Michael Vick on “60 Minutes”: Contrition and a confession
I’m sure “60 Minutes” wasn’t thrilled with Michael Vick pre-empting himself and holding an introductory briefing two days before his taped interview with James Brown was scheduled to air. But the press conference in Philadelphia was a press conference, which serves a different purpose than the sitdown interview. And Vick was impressive in former, even more so in the latter.
I watched the interview in the press lounge at Turner Field, and there were the usual “Yeah, rights,” from a few of the skeptics behind me. But I felt no skepticism. I felt I was watching a humbled man admit to having been a fool and an ingrate and an all-around bad buy.
And let me ask this: When last did you own up to so many sins and failings? In the confessional box? Ever? And when last did you do it before an audience of millions?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it now: I’ve always liked the guy, and I felt almost personally disappointed when I read the indictment against him. I can only imagine how Arthur Blank felt, and that to me was the heart of Vick’s “60 Minutes” appearance — the self-disgust he felt at having let Blank down.
Loading ...Vick: “I can’t, you know, describe the feeling. You know, the hurt deep inside, hurt that I never felt before, knowing that I disappointed him, knowing that he’d given me every opportunity to come to him and reach out whenever I needed him. And he cared about me and I took it all for granted.”
It’s one thing to say, “Oh, I let my fans down.” It’s altogether different to put a human face on that failure. That Vick seems to realize what he did to the man who trusted him most gives me hope, not for the first time, that Michael Vick is indeed a changed and wiser man.
I know, I know. There are those among who will take the “Yeah, right” route, who will believe Vick’s only remorse is over having been caught. I believe otherwise. I believe he means what he says, and on “60 Minutes” he said exactly what he needed to say. And he said it well.
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225 comments Add your comment
dl
August 16th, 2009
10:13 pm
VS, you must be in Okinawa? Thanks for the service. I hope you return home and find all your loved one safe. However, I hope you return and find MV7 on IR for blowing out his ACL!
Barbara
August 16th, 2009
10:14 pm
It is just amazing that all these black people are on the front seat when it comes to forgiving Michael Vick. But where are they when it comes to forgiving white slave owners. Whoa, now! That’s talking about forgiving white folks. Now, that’s something different.
Greg
August 16th, 2009
10:17 pm
Meb,
I do not hate Michael Vick, I just think there is something fundamentally wrong with a person who tortures living things for pleasure. I addition I believe in giving people a second chance. I think those two years would have been better spent under the care of a psychologist rather than a cell so that he might be able to truly reconcile those issues in himself. I hope he was able to do that on his own, I truly do.I wish him luck but forgive me if I do harbor some doubts.
vickless
August 16th, 2009
10:19 pm
Hey Philly! Hide your beagle….Vick’s an Eagle!
Mark Bradley
August 16th, 2009
10:21 pm
I don’t believe Dany Heatley has a felony record, by the way.
chemdawg
August 16th, 2009
10:21 pm
Mark, some moderation is required!
Dee Ford
August 16th, 2009
10:24 pm
Mike Vick does not owe anyone a personal apology. No man is God.
I do look forward to Mike letting his actions in the community and with the kids do the talking. Good Luck
Nite Owl
August 16th, 2009
10:24 pm
This is more for my own sense of closure than for anyone else’s benefit, but here goes:
I don’t care if Michael Vick comes to the Dome and has 300 all-purpose yards, helps the Eagles to beat the Falcons 42-0, and does victory laps a la Jeff George.
I certainly hope that doesn’t happen, but it will mean nothing more to me than when Jeff George came back here and won. That game back then did not make me want to have Jeff George back.
It won’t mean anything more to me than if New England beats us, or the Saints beat us, or the Buccaneers beat us.
Vick does not play for my team anymore, and we’re a better franchise for years to come because of it. I’m no more worried about Vick than I am about Jeff Francoeur.
The people who love Vick and hate the Falcons are trying to make us “scared” of what Vick will do to us when he comes back. That’s the only weapon they have. Don’t take the bait.
They have been ships without a port for a couple of years now, and now they have their team. So they’re Eagles fans now. No more or less special than any other run-of-the-mill Eagles fans in this town. So who cares?
Booger
August 16th, 2009
10:26 pm
As Travis Tritt said, “Here’s a quarter, call someone who cares.”
eastbound and down
August 16th, 2009
10:26 pm
at the end of the day, it is only dogs and dogs are property. people in Ga have shot dogs that can’t point. “that dog don’t hunt.” shooting wolves from helicopters or airplanes is ok. bullfighting..cockfighting… whatever…
btw, vickless had the best post of the night. and BIOMASS is aptly named (2 : plant materials and animal waste used especially as a source of fuel) and is an idiot, to boot.
