With Friends Like Him…

There’s an old phrase that has resurfaced with some frequency in the last year, and it goes like this: “With friends like him, who needs enemies?”  As Mike Vick desperately tries to pick up the few salvageable pieces of his life and put them back together, he is getting endorsements from quite a few of his football brethren.  Unfortunately, not all of them can articulate why Vick should get a second chance…at least not well.

On Saturday’s college football opener, Ohio State barely escaped Navy in the final seconds at home to hold on for a 31-27 victory.  During the lack luster performance, Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor sported the words “Mike” and “Vick” on each piece of his eye-black tape.  When asked about it post game, Pryor had this to say about his support for his idol:

“Not everybody is a perfect person in the world. Everyone kills people, murder people, steals from you, steals from me, whatever.”  Pryor’s scathing indictment of modern day society draws an interesting parallel with a quote by the great sociologist Manny Ramirez (see Manny being Manny…again).  I’m glad to count myself among the few who do not kill or murder people, at least not yet.  

There’s nothing wrong with picking a side and showing your allegiance.  But in so doing, make sure you say the right thing young man.  And if you don’t say the right thing, at least say the wrong thing the right way.