Kristin Buccigrossi: NFL, how could you honor Michael Vick?

My blood has been boiling for the past few weeks toward the NFL with its choice to honor Michael Vick as a captain at the Pro Bowl. While some say that time can heal all wounds and that people can learn from their mistakes, I do not believe that Vick is one of them.

I believe in the power of a second chance, sometimes even a third or a fourth. I believe we all have the power within ourselves to change and become good people, but when it comes to the absolutely disgusting things that Vick did to helpless dogs, I agree with all of the animal activists on social media and the 600,000-plus people who signed an online petition to remove Vick from the Pro Bowl.

As an animal lover, I can not forgive Vick for what he did. I accidentally trip over my dog and I cook him a steak as an apology, so the idea that people are actually defending him is baffling to me. To those who believe Vick isn’t a “bad guy,” let me remind you of his disgusting past.

To keep everything as PG as possible: Vick not only ran a dogfighting ring, he brutally tortured, disfigured and killed many dogs — some with his bare hands. He also killed the family dog in front of his own children to “teach them a lesson.” You can see the extent of his heinous behavior by searching online; the images will haunt your dreams.

Some people say “he served his time” or “they’re just dogs.” Vick served 17 months in jail for racketeering in 2009. He didn’t spend a single day in jail for slamming a dog into the ground several times before breaking its neck or executing helpless dogs by hanging, raping or electrocuting them if they didn’t perform well in the ring. A soul is a soul. A crime is a crime. Blood is blood. If this was your average everyday person, we would all be in the same boat to say this person should rot in jail or worse, so what makes a football player an exception to the rule?

With that being said, I need to voice more concern and this is to the NFL itself.

Dear NFL: Do better.

Please take a moment to think of children. They look up to these professional athletes. What they do off the field is just as important as what they do on the field. There are so many other players who are more deserving to be honored.

Cam Heyward is the gift that keeps on giving to the City of Pittsburgh, with all of the charity work he does and being nominated for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award every year.

Hold players to higher expectations.

Drew Brees literally brought the city of New Orleans back to life and gave people hope after Hurricane Katrina, not to mention all of the charity work he does for children.

Stop letting players into the game who do not work for it and deserve to be there.

Ryan Shazier can’t physically play the game this year, yet is still on the field every single game. We witnessed the hit we thought would end his career, yet he continues to show up on the sidelines, shows resilience and is an amazing example of what children should be looking up to after life smacks you in the face.

These are just three players out of 32 teams. Let’s do some math, shall we? Thirty-two teams, with 53 players to a team: that is 1,696 current players. Add in all of the retired players as well, and you get the picture.

There are countless other choices for you to pick who do not have a single bad mark on their records. Why Vick?

Kristen Buccigrossi is a Y108 disc jockey and blogger.

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