Watching the return of Michael Vick to the National Football League courtesy of the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend, I couldn’t help but compare and contrast his return to a different athlete, in a different sport, during a different era, being punished for a different “crime”.

I was 7 and 8 years old and can remember watching the Cincinnati Reds on television winning the 1975 and 1976 World Series.  I was a big Cincinnati Reds fan growing up in Indianapolis when the Indians were the farm club for the Reds.  I even remember watching George Foster at old Bush Stadium on 16^th street.  Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, George Foster, Dan Driessen, Ken Griffey, Dave Concepcion, and Sparky Anderson were some of the household names that I hold dear from childhood.

“The Big Red Machine” had many stars but when I thought of Michael Vick this weekend, I couldn’t help but think of, and in a way mourn for, Pete Rose.  You see, Pete Rose was accused of and eventually admitted to betting on baseball games.  He even admitted to betting on the games when he was managing the Cincinnati Reds.  He claims that he never bet against them causing us to presume that he never threw any games.

Personally, I doubt that it would have been in “Charlie Hustle’s” nature to have thrown a game.  He has the most career hits with 4,256 along with 15 other Major League Baseball Records.  He is the only player in history to play more than 500 games at 5 different positions.  Betting on baseball surely doesn’t diminish any of these accomplishments.  Plus, he didn’t even admit to taking performance enhancing drugs.  Yet, he is “permanently ineligible” from the sport of baseball and will likely never be admitted in to the Hall of Fame.

Contrast that with Michael Vick and football.  Michael Vick played for 6 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons after being the number 1 overall draft.  In that short time, Vick holds 5 NFL records and ranks third overall for rushing yards by a quarterback.  Then in 2007, he pleaded guilty for his involvement in a dog fighting ring and was sent to federal prison for 23 months.

Now after serving his prison sentence, Michael Vick has been fully reinstated in the NFL.  I would presume that, if he regains his former playing ability and adds to his statistics, he would even be eligible for inclusion in the National Football League Hall of Fame.

I wonder why the marked difference between the two athletes?  Was it because the sports were different with different commissioners?  Are we used to football players being more prone to criminal activity so it is less shocking?  Is it because our society is no longer shocked by athletes and certain behaviors?  Was Pete Rose’s crime more of an affront to baseball whereas Michael Vick’s did not directly denigrate the sport of football?

I honestly don’t even know how I feel about the whole situation.  It is nice to think that someone can be rehabilitated and given a second chance but dog fighting disgusts me.  Certainly betting on your own sport especially when in a position to potentially influence the game is reprehensible, but is there no redemption for this “crime”?  And what about steroids in baseball that has the potential to undermine every accomplishment in the Hall of Fame not to mention the game itself?  Maybe I should just stick with fighting and hope a hockey game breaks out?