While the 2012 NFL offseason has become, all things considered, the craziest stretch of bizarre news and unexpected developments in memory, no single event has been more shocking than Eagles quarterback Mike Vick’s involvement in a dogfighting ring, circa 2007.
Three years after Vick’s federal prison term ended and two years after he re-established himself as a high-end quarterback, Vick remains a controversial figure, as a car dealership in Las Vegas has learned.
Vick is attending a youth football camp in Sin City, and he made a Friday night appearance at a local auto dealership. According to the Las Vegas Sun, the dealership ultimately dismantled its Facebook page after commenters hurled insults and threats at Vick. Others vowed to boycott the dealership.
“People have grown to forgive me and give me a second chance,” Vick said Saturday morning. But he also admitted some haven’t forgiven and forgotten.
Frankly, it’s surprising that Vick hasn’t experienced criticism and vitriol more frequently. Then again, folks are more willing to lash out from behind the comfort of their computer screens. Vick has experienced very few awkward in-person exchanges over the past three years.
All things considered, the football-following world has moved on from his sordid past, giving him that second chance and celebrating his return to prominence on the field and his maturity off it. There always will be critics -- and they always will be more likely to criticize via their keyboards and not their mouths.