Michael Vick, Are You Listening?

It wasn’t uncommon to see many NFL fans proudly sporting the new-look Atlanta Falcons jersey. That was one of countless reasons why Michael Vick was rapidly becoming the most exciting player in the NFL and the most talked about, rightfully so.

Now, after a truly horrifying and disgustingly morbid federal case has been brought against Vick for financing and carrying out a dog-fighting enterprise, he is the most recognizable athlete today for all the wrong reasons. But for those who remember why he used to be viewed as America’s new gridiron god, it is even sadder.

Michael Vick, if you are listening: Please just give it up and enter your guilty plea this coming Monday in federal court, so the healing process can begin.

There is absolutely no reason to mull over the options that include going to trial or taking your chances with the judge on a plea bargain. Every single accomplice has ratted you out and inevitably, you will suffer a world of pain if you don’t end the legal manuvering now.

The white Falcons jerseys with Vick's familiar red No. 7 printed on them will be put in bags and given to the Salvation Army. The title of ‘incredible athlete’ will be exchanged for ‘dark monster’, and worst of all, you may never get to do what you love ever again. It needs to sink in that all of the above may have happened already.

Think about it: Ricky Williams isn’t playing and isn’t given any love anymore because he loves to get the munchies. You, however, aren’t competing and showing the world the wonderful gift you’ve been blessed with because you’d rather kill dogs and watch innocent creatures suffer. Maybe you do feel terrible for what has happened and will offer additional condolences to anyone or anything you’ve hurt.

You can’t change the past. You can only change your future. It’s sad that the worst thing in the world to a Falcon's fan isn’t the fact that Joey Harrington will be starting at quarterback for Atlanta in the rigorous NFC. You’ve disappointed a franchise, the sports market, the NFL as a whole and every fan that spent 70 dollars on your work clothes. But your situation can be salvaged in some way.

When this case first arose amidst the NBA gambling scandal that involved referee Tim Donaghy, every newspaper columnist around the country buzzed about it being the absolute worst time for sports in recent memory. I couldn’t agree more, and wondered what could possibly put a band-aid on the bleeding txhat has so tumultuously stained the image of sports.

Donaghy was right to plead guilty and start on the road back to healing quicker than he would have if he had dragged the legal proceedings out. Buying time in order to think of some loophole to jump through or to find a scapegoat isn’t wise or fruitful.

Michael Vick, if you are listening: Please, just surrender.

Apologize in a way that everyone can hear, understand and maybe someday accept. Stop scrambling, because people have walked away and abandoned the pocket that so strongly protected you from getting sacked and looking like David Carr with blindfolds on time after time.

Now, you are alone.

Life is extremely hard without an offensive line, huh? Follow through on your reported desire to plead guilty and end the constant blitz mindset of salivating federal prosecutors. Admit to doing wrong, take a plea bargain and move on. How often in life can we barter a wrongdoing for a breath of new life? We should all be so lucky.

I hope you understand that you deserve to spend lonely nights in the federal big house as opposed to some dinky jail where teenage guys who got caught drinking on a beach go. Oh, no. You get what you deserve. The public won't feel bad for you the way they do for the pit bulls that were slain in your sickening house of horrors.

Michael Vick, if you are listening: the time has come.

Take your plea bargain, avoid the possibility of being sentenced to more jail time and spray a can of Lysol on your tarnished name. Maybe one day in the future, if you are able to make millions of dollars as an electrifying NFL quarterback once again, you can make the call of your life.

I’m not talking about begging lineman for the ultimate block play to open a path for your signature 80-yard rushing touchdown with 10 seconds left and the Falcons down six in the Super Bowl. That’s just fun stuff, and sadly, you may never experience fun in its fullest form ever again.

You need to call an audible on your life, man. Donating your paycheck in its entirety in your first year back from suspension to dog kennels and animal hospitals worldwide would be a start. That wouldn’t cancel out dogfights to the death, electrocuting, drowning and any other inhumane treatment of animals you participated in. Nothing ever will. You can only hope you will be granted something that isn’t given so often nowadays: forgiveness.

Michael Vick, if you are listening: don’t give a heated courtroom the chance to sack you. You will find that reality hurts a bit more than you think.