Vick’s legal sentence ends, more judgments await

Michael Vick's federal dogfighting sentence is scheduled to end tomorrow, and that also is when he will go back on trial -- facing a whole new series of judgments.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, teams, fans and sponsors are among those who will weigh in on Vick's future.

First and foremost, Goodell must decide whether Vick's suspension will end and, if so, when -- allowing the former Virginia Tech and Atlanta Falcons quarterback a chance to play in the league again. Goodell is expected to act quickly so Vick and teams know his status for the coming season. Training camps for veterans start opening next weekend.

Vick has kept silent and probably will continue to do so until Goodell makes an announcement. While Goodell is declining interview requests on this topic, his position is fairly well-outlined: He wants a face-to-face meeting, and Vick must show serious contrition.

"Michael's going to have to demonstrate to myself and the general public: Did he learn anything from this experience? Does he regret what happened?" Goodell said in May. "Does he feel that he can be a positive influence going forward? Those are questions that I would like to see when I sit with him."

Once Goodell's ruling is rendered, NFL clubs will have to determine what, if any, interest they have in Vick. Among the questions teams will ponder: What kind of shape is he in? What position should he play? What type of public relations hit might he bring?

NFL teams can initiate talks with Vick, because the Falcons released him in June. He was cut less than five years after signing a $130 million, 10-year contract.

Vick's agent would not discuss whether teams have been in contact about his client.

An AP survey of the 31 other NFL clubs in November found that at least a half-dozen teams would not shut the door on the possibility of acquiring Vick.

At his best, Vick, 29, was as dynamic an athlete as there was in the NFL, a No. 1 overall draft pick and three-time Pro Bowl selection who led the Falcons to the 2005 NFC title game. He was the first NFL quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in a season; he also never threw for more than 3,000 yards or 20 touchdowns in any season, and his career completion percentage is 53.8.

"His best chance to have success would be a Wildcat formation. He was running the Wildcat before they called it the 'Wildcat,'" said Charley Casserly, a former general manager of the Redskins and Texans. "Would I give him a tryout? Yeah, I'd give him a tryout -- assuming the interview went fine."

Tomorrow, Vick can stop wearing an electronic monitor as he begins three years' probation. He is finishing a two-month home confinement in Hampton, which completes a 23-month sentence after he admitted bankrolling a dogfighting operation. Court papers revealed gruesome details about the operation, including the killing of underperforming dogs by electrocution, drowning and hanging.

That is why his toughest critics moving forward could be animal rights activists. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wrote to Goodell in January, saying Vick shouldn't be allowed to return to the NFL unless he submits to a psychological evaluation.

Eventually, if Vick reshapes his public image, and if he gets the OK from Goodell, and if he finds a team, and if he plays football well, there will come a day where there will be one more group that will pass judgment: endorsers.

Vick used to earn millions in sponsorship dollars on top of his Falcons salary, but that all dried up. Vick's actions cost him his fortune and his NFL career, and some fans feel he deserves a second chance. They have demonstrated their support, shouting encouragement and wearing Vick jerseys when he has made court appearances.

But would advertisers ever come back? NBA superstar Kobe Bryant rehabilitated his image after being accused of sexual assault in 2003. Vick does have this going for him: remorseful sports stars tend to be forgiven by the general public over time.

But first things first: It seems clear Vick must start the next phase of his life by convincing Goodell that he's a changed man.