DiJo
August 16th, 2009
10:26 pm
I think Michael has done all the apologizing he needs to do; he needs to move on with his life and re-establish himself in the profession he was destined to be in. I hope he turns a deaf ear to all these perfectly sinless beings who came directly from heaven.
I applaud Mike on the fact that he acknowledged his wrong, confessed it openly and is now moving in the right direction…to me, that’s what a real man is.
What sickens me with these comentaries, is the aire of self-righteousness that comes across in their blogs. Some of these very same people steal from others, lie, and hurt their kids and yet they attempt to hold a candle to Mike Vick.
Isn’t it ironic that certain groups of people in this country eat dog meat and they not brought to justice for the “crime” they are committing. What about the cock fighting and dog fighting that is goning on right here in good ole Georgia even as we speak, who is policing that criminal behavior.
Michael Vick does not need to hang he head down to no one, because he did nothing to be ashamed of. He didn’t rob anyone, rape anyone, was not involved in the distribution or use of drugs, was not involved in prostitution, nor de he enslave anyone; all he did “wrong” was fund dog-fighting.
Michael Vick was the fall guy that the court attempted to make an example out of. Dog-fighting is a sport just like MMA/Cage fighting.
Michael
August 16th, 2009
10:27 pm
Vick has suffered the most public humiliation imaginable, has lost millions, and has millions of strangers, low lifes and no talent losers who get to say to him — What are you — Stupid? He makes Elliot Spitzer look brilliant.
Jeff
August 16th, 2009
10:27 pm
I love dogs–grew up with them. Have two now. Michael Vick was directly/indirectly responsible for the gruesome, painful death of dogs. Michael Vick went to prison for those actions for 18 months. Michael Vick is out of prison now and hopes to resume his life. Regardless of what Michael Vick does/does not achieve for the rest of his career, the first paragraph of his obituary will probably note his involvement in dog-fighting.
I wish Mike Vick well. I hope he’s successful in his rehabilitation efforts. Who knows if he will be? That said, he doesn’t need my forgiveness and I wouldn’t be arrogant enough to ask for it. He needs to come to peace with himself and become a productive member of society (in whatever form that takes).
Despite my abhorrence at dog-fighting, let’s quit trying to make false equivalencies to other crimes. Crimes against animals are simply not comparable to anything else in the criminal code. Crimes against people are considered the most egregious, followed by crimes against property. Who knows where crimes against animals should fall on that plane?
For all the Michael Vick haters, do whatever you wish, but my advice would be to let it go. If you want to be perpetually disgusted by an athlete’s behavior, I’m sure there will be plenty of opportunities in the near future to outraged at someone else.
meb
August 16th, 2009
10:28 pm
Ed-Covington
August 16th, 2009
10:12 pm
CODE:
“There is more hatred for Vick than Bernie Madoff who ruined generations of lives.”
How can you claim this? I don’t hear anyone anywhere defending Madoff; yet there are still plenty of people trying to defend MV!
———————–
Ed -
Speaking for myself. I am not trying to defend Mike, but I do understand where he came from and tend to want to cut him some slack. Where I grew up, dog fighting was a regular occurence and jsut as Mike stated, there were policemen that would see this and do nothing. As a youg kid seeing this activity going on all the time and the police don’t do anything send the message that it is ok. When dog fight occurred in our neighborhoods, there were no secret meeting places. It was in the open for all to see who wanted to see and no one thought anything of it. These same guys that fought dogs int eh neighbor I grew up in also ahd dogs that they did not fight. The dogs that they loved on and played with. The dogs they fought were treated as money makers, nothing more. So I can empathize with that part of his life. I’ve had dogs all of my life. Haven’t fought any of them. Loved them all, but had no problem watching a dog fight back in the day. Its funny how some sports entertainment are legal that abuse animals (Rodeos, bull fighting, sport hunting, etc) and how some sports entertainment are legal where humans get to abuse each other( Boxing, MMA, etc) but this activity has caused people to lose their minds. I’m not condoning dog fighting as it is illegal, but people please do not elevate dogs to the level of humans.
