[AvengerRam]

I don’t like the Atlanta Falcons. I’ve never been a Michael Vick fan. For these reasons, it is very easy for me to look at Vick’s recent indictment and say “I hope this ends his NFL career.”
The crimes he has been accused of (and, yes, for the purposes of this article, I’m presuming guilt) are deplorable. They are crimes that could only be carried out by a cruel, callous, individual who has no respect for living creatures or the law.

Taking a step back, though, I find myself asking the question: what if I was an Atlanta Falcon fan? How would I be reacting to all of this? And, more importantly, if he is guilty, would I ever be able to extend enough forgiveness to Michael Vick to allow me to root for him again?

These thoughts lead me to a subject that, though talked to death by Rams fans, must be looked at again. Leonard Little.

Little, as we all know, committed a crime that resulted in the death of an innocent person. He was convicted, and he served prison time. He then came back to the Rams, and has been a top performer. While I don’t consider him one of my favorite Rams, and I would never wear his jersey, when he sacks a QB or makes a play, I cheer.

And yet, I feel as though, if I was a Falcon fan, I would not be able forgive Vick.

Am I being a hypocrite? I don’t think I am.

Certainly, the consequence of Little’s crime was far more severe than those associated with Vick’s actions. As much as I love dogs, I would never equate animal cruelty to manslaughter.

But, while the law often considers the consequences of a criminal act in determining the severity of punishment, as a football fan, I apply a different standard. I am concerned with the character of the individuals who play for my team. As a result, in deciding whether I can forgive a player who has engaged in a criminal at, I look more at intent and contrition.

From that standpoint, I think Little is far more forgivable than Vick. When Little committed his crime, he had no intent to harm anyone. He was criminally reckless, no doubt. I don’t condone or excuse this type of behavior. However, I do factor in the lack of an intent to harm when evaluating a crime such as this.

As for contrition, my understanding is that Little has acknowledged that what he did was wrong, and has expressed remorse. I fear he may have not fully learned his lesson, as his subsequent arrest suggests, but at least he’s not defiantly claiming that he never did anything wrong.

In Vick’s case, if the allegations are true, everything he did was entirely deliberate. When you put two animals in a ring to rip each other to shreds, you are fully aware of and intend the brutal consequences. When you kill the dog that loses, you are not acting recklessly. You are acting with intent.

While perhaps Vick may someday “come clean,” at this point, all he has done is deny his guilt and point the finger at others. There has been no contrition from Vick whatsoever.

So, in the end, I’m not a “Leonard Little fan,” but I can cheer for him as a Ram. I don’t think I could ever cheer for Michael Vick.