He’s been vilified, scrutinized and even ostracized by some. Animal activists continue to decry his reinstatement to the NFL.  He’s spent nearly two years in prison for participating in an unlawful dog fighting ring and pleaded guilty to felony charges. He had to file for bankruptcy after losing product endorsement deals and his salary.

Through it all, he’s kept a low profile, gained a mentor in one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time and is now a Philadelphia Eagle. Of course I’m speaking about Michael Vick.

Man Behind the Mask highlights the good players do off the field. Michael Vick is no exception. Hear me out. I’m a huge fan of dogs. As a former dog owner I know what it’s like to take care of the four-legged creature. They’re loyal, playful, intelligent beasts who are good for a laugh and a smile when you’ve had a rough day at work.

What Michael Vick did with his canine friends was wrong. Dog fighting is illegal – this we know. Vick was punished and he did his time – also another fact.

However, many are acting as if Vick committed a crime far worse against humanity. They act as if he was the cause for the Holocaust, slavery and Hiroshima all rolled into one. There are child molesters who have been released on ‘good behaviour’ (thanks to the revolving door mechanism that occurs in judiciary circles in both Canada and the U.S.) in less than two years. Yet Vick is seen as the Big Scary Black Man…coming to take your children! Lock ‘em away!

Michael Vick is still a man. A beleaguered man, no doubt – but one who continues to hold his head up in times of adversity. Flanked by Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid and former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy at a news conference on August 14, 2009, Vick was soft-spoken and appeared remorseful. He acknowledged his wrongdoings and appeared grateful to Mr. Goodell and the league for reinstating him. Both Mr. Reid and Mr. Dungy were confident in Vick’s ability to perform on the field – and remain a good citizen off the gridiron.

We know he’s a beast on the field. Come on…a quarterback who rushes? You can’t beat that. But Mr. Vick is a regular man who has made some unwise decisions (just like the rest of us). Mr. Vick has a family. He has mouths to feed and children to put through college. Did you think of that? He and his mother and brother established “The Vick Foundation” in 2006 for inner city youth in Atlanta. He’s also donated money to families of the victims of the Virginia Tech massacre in April 2007. Bet you didn’t know that, huh? I didn’t. But maybe you refuse to see the good this man has done and continue to focus on the bad – without all the facts. He’s just a monster to some of y’all.

We see PETA continue to bemoan his return to the National Football League. We see rabid animal lovers frothing at the mouth over a man who committed a crime – did the time – and just wants to live his life in peace. Will the ever let up? Furthermore – don’t they have jobs to go to? How many times will we see them camping outside stadiums and practice locations just to goad a former shining star?

I have full confidence that Michael Vick will come back as a dominant force this season – whatever Mr. Reid decides he will do for the Eagles. Let’s hope he’ll be Vick-torious (sorry, couldn’t help it) this season. Prove the naysayers and PETA wrong. Let him rip on the field…just not against the Colts, please and thanks.

KJ