Charles Barkley on Michael Vick: "Sometimes You Just Gotta Grow Up and Be a Man"

Having pled guilty to charges of dogfighting and interstate illegal commerce, former NFL Atlanta Falcon's quarterback responded to those charges on Friday, August 24, 2007. In a carefully worded, read between the lines statement prepared by his team of attorneys, Vick admitted guilt to charges filed against him and will face sentencing on Monday, August 27th from Judge Henry Hudson. A one-year prison term has been recommended by Federal prosecutors, who contend that Vick will serve as a government informant on charges pressed against his co-conspirators and others. Hudson, however, is not bound by that recommendation and could sentence Vick up to the maximum of five years in jail.

In August of 2006, did any of us - especially Vick himself - ever foresee his amazing fall from grace? To impigne on an American insurance company's current commercial, "Life comes at you fast."

Much has been made of the fact that in past and current African American cultures, dog fighting is not considered a crime. As the inimitable Stephon Marbury, of the New York Knicks and perhaps from another planet himself, said in a recent televised interview "Dog fighting is a sport." It doesn't take long to trace back the history of dog fighting among African American males in this country, unfortunately. Africans were ripped from their homelands and enslaved in America. It was not uncommon for slave owners to pit strong, healthy young African American male slaves against each other in fights to the death. Among the early slave culture, cock fighting was not uncommon. Over time, the African American male culture developed an interest in dog fighting as well. This practice started (and to this day is generally confined to) certain regions of the south, where the enslavement of human beings began and had its greatest impact. However, according to statistics provided by the ASPCA, illegal dog fighting continues in numerous pockets of the country other than the south, and is certainly not limited to African American males.

A number of Vick's supporters have attempted, successfully or not, to draw a natural line of conclusion from the fact that Michael Vick is a product of the South and a product of the community in which he was raised. Vick has long been estranged from his birth father who was not present during Vick's formative years. (The senior Vick has publicly aired comments about Vick's involvement in dog fighting, stating that a younger Michael conducted dog fighting activities in the family garage. "It's his thing", the elder Vick said. Apparently a person who never said no to a 'golden opportunity' to cash in on his oldest son's fame and/or notoriety, Michael Vick's father has also announced that he is in the process of writing a book about his son. The fact that Michael Vick recently turned down his father's request for a cash gift of $700,000 can't help but be part of Vick Senior's heartlessness.) In his recent and rare contact with the media lately, Vick was painstakingly certain to make sure that he extended a public apology for his wrongdoing not only to fans and team mates, but to his mother, the single mother who raised him alone.

Former NBA great Charles Barkley had some surprisingly honest and forthright thoughts on Michael Vick's predicament. "I've never met Mike Vick...it's a terrible situation he's gotten himself into, a terrible, terrible situation.I hope that he hasn't crashed and burned for good. But you can't just blame it on the way you was (sic) brought up. We all come from poor backgrounds, from bad neighborhoods. Sometimes you just gotta stand up and be a man."

Somewhat surprisingly wise words of wisdom from Charles Barkley, who made many a coach sweat it out during Barkley's storied - and often troubled - career on the court. Certainly, Barkley is from a different generation, a different set of personal experiences, than Vick. But in many ways, they are also alike. Trouble seems to have haunted Michael Vick from a very early age; trouble has pretty much shut down the pro career of younger brother Marcus as well. In Barkley's case, he, too, "crashed and burned", but was able to rise from the ashes like a phoenix. It did take years and years before Barkley was back in America's good graces; he paid his dues the hard way as well. There's a lot of truth to what he says about standing up and being a man, and Michael Vick isn't the only professional athlete who should be listening to him.

"Sometimes you just gotta stand up and be a man" - the words of wisdom for Vick from a man who's been in the public eye for decades for his talent - and his own set of legal troubles - as well. Can Michael Vick redeem himself? Can the sons of women - black, white, of every color - who find themselves living in a fatherless home themselves - stand up to Barkley's challenge? Will the downward spiral of a successful future for boys - black, white, of every race - living without a father figure in their homes continue?

If you're divorced, or never married your son's mother, Michael Vick's situation should be a wake up call to you. Make yourself a part of your boy's life. Pay the bills that you owe towards his care and well being. See him as often as you can. Call him, make him a part of your life. Stand up and be a man.