The New York Times Hasn’t Forgotten Michael Vick’s Sordid Past

After a playoff lost, retreading old ground.

Not sure what to make of this NYT piece today basically warning Michael Vick’s future employers that he’s a dog murderer.

I mean: Yes, he is. Undoubtedly, there are teams that will decide he’s not worth the trouble and beg off. (Certainly, there were some local fans who never forgave the Eagles for signing Vick.)  A 33-year-old QB who lost his starting position during the season might not be the most valuable commodity in the league anyway.

And the NYT writer, Juliet Macur, clearly wants to keep it that way.

Vick, who owns a family dog after having previously been barred from doing so, showed me the six-inch fuzzy teddy bear that he carries in his duffel bag for good luck. The bear was a gift from his three children last Christmas. Signs of a changed man? Maybe.

But the Eagles should make it easy for their fans. They should replace Vick with someone devoid of a dark past, someone who hasn’t been in prison for such a reprehensible crime. It’s a pathetically low bar, but it ought to be the bare minimum.

There’s something strange about this. Nobody should forgive Vick just because he has (or had) amazing talent. Nobody should give him a job just because, either. But there’s something beyond the usual levels of vindictiveness here’s that’s hard to comprehend, even taking Vick’s old crimes (for which he has been punished) into account.