I don't think of someone maiming and torturing dogs in a savage and cowardly way as an example of courage. But many Eagles apparently think otherwise.
Last week, Eagles players voted Michael Vick as the team's recipient of the 2009 Ed Block Courage Award. Block was a longtime trainer for the Baltimore Colts and a legendary humanitarian. In partnership with the NFL, the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation uses the annual awards to raise money to help neglected and abused children.
THE foundation Web site tells us that the recipient of the award should "exemplify commitments to the principles of sportsmanship and courage." It also says the recipient should be a "community role model." Since the award's inception, there have been scores of deserving and inspirational recipients.
You'd think that, based on the criteria, Vick wouldn't even make it on the first ballot, given his conviction for torturing and killing dogs in his illegal dogfighting operation. Yet he won in a unanimous vote.
Many of the 31 other NFL winners were humble in accepting the award. Quite a few said there were teammates who were more deserving. Sadly, Vick displayed none of that grace, saying, "I've overcome a lot more than probably one single individual can handle or bear." He continued: "You ask certain people to walk through my shoes, they probably couldn't do it. Probably 95 percent of the people in this world, because nobody has to endure what I've been through."
Hardly the words of a man who is contrite and realizes how far he has to go to make amends.