Timothy
August 16th, 2009
10:29 pm
I think what people miss is that Mike was only a product of his environment. Some may think you automatically know right from wrong in certain situations, but it’s not true. You dont have to believe what he says, no problem in that. But when he tells you he never really practiced, studied, or dedicated himself, is because nobody ever taught him to do it. He didnt have an example, or did anyone pull him to the side and show him what it takes so hopefully, he has learned from what has happened.
Toots
August 16th, 2009
10:31 pm
Mark, I’m with you. People can change and there’s nothing naive about hoping that someone has changed.
eastbound and down
August 16th, 2009
10:32 pm
Barbara, who are “all these black people are on the front seat when it comes to forgiving Michael Vick?” what about all the white people in the front seat beside them? and to compare what Vick did with owning slaves? come on…. these comments are typical of small minded people who don’t understand when they sound like idiots.
eastbound and down
August 16th, 2009
10:34 pm
at the end of the day it is just about dogs. people in the south have shot dogs that can’t point. “that dog don’t hunt.”
shooting wolves from helicopters and planes is ok. bullfighting, ok…whatever..
Famuan
August 16th, 2009
10:35 pm
Mark, second degree vehicular homicide is not a felony?
Fred
August 16th, 2009
10:35 pm
Dany Heatley did plead to a felony.
Mark Bradley
August 16th, 2009
10:40 pm
Second-degree vehicular homicide for Dany Heatley. I stand corrected.
meb
August 16th, 2009
10:42 pm
Barbara
August 16th, 2009
10:14 pm
It is just amazing that all these black people are on the front seat when it comes to forgiving Michael Vick. But where are they when it comes to forgiving white slave owners. Whoa, now! That’s talking about forgiving white folks. Now, that’s something different.
————————————————————-
Vick said he regrets his actions, therefore it allows you to enter into a forgiving mode (no matter how skeptical). I’m not sure that the White slave owners nor the racist people of the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s have collectively said they regret how they have treated black people in this country. I have not hear them say how they are sorry for ommitting from teh history books the very real contributions of black people in fighting for this country and the building of this country. I have not seen them be contrite about turning dogs on the black people, turning water hoses on black people, lynching black people just becasue they are black. So Barbara, If you are one those racists adn you want to be forgiven, please show me how sorry you are for your attitude and that of your ancestors that tortured our ancestors and I think that most (not all ) black people are willing to forgive. I won’t hold my breath waiting for your apology as I might pass out before then…..
meb
August 16th, 2009
10:46 pm
But Danny Heatley served NO TIME and didn’t miss a paycheck or a day on the ice. There was no uproar about this from the same people who are so angry and unforgiving towards Vick.
Whopper Dawg
August 16th, 2009
10:49 pm
Mark, given Vick’s history, any prudent man would not proclaim him as changed based on the very short history since his release and a 20 minute interview that was obviously scripted. That being said, let us all hope that he is reformed and can do more with his life than run fast. Only time will tell, and according to Vick, he understands that it it up to him, which it is.
chemdawg
August 16th, 2009
10:50 pm
Heatley killed his best friend in an automobile accident.
Ed-Covington
August 16th, 2009
10:52 pm
Arthur Blank: “Michael, have you been involved in dog-fighting?”
MV: “No”
Roger Goodell: “Mr. Vick, have you been involved in dog-fighting?”
MV: “No”
What does his lying have to do with whether he thought that dog-fighting was wrong or not? Lying to your team owner and the commissioner is not “relevant to the NFL”?
chemdawg
August 16th, 2009
10:52 pm
Heatley wasn’t even drunk. Vick made a conscious decision to electrocute dogs. It’s not even debatable.
Diggity Dawg
August 16th, 2009
10:57 pm
Biomass: Bringing up Dungy’s son was a low-class move. Why don’t you go over to Bookman’s blog with the other creeps?
Fred
August 16th, 2009
10:58 pm
chemdawg, Dany Heatley made a conscious decision to have a few drinks and then speed recklessly down a two lane winding road the wee hours of the morning with a passenger in his car. He consciously chose to push the accelerator to more than 50 miles above the speed limit. His conscious decision led to the death of his teammate.
MLH
August 16th, 2009
10:59 pm
What pissed me off was after giving him the biggest contract in NFL history, he admitted to being lazy. He was the last player to practice and the first to leave. Didn’t study the playbook or try to get better. How sorry is that after an owner makes you the richest man in the game. Disgraceful.
Denver Bird
August 16th, 2009
11:01 pm
all I want to know is… what does TED STRIKER think????
