Alpine Credits' Blog

The terms of Michael Vick’s new contract with the Philadelphia Eagles was announced this week. Vick will be paid $100 million for six years of football. Of that 100 million, 40 is guaranteed.

Begin rant now:

$100 MILLION!!!

The man is a convicted felon. He bred dogs to kill each other and built an arena, IN HIS HOME, for them to battle to the death. He was tried, convicted and spent 18 months in jail. That’s more than a year behind bars. Since then, he has only played two seasons with Philly – and now they want to give him a $100 million!

Wow.

First of all, the question should be asked: ‘Is any athlete worth that much?’ Really?

Secondly, what kind of message is this sending to the public? ‘You can do really bad things, but if you run and pass a pigskin like nobody’s business, all will be forgotten.’

Thirdly, a $100 million dollars from a city with some of the worst poverty levels in the United States. This is the same city that has imposed a curfew on youths less than 18 years of age. The city has actually threatened parents who let their teens out past midnight, after flash mobs were organized through social networking sites. Couldn’t that massive sum of money be spent on creating programs to curb the violent tendencies seen in the city’s younger generation? How many gyms could be opened with that money? How many afterschool programs could be funded? We will never know.

No, instead we get to watch a talented, but morally vacant young man run around every Sunday for the next six years.

Thank you Philadelphia.

Michael Vick