Michael Vick was released early Wednesday morning form prison, accompanied by his fiancee and others he started his long 19 hour drive home to Virginia, short compared to the road he must travel to become reinstated by the NFL.
Vick who will turn 29 in June slipped out of Leavenworth prison and past the cameras and reporters heading to home where he will be under home confinement and Federal custody till July 20, 2008.
Vick's road back to redemption started with public humiliation and incarceration and now he begins the phases of humility and repentance.
Vick once the highest paid player in the NFL will start a new job while under house arrest he will be allowed to report to work as a construction worker for $10.00 and hour, checks that for a year would not equal the withholding taxes on his NFL pay checks.
It will be a good test for him, he will be around people that are not pampered and privileged because of their athletic abilities. He will be around people that work hard, face financial hardships and are the no nonsense working class of America. They may well prove to be as tough a judge and jury as he would have faced had his case gone to trial. Vick will certainly need large doses of humility to pass with that crowd.
Taking another positive step, Vick, it was announced by The Humane Society of the United States said Tuesday that Vick met its president recently in prison and wants to work on a program aimed at eradicating dogfighting among urban teens.
Vick is seeing some supportive road signs on his path back to the pros. Commissioner Roger Goodell, who suspended Vick indefinitely in August 2007, has said he will review Vick’s status after his criminal case is concluded. He has said Vick will have to persuade him and the public that he is genuinely sorry for his crime, that he has been changed by his experience and that he is committed to leading a different life.
Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Wednesday that Vick has paid his debt to society and merits a second chance. Blank said the quarterback is taking positive steps by wanting to work with humane societies and making other changes in his life.
Will Michael Vick successfully follow the road to redemption, only time will tell.
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