It doesn’t matter one bit that Michael Vick ignores the advice of Tony Dungy about drinking in public. 

Michael Vick’s mentor, Tony Dungy, scolded the Eagles quarterback for drinking in public after the New York Post revealed he was drinking Grey Goose and pineapple juice in a Philadelphia airport bar. "Michael, you can’t do that," Dungy told Vick, via SI.com’s Peter King. Eagles spokesman Derek Boyko told the Philadelphia Inquirer that drinking alcohol is "not in conflict with terms of (Vick’s) probation or reinstatement with the NFL." Dungy relayed to King that even though alcohol may not be completely banned, he must not present a negative image. Said King, "He can’t give the media or the public any ammunition to suggest he isn’t doing everything he can to live a clean life and devote himself totally to football.

Tony Dungy scolds Michael Vick for public alcohol consumption

The real problem is that Michael Vick was allowed back into the NFL at all.  Tony Dungy and Roger Goodell have both been fooled by an extraordinarily practiced liar.  We do not have to take issue with the idea that Michael Vick is keeping his mind on his money with a little Grey Goose, but we do take issue with the source of that money, NFL fan money that is.

If the NFL had instituted a policy that prevented violent criminals from playing permanently, then people like Roger Goodell and Tony Dungy would have been protected from this type of deceit.  That is why a policy change is in order and that is why policy is used to protect large organizations from the weaknesses of individuals, especially those with 6+ years of experience subverting that organization.

Wake up Tony Dungy, wake up Roger Goodell, the NFL needs to be changed.

It might be possible to reform an evil person, but expecting them to reform into a saint, into a marketable hero is a travesty.

Over the last few weeks, we have covered a lot more of Michael Vick’s conviction and likely next steps or mis-steps.  We  have also covered a good deal about the dogs.  Its been a few months since we talked about all the kids, high school students and athletes, even the college players that are getting some really bad messages from Michael Vick.

So I wanted to take a moment to throw out the question, especially to any of you that have kids preparing to go into high school sports or that are in high school sports, What do you think Michael Vick’s Actions say to kids?

• Do you think kids feel like Michael Vick was victimized?
• Do you think that kids feel that dog fighting is cool?
• Do you think that kids feel that gambling on things not directly related to the sport they are in is acceptable?
• Do you think that Michael Vick has created a persona of himself that says its all about the money, if you earn enough it doesn’t matter how you perform or what you do in your personal life, just get the big contract and let the world do its own thing?
• or do you think something entirely different? 

Promote the Kids – Promote the High Schools

I came across a great site called Takkle that seems to be sponsored in part by Sports Illustrated.  Its a social network that enables high school athletes to come together and learn from each other.  I wonder if this might actually be part of the solution to the problem that Michael Vick and other bad example public figures create.

Maybe kids will work through these issues just fine if they emphasis is not placed on a twenty something athlete that makes a quarter of a billion dollars, but instead places the emphasis on the kids themselves.  I suspect that it should be about the kids emulating Michael Vick at all no matter how many Nike dollars push it. I think that maybe kids will start to come together to support and promote each other.  I’d rather see those hundreds of millions of endorsement dollars go to high schools than to a professional athlete that uses the money to buy dogs for torturing and killing any day.