Michael Vick has been reinstated, but he should be a top candidate for the Bonehead Award of this century. He did a dumb, stupid thing. Raising, breeding, and "pitting" dogs, Vick was convicted of dog fighting and sentenced to serve 23 months, the last two of which he spent at home. He also threw away a $12 million a year contract with the Falcons. Yup, Bonehead Award.
So why am I writing about it here? Because people like SI.com columnist Peter King was ranting about Vick as a Patriot:
I recall owner Bob Kraft and his wife, Myra, being up in arms about the team drafting Nebraska defensive lineman Christian Peter with his eight arrests and four convictions in Lincoln for aberrant behavior. The Patriots released him a couple of days after the draft. So that makes the Vick signing problematic and unlikely. But who knows? Maybe Bill Belichick can convince them Vick would be the kind of difference-making weapon Randy Moss was when the team got him from Oakland, even though Moss was thought to be an impossible guy to work with. There's the Corey Dillon case, too, another example of Belichick taking a problem child and making it work for the benefit of the team.
I normally like Peter King but, on this one, I thought he was, shall we say, firmly planting his cranium in his gluteus maximus. There's no way in hell a classy organization like the Patriots would pull in a guy with Vick's history. Also, we're just not that desperate. Tom Brady's back and Kevin O'Connell appears to have enough skills to pilot the plane if need be.
That being said, Michael Vick should have another shot at playing. He showed pervasive cruelty to dogs and blew a very successful career. Just because he did a dumb thing doesn't mean he should pay for it for the rest of his life. And, let's not forget he served 21 months in jail. The man did his time.