Michael Vick will most likely be in court for training camp. He’s facing federal charges of running a dog-fighting venue on his property. A conviction could bring him seven years in jail.Vick is simply one of many NFL players who have recently had run-ins with the law. And the NFL is no longer standing for bad behavior. There have been a rash of suspensions for drug abuse, drunk driving, illegal handgun possession, sexual assault and more.
Today the Minnesota Vikings suspended four players today for sex assault.
It used to be that a team’s fate was determined by how players did on the field and the status of their physical health. Now, off-field behavior and moral health have become a factor too. And for many teams—most recently the Atlanta Falcons— illegal behavior can determine partly the amount of success a club will have.
Since Bill Belichick became the head coach of the New England Patriots, character has become a major issue for that team in determining who they want on the club. Prior to coming to the Pats, RB Corey Dillion was known as being a malcontent. That character trait seemed to disappear when he joined New England. Randy Moss is now on the Pats and no one expects him to be causing any trouble at all. Belichick and company just won’t stand for it.
There’s something to say (and it’s positive) about holding players responsible for off-field behavior. The fact is bad boys off the field can affect a team in the locker room, can create a bad image for the team and the league and can simply disrupt team cohesiveness.
The Michael Vick indictment is huge. This could have reverberations not only for the Falcons but for all of football. Why? Not only is Vick a star, but he’s one of the highest paid players in the NFL and a highly accomplished athlete. It looks like he’s due in court the first day of practice. Although he may get to the field for plenty of pre-season workouts, the fact is that Vick is only human and the pressure of a federal indictment, the media circus that will evolve and the scrutiny he will be under may prove to be overwhelming to the man’s psyche and could affect his performance on the field.
And you can’t help but think that team mates will start to take sides, become resentful and start to lay blame on Vick when things go wrong.
Technorati Tags: Michael Vick, Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings, Bill Belichick, New England Patriots, Corey Dillion, Randy Moss, NFL
