Inquirer Editorial: Vick is making the most of his second chance

Posted: September 05, 2011

Three years ago, Michael Vick was in prison for dog fighting. Today, he has a $100 million contract to quarterback the Eagles. And F. Scott Fitzgerald claimed there were no second acts in American life.

Some will never forgive Vick for cruelly abusing dogs, or the Eagles for hiring him. When Vick came out of prison, it was fair to wonder if he deserved the opportunity to play pro football again.

Since then, though, Vick has done what he needed to do: Show contrition, do good works, and stay out of trouble. He got a second chance from a society that does not often give second chances to young black men with a criminal record.

Of course, being a football star didn't hurt his odds. Second chances for the super-talented or powerful are as American as apple pie. President Bill Clinton survived a sex scandal. Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer quit amid a prostitution scandal, but got a spot on cable TV. Donald Trump bounces his casinos in and out of bankruptcy, but banks still shower him with money.

This is not Japan, where a scandalized or failed public figure is expected to slink away into obscurity. Vick was given a second chance even before it was clear that he deserved it. The Eagles hired him, and he has made the most of the opportunity.

Vick will likely donate some of his new salary to good causes. He has given $1 million to the Animal Hospital Foundation of America, and his own foundation has donated school supplies to thousands of needy students. That's how you show your gratitude for being given a second chance.

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