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It's just a feeling, but I can imagine a time in the not distant future when Michael Vick is embraced by the general public and his detractors are characterized as no more than zealots, who are more concerned about welfare of animals than people. (This is of course a very popular way to minimize the concerns of animal rights activists.) What prompts me to say this now?

Two things:

1. Vick is out of prison and a free Michael Vick is probably a good (enough) investment.

He will serve the remaining two months of his sentence in home confinement, and then his prison term will end on July 20. Once he is more or less free from his legal obligations, there are enough people interested Vick, either as athlete or celebrity, to help him clean up his image. Of course this group includes people associated with professional sports and the NFL (e.g. agents, NFL teams). Let's not forget the league itself. There is a lot of interest in Michael Vick. Handled in the wrong way, Vick is a PR disaster waiting to happen. However, handled properly, all of that interest might be parlayed into a windfall for the sport. If we're being honest, the NFL is full of criminals. As long as the league is seen as being tough with them, history tells us that that fans are willing to not only tolerate them, but celebrate them.

None of this is to suggest that Vick's appeal is limited to his value to the National Football League.

First there are the media outlets and advertisers. Whether you love him or hate him, it's pretty safe to say that you are interested. (It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest to see this post quickly become the most popular on the site.) As unfortunate as it may be, it doesn't matter why we why read, or watch, or listen, to stories involving Vick. Success is measured quantitatively. It's about the numbers.

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