Team mates recognize Michael Vick and the sports world is up in arms about it.
Vick won the Ed Block Courage Award, voted on by his teammates on the Philadelphia Eagles, after the once-disgraced star quarterback returned to the league after spending 18 months in a federal prison for his role in a dogfighting ring.
"It means a great deal to me," Vick said Wednesday. "I was voted unanimously by my teammates. They know what I've been through. I've been through a lot. It's been great to come back and have an opportunity to play and be with a great group of guys. I'm just ecstatic about that and I enjoy every day."
The Ed Block Award honors players who exemplify commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage. Each of the 32 NFL teams selects a recipient.
"I've overcome a lot, more than probably one single individual can handle or bear," Vick said. "You ask certain people to walk through my shoes, they probably couldn't do. Probably 95 percent of the people in this world because nobody had to endure what I've been through, situations I've been put in, situations I put myself in and decisions I have made, whether they have been good or bad.
The animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, issued a statement reprimanding the Eagles for giving Vick the award.
"The Philadelphia Eagles fumbled when they gave Michael Vick the Ed Block Courage Award, which was named after a man who advocated in behalf of abused children," the PETA statement read. "Michael Vick should not be the person anyone points to as a model of sportsmanship, even though he has now exchanged dogs for touchdowns after serving time for extreme cruelty to animals. We wish him well in educating others, but this is not appropriate and does not mark a joyous moment in NFL history."
Funny, once again folks rally against an African American public figure being recognized with a notable award. Once again, the award is "not timely". Once again, there's hope that the person will do something in the future to deserve the award. Once again, there are those that are "more deserving". Once again, granting this award to this person is a "slap in the face to past receipients".
Once again, I don't agree with the obvious stance against the award in this case, as with the controversy surrounding the recent Nobel Peace prize awarded Barack Obama. A person makes mistakes, pays for their poor judgement, and tries to rehabilitate. Then, they move on with their lives. One mistake should not be a life sentence.
Source: Sports Illustrated and ESPN
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