Famuan
August 16th, 2009
11:02 pm
Apparently its NOT relevant to the NFL which is why Vick’s jersey was the featured item on their site….and why the NFL will make sure the Eagles-Falcons game is a national one. Sorry AWM, but money talks and bs walks….Eagles preseason game tickets are selling out faster than the Falcons home opener.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/32418854?__source=RSS
Go ahead and hate!
chemdawg
August 16th, 2009
11:03 pm
Fred, don’t make me make you look foolish again. Heatley wasn’t drunk, but he was speeding. There was no malice involved nor a coordinated effort to kill his teammate. I can truthfully say that though I have never funded a dog fighting organization and hung dogs by a tree, I have, in fact, been guilty of speeding. Have you?
FALCONS SORRY
August 16th, 2009
11:03 pm
ALL HATERS! MIKE VICK HAS AGAIN SHOWED US ALL WHY IS THE ONE OF THE GREATEST AND MOST GIFTED ATHELETES TO EVER STEP ON A FIELD! IT TAKE A REALLY BIG MAN TO ADMIT WHEN HE MAKE A MISTAKE AND MIKE VICK STEPPED UP AND SHOWED THAT HE IS A MAN! AND ALL THE HATE FROM ALL YOU HATERS THAT JUST WANT TO TEAR HIM DOWN AND PUT HIM BACK IN SHACKELS AND CHAINS LIKE SO MANY OF YOU THINK HE BELONG WILL NEVER CHANGE THE FACT THAT HE IS HIS OWN MAN! YOU HATERS ONLY MAKE HIM STRONGER! THE COURT OF THE SO CALLED LAW TRIED TO DESTROY THIS MAN BUT NOW THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION WILL FIND THIS MAN CLEARED OF ALL CHARGES THE HATERS ARE THROWING AGAINST HIM AND SEE HOW HE HAS BEEN WRONGED! ALL OF US AS AMERICANS CAN BE PROUD OF THE MATURITY AND GRACE THIS MAN SHOWED THE WHOLE WORLD TONIGHT AND WE CAN ONLY HOPE OUR PRESIDENT WILL SEE WHAT AN INJUSTICE HAS TAKEN PLACE FOR HOW MUCH THIS MAN AND GIFTED FOOTBALL PLAYER HAS SUFFERED OVER A FEW WORTHLESS DOGS THAT NO BODY EVEN CARE ABOUT ANYWAY AND PARDON THIS MAN AND LET HIM GET HIS LIFE BACK THE HATERS TRIED TO TAKE AWAY FROM HIM! COURAGE ON THE FIELD AND OFF! THAT 60 MINUTES BROAD CAST SHOWED THAT MV7 IS A GOOD AND HUMBLE MAN OF WHICH EVERBODY IN ATL AND PHILADELPHIA CAN BE PROUD OF TO HAVE HIM REPRESENT THEM! YOUR HATERS CAN NOT TEAR YOU DOWN BECAUSE THEY ONLY MAKE YOU STRONGER AND GIVE YOU EVEN MORE CHANCES TO SHOW YOUR GREATNESS IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY MIKE!
sc falcon
August 16th, 2009
11:05 pm
Biomass: Bringing up Dungy’s son was very low class. Tony Dungy is a man of class which is what you maybe need some of. Vick made a terrible mistake. It was horrendous what he did, but give the guy a break. He paid the price and I think that Tony Dungy is the perfect man to mentor him. BTW, I am white.
mike
August 16th, 2009
11:05 pm
good article MB…i wish MV7 the best in the future. Go birds (falcons, that is)
Falcon Fan
August 16th, 2009
11:06 pm
Good Point Just an Observation. Likewise, now that the truth is out hopefully, you people can forgive and allow Vick to move on. First of all with his life and then his career to support himself and his family. And quit holding his feet to the fire for his checkered past. WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES, SOME MORE TERRIBLE THAN OTHERS. At the same time it’s amazing how the NFL is already profiting off of Vick’s jersey number 7. GO EAGLES!!!!!!!!!!!
chemdawg
August 16th, 2009
11:16 pm
Tony
August 16th, 2009
11:18 pm
Why not start him out as Waterboy for about 10 years ,, Then let him try out for `Qback, or Towelboy!
yall are dumb
August 16th, 2009
11:23 pm
Im not a Vick support nor a Falcons fan but I felt a need to comment on these ridiculous comments. For the people who think Vick should apologize to each and every one of you, you’re retarded. He did something horrible and illegal and he did his time for it, but he owes none of us an apology. Unless you were an owner of one of the dogs he murdered.
