When I heard the NFL re-instated Michael Vick for league play I was disappointed. My first thought was, “Who the He** would want to sign that pariah?” I was relieved when I found out several teams didn’t even want to touch him. Then I find out last night that the Philadelphia Eagles signed him. My reason for loving fall is now blown!

Didn’t they learn anything from the T.O. incident? A big talent does not a Superbowl make. And this guy—he’s a sadist with a pricey weave and no soul! My real fear is what this actually means in terms of perception. Philadelphia teams already have a bad rap for just making poor decisions when it comes to trades and acquisitions. The city is also known for the drama involved in larger-than-life sports sagas, like the Pete Rose betting-on-baseball debacle and for rowdy and restless fans throwing snowballs at Santa Claus. Do we really need this, too?  This is a huge public relations blunder no matter how you slice it—Superbowl, or no Superbowl.

While I do believe in second chances in most instances, none of those dogs had a chance or choice at all. There is something particularly sick about an individual who prays on the helpless and derives enjoyment from watching the helpless suffer. This is far from a victimless crime when brutality and torture is involved. Not to mention, this guy already had it made and he goes and does something so stupid. Couldn’t he derive enough satisfaction from the fact that he was among the most revered quarterbacks in the NFL?  My thinking is he already got off easy with his sentence and now he’s going to be able to make millions again out of the pockets of Philadelphia fans. I will not be one of those fans.

Looks like I will need to find another pastime for my fall Sundays.