News Hound

I looked, but I didn't see it.

I didn't see remorse. Or sincerity. Or serious self-reflection. I didn't see anything.

I saw nothing in Michael Vick's eyes today, heard nothing in his words. If this was his first chance to express a real sorrow for his misdeeds, he failed.

His eyes were blank, his words were hollow and without emotion during a press conference with the media today in Philadelphia after signing a contract to play for the Philadelphia Eagles. To me, he's still a person who engaged in dogfighting and killed dogs.

I'm not against second chances. I am against rewarding people who commit criminal acts by giving them million-dollar contracts. And that's what the Eagles and the National Football League are doing.

He should have been suspended for this season. It would have given him plenty of time to turn around his life by working full time to educate people about animal abuse. It would have allowed him to prove by actions rather than words that he intends to have an impact and stop dogfighting in this country.

He can't do that when he's too busy throwing passes or running for the goal line.

"I know I've done some terrible things, made a horrible mistake," Vick told reporters. "Now I want to be part of the solution and not the problem. I know playing in the NFL is a privilege and not a right. I have to keep pushing forward and do more good than bad."

Talk is talk. So far, that's all we've gotten from Vick. He's agreed to work with the Humane Society of the United States, but as far as anyone knows, he's given only one talk to some at-risk kids in Chicago. Now he'll be occupied with training camp. Then games. And the season doesn't end until January.

The only real emotion I saw came from the team's owner, Jeffrey Lurie, who admitted he was conflicted about the decision to sign Vick. Lurie owed two dogs that died in the past two years.  He loves animals.

But he wanted to give Vick a second chance. If Vick violates that trust by failing to become an aggressive campaigner against dogfighting, a lot of people will be let down.