To BIOMASS, God have mercy on your soul for you awful comment about Tony Dungy’s son. I pray you don’t have children, and if you do I pray you never have to witness one of them killing themselves. You know Karma isn’t a pretty thing.
Charlie
August 16th, 2009
11:25 pm
Tony Dungy is a great man, who walks away from millions to visit prisons in order to spread hope, responsibility and to show that someone cares. That, poeple, is how you make the world a better place.
Nick
August 16th, 2009
11:25 pm
I don’t think that it’s about being skeptical and saying “yeah right.” I went into the interview with an open mind and only heard Vick say the wrong things. When did he feel disgust for his actions? By his account, during his first days in jail. What were the thoughts that kept running through his mind as he sat in a jail cell? That this wasn’t the life he was supposed to lead. That he was supposed to be out there playing football and making a lot of money. Of course, when pressed on that comment Vick made the necessary backtrack by stating that his career and the money meant nothing, but he had already made it clear to me that that was all that meant anything to him. To me, this interview was simply further indication that Vick’s real regrets is his tarnished image and loss of funds. I heard no regret for the actions themselves.
Does anyone deserve a second chance?
August 16th, 2009
11:27 pm
I love dogs; moreover my wife has her second seeing eye dog that not only assist her, but it gives unconditional love 24/7. I cried when the first dog died. So, I too was angry when I heard Michael Vick was involved with dog fighting. It still stirs rage to hear when someone hurts a dog or animal for no reason. I understand the anger and passion on this blog but this man serve his debt and I belive he deserves a second chance.
Michael Vick has a chance to redeem himself and the world will be watching. I wish him well. Go Falcons and Go Jackets!
Does anyone deserve a second chance?
August 16th, 2009
11:29 pm
Also, rather you agree or disagree have a “wonderful week all!” That means you too Mark! See ya on the flats!
Night Moves
August 16th, 2009
11:36 pm
It’s generally accepted by our social standards that what MV did is horrific, but how bad he feels about it, only God and MV (and maybe Kreskin) know. How bad does a Spanish bullfighter feel about stabbing his bovine victim til he bleeds out in front of thousands of el afficianados? MV grew up hanging out with the older men who exposed him to this neighborhood pastime. Children grow up in Uganda, S. Africa and Mozambique learning to kill innocent people with guns. In other words, are people just lost products of their environments or can they change?
All I know is that as a ten-year Falcons season ticket holder (and very suburban white boy), Mike Vick brought my son and me some of the most special moments we’ve ever experienced in sports.
I believe people can change and I’m proud to be a goober homer who looks forward to seeing #7 in the NFL again… hopefully tearing up the AFC west or some place far from Philly and Atlanta.
DiJo
August 16th, 2009
11:37 pm
I wish Michael Vick the very best in his future career, I know he will be even more successful than he was with the Falcons; and I commend Tony Dungy for stepping up as a mentor and father figure in his life. I hope this will be a spring board for future programs like this to flourish and thereby curb the downward spiral for many of these young athletes.
Fred
August 16th, 2009
11:40 pm
chemdawg, so Heatley gets a pass because he didn’t kill someone EVERYTIME he got behind the wheel of a car going 100 mph?? Is that your point? He meant to speed, therefore its not an accident…its a consequence. Dan Snyder is DEAD….a human being is DEAD…his family won’t see him again unless they look at pictures. He’s DEAD, but yet you think that’s just honky dorry because ya know…Heatley’s a really nice guy and all..he didn’t mean it!!! Whatever…Heatley gets the protection, he is 100% responsible for the death of a human being, yet its perfectly acceptable in your eyes. WOW.
mike
August 16th, 2009
11:43 pm
good point nightmoves regarding the bullfighting in spain…i would like to see all the people who are going to boycott nfl/eagles/vick etc start to boycott their nice summer vacations in barcelona.. that stuff they do over there is pretty horrific to the bulls..
MrKnowGood
August 16th, 2009
11:45 pm
Well said Mark…That was exactly the kind of column the city (and the country) needed 1.5 years ago. Now, let’s hope some of your common sense rubs off on Jeff Schultz.
stendec
August 16th, 2009
11:51 pm
Loss to 0-Forever Detroit Lions unacceptable under any circumstances! Horrible choke job by Falcons in American sewer known as Michigan. Completely nauseating. Nothing good from this debacle. Flat F- grades all the way around. Lowest available. Oh yeah. (CENSORED) Mike Sick! At least dog population in Philly will not be a problem. (CENSORED) Eagles.