFL stepped in.
Vick and three other defendants pleaded not guilty to interstate conspiracy dogfighting charges last Thursday in a federal court in Richmond. One of those defendants, Tony Taylor, reversed his plea Monday and plans to cooperate with the prosecution in hopes of reducing his sentence, which could be for up to five years in prison.
“I’ve learned a lot through this situation,” Vick said. “I know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Copyright 2007 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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posted August 1, 2007 at 8:05 pm
If Vick indeed electrocuted, drowned, and killed another dog he owned for performing badly in fighting matches and making BIG money on them he should be convicted of something, and the rest of the men as well. I never heard of him until it hit the news, and I couldn’t watch the CNN report because of the brutality that I knew would be shown. I hope that a law will result from this, to stop ALL animal fights.
posted August 1, 2007 at 9:41 pm
If ever we wanted a vivid example of just how empty public professions of faith can be, here is Vick talking about getting through this–as if “this” were some serious illness or injury–and calling upon “the grace of God.” I’m not saying that there is no such thing as sincere faith, but that public professions of faith are meaningless. As Jesus observed, anyone can cry “Lord! Lord!”
posted August 1, 2007 at 10:04 pm
I agree H4C but I’ll bet a lot of Atlanta fans are eating his religiosity up.
posted August 1, 2007 at 10:33 pm
I’m not prepared to jump to conclusions; I don’t know a lot about this case and Mr. Vick is, after all, innocent until proven guilty. But I agree, if he really did the things he is supposed to have done, this whole thing comes off as so whiny, as if he’s suddenly been diagnosed with cancer or something. I hope justice (whatever verdict that is) is served in any case.
God bless.
posted August 2, 2007 at 10:42 am
I have neither heard nor seen any remorse from Vick about the dog incident, only about getting caught for it. I do not think he gets any part of the entire problem. Instead, he seems to hope that his celebrity will ease his way out of the problem. Until he actually grasps how horrible his “hobby” is, and how shameful he has behaved, I don’t think he deserves any grace or forgiveness. It does not seem that this character has matured past 13, where getting caught is a cause for greater embarassment than the actual infraction.
posted August 2, 2007 at 4:56 pm
One thing that occurred to me as I thought about this more—it says in the article that Vick is basically not commenting in the media about the case itself, though he has pleaded innocent. I think what makes him sound so phony is that he is not—in the media—saying he’s innocent. If he were claiming that this is a set-up or racism or something like that, at least his “poor me” thing would make sense; but as it stands it just makes him sound spoiled.
God bless.
posted August 3, 2007 at 10:54 am
Can’t contaminate the sterling morality of professional football and not pay a price.
He’s lucky they didn’t kick him out of dogfighting for being a football player.
posted August 3, 2007 at 2:40 pm
The NAACP, while not openly accusing, have suggested that the reaction and the protesters would not have been as viceral if Vick had been white. The truth is he could have been charged as a serial rapist and would not have had such a vocal reaction from the public.
posted August 10, 2007 at 11:18 pm
Will be interesting to see if a jury finds him guilty. Personally I think he is guilty, but I’m only drawing that conclusion from what I have read and seen on the TV…