Michael Vick: Repentant Dog Killer or Just Sorry for Himself?

Superstar quarterback. Self admitted animal abuser and liar. Felon. Michael Vick.

Michael Vick was at the apex of a career highlight, 1000 yards in one game as a quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. He had proved himself to be a truly remarkable player.

He is now struggling to repair his life. His recent history of dog cruelty began in 2007 and he is trying his hardest to regain what he has lost through lack of morality and sheer stupidity. Not to mention the potential loss of millions of dollars.

He has faced bankruptcy, a 23 month jail sentence, being cut loose from his team and an uncertain future. Many have shunned him due to his heinous and atrocious activities regarding his conviction on dog fighting. His fan base has dropped dramatically.

He has apologized to the NFL, the judge who sentenced him, and admitted he was wrong on the TV show 60 minutes.

He says he doesn't know why he did it, torturing pit bulls. One lame excuse was that it was the culture that he was in. He also said that he would gladly work in a local store bagging groceries to feed the dog he grew up with. Claimed he loved his childhood pet. He said dog fighting every Tuesday (the NFL has every Tuesday off) was a way to escape the pressure, even though he knew it was wrong. It is difficult to relate these two sentiments in his 60 Minutes interview.

He took part in drowning, electrocution and hanging of dogs as well as being a willing participant of dog fighting.

His actions were despicable, disgusting and abhorrent. He disappointed kids and NFL officials alike, not to mention Americans in general.

He spoke of crying in prison. Was he crying for the cruelty which he was a willing participant of death sentences for the dogs? Or was he crying for his own demise in the NFL and big names such as Nike no longer wanting his endorsements?

He lied to the commissioner of the NFL from the very beginning. He claimed he was not involved in dog fighting. He has since admitted boldface lying to the commissioner but it is after the fact. It is after he realized how much was at stake.

He is now working with PETA and has signed a two year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. You have to wonder what would have happened if he hadn't been caught. It is doubtful he would have ceased dog fighting activities that landed him jail and jeopardized his earning potential. It took felony charges to put a stop to the animal abuse. He had a choice to be involved with dog fighting; he could have stopped years before he was arrested.

His interview with 60 minutes was not particularly credible given all the facts. He misses his prior status and income but how much does remorse does he really feel for maiming and torturing innocent animals?

Given all his statements made public, it is a fair bet he is sorry he mistreated the animals mostly because of the repercussions.

Maybe when he was alone at night in jail he thought about the way he treated the dogs. Maybe he thought about his NFL career. My guess is he thought about his questionable NFL career more.