Michael Vick is Now the $100 Million Dollar Man
August 30, 2011
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
Michael Vick is officially back. The scandal-plagued NFL superstar just signed a $100 million dollar deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, making him the third-highest paid quarterback in the league, behind Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
The deal includes a whopping $40 million in guaranteed money.
"I’m very happy we were able to reach an agreement with Michael on this long-term contract," coach Andy Reid said. "It’s a product of all the hard work Michael has done to better himself over the last couple of years, both on and off the field."
The deal with Vick is sweet redemption for the player whom Tucker Carlson on Fox News said should receive the death penalty for his dog fighting charges. Rather than seeing his entire life go to waste over a serious youthful mistake, Vick has been given the second chance that he deserved.
I hope that Vick doesn’t screw any of this up. He and his brother Marcus have a history of poor choices, driven by misguided arrogance and a false sense of invincibility. When you mix this attitude with the racial backdrop of America, a place where the life of a black man isn’t worth as much as a puppy, you have a recipe for disaster.
Eagles fans got a great deal on Michael Vick. The Eagles’ return on investment from signing Vick is a signal to other teams that short-sightedness almost never pays dividends. At the same time, Michael is the beneficiary of the interesting culture of Eagles fans, who are the some of the nastiest, yet most gracious people in the country. If you win, they forgive all sin. But if you lose, they cut your head off.
Let’s hope Michael can fulfill the heightened expectations of Philadelphia.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is Professor at Syracuse University and founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.
August 30, 2011 at 3:34 pm
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August 30, 2011 at 3:36 pm
Nice post. What an amazing story to see Vick get another $100 mill contract. I truly believes he deserves it too and not just for the way he has played on the football field. He did his time in prison, he paid his debt to society. As much as some people outside the sports world might hate that he is being successful, he doesn’t owe anything to anyone, anymore. I always loved to watch Vick as a kid and now I’m getting to see him all over again. It’s going to be a fun year to watch the Philadelphia Eagles and it will be even more intriguing to see how they do and how Vick holds up. Also, you think you could take a look at my blog cuz I really wanna know what you have to say http://chrisross91.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/vicktory-for-the-eagles/
August 30, 2011 at 4:05 pm
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August 30, 2011 at 4:11 pm
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August 30, 2011 at 5:38 pm
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August 30, 2011 at 5:40 pm
“When you mix this attitude with the racial backdrop of America, a place where the life of a black man isn’t worth as much as a puppy”
Well, it looks like this black man is worth $100MIL!
I am very happy for Mr. Vick!!
Human beings make mistakes, and the majority grow/learn from them. He needs to simply move forward, and not look back.
Good luck Michael Vick!
September 3, 2011 at 2:56 pm
I knew Michael Vick would return. The NFL needs talent like Vick. He is just a super athlete.