I’m not sure if this is just irony or more rehabilitation activities, but what we have is NFL quarterback Michael Vick doing PSAs designed to combat the disgusting act of dog fighting. Now, as many of you know, an important aspect of Vick’s fame comes from his incredible fall from grace for financing a dog fighting ring when he was with the Atlanta Falcons.

For his actions, Vick was sentenced to two years in a federal penitentiary for the “Conspiracy to Travel in Interstate Commerce in Aid of Unlawful Activities and to Sponsor a Dog in an Animal Fighting Venture” With that in mind, how do you view his dogfighting stand? Is that enough for you to forgive him, and no, I’m not talking about any Philadelphia Eagles fans who might be reading. We already know their stand.

What about you, though? Does Vick’s contrition and his efforts to educate others about the harm dogfighting causes affect the way you view him? If the YouTube comments are anything to go by, it’s going to be a long hill for Vick to climb, and there’s no guarantee he’ll even make it to the top:

Where are the shots of him taking care of dogs, scooping poop, cleaning cages? Why do we need to see him throwing a football around? Redemption comes by doing, not talking and certainly not by doing something completely unrelated to the topic.

andresripoll

And:

How dare you speak for the dog fighting after what YOU did to the dogs you owned, Im sorry you left a bad mark on my heart and soul…

edanias

Although, some are more forgiving:

It’s a start. At least, it’s a start. Who better to speak out against the terrible atrocity of dog-fighting? Please, kids, listen. “Do something with your life”. Yes. Do something that does NOT involve violence against the helpless.

AnimalLeftist

Just in case you’re still on the fence, there’s another video for you to sift through:

It should be noted the Humane Society of the United States is behind these videos, and while these videos are a step in the right direction, one wonders if Vick did these on his own free will or if this was a PR move. From the HSUS’ description:

Philadelphia Eagles’ star quarterback Michael Vick says dogfighting is wrong. And now his mission is to help more animals than he hurt in the past. Vick hopes his work with the HSUS will help children understand that all animals need love.

Again, the message is a good one, but is this Vick trying to make everyone happy or does he really feel the contrition the videos show? What do you think?