Mike Vick, and doing the right thing.

Michael Vick....what were you thinking about? Why would you risk millions of dollars to make a few thousand??? Why would you risk the ire of the NFL so you could watch dogs fight? Why would you risk losing multi-million dollar endorsement contracts for the sake of something as primal as dogfighting? Why, why, why??

You may or may not be allowed to play in the NFL when you leave prison but if I were a betting man, I'd bet against you. In fact, I'd like to bet you considering your luck with gambling. But seriously, I cannot understand why someone of your stature would continue to associate with the entourage you were keeping. At some point in everyone's life, we have to let certain people in our lives go. And I don't care how far the friendships go back. If your childhood friends are doing illegal activities, and you are a multi-millionaire whose livelihood depends on staying out of trouble, guess what: you tell your boys, "Peace." As in "I'm out, five thousand, holla at your boy." You guys go let these dogs fight, do your drugs, sell your drugs, do whatever and best of luck but I'm not foresaking my future just so we can still hang out.

I know he's probably sitting around asking himself how his life just went so wrong so fast. Just like anyone else who makes a tragic mistake, you suddenly realize that all you had to do was just ....do nothing. Of all the investment opportunities, why dogfighting? And as much as organizations like PETA and the SPCA exhibit so much enthusiasm for eliminating this type of activiy, with your high profile I just can't believe you would put yourself in this position.

Michael Vick probably will never read this so I'm going to address our audience. I'm going to especially ask all young, Black men to read this carefully.

We live in a society that operates on a double standard. Had Brett Favre or Tom Brady been the person involved, this picture would look entirely different. They'd be made to apologize, they'd work out some sort of deal that would keep them out of prison, they'd do public service announcements, the public would be upset but eventually they'd be forgiven and they'd maybe face suspension for a while from the league. But it doesn't work like that for Black athletes. And truth be told, Mike had already established himself as a "thug" in the minds of many before this event. The court of public opinion didn't like his braids, they didn't like how he gave the finger to fans in Atlanta when they booed his play, and they didn't like when he was suspected of having marijuana in a water bottle in the airport. And even though he didn't have any drugs on him, who cares about the details? So with all this in mind, young Black men, remember this: live right. Don't speed, don't jaywalk, don't avoid child support, don't get in fights in strip clubs, don't gamble illegally, don't hit women, don't carry unregistered guns, don't think you are above the law. Is it hard to live like that? No. Just remember that your actions will be judged more harshly than the actions of others. It's not fair, I know. But what can you do? This is our lot in life. But I see it like this: if I know I can't do something I just don't do it. Forget the nonesense about "street cred" and "keeping it real." Why glorify ghetto life and pretend that you lose your blackness if you live a legal, productive life?

I know I don't understand the thought process of someone like Mike Vick or any superstar athlete. I haven't been coddled all my life because I could play ball well. I had the luxury of having two parents who loved me but didn't let me get away with stupid behavior and I had that from birth. So even though I am calling Mike out for being stupid, I can't relate to him and I should't judge him. He'll be judged on Aug. 27 and it will probably be unpleasant. But I know he knew it was illegal to do what he was doing. So regardless of his background, and regardless of anyone else's, when you are grown you know what is right and wrong. I could have gone to jail many times in my youth had simple luck not intervened. But as I got older, I came to appreciate my freedom, and I still do. Maybe Mike will appreciate his in about 12-18 months.