Yesterday marks another step in the rehabilitation efforts of one, Michael Dwayne Vick as Nike inked a deal with the controversial athlete to make him a spokesperson for the company once again.  It was nearly two years ago that Vick was under investigation for running a dog-fighting ring causing Nike to suspend and eventually drop the athlete from their stable of athletes, but now four months after being released from prison and after just one NFL game, Vick is back in the good graces of the company.

Joel Segal, Vick’s personal agent, told Sports Business Journal “Mike has had a great relationship with Nike and is excited to be part of the Nike team again.” Segal added that Nike and Vick agreed to not discuss the terms of the deal, leaving many to wonder how much going 0-2 passing and rushing for just 7-yards in one NFL game is actually worth.

Michael Czerwiec, one of my Facebook friends, speculated that whatever the deal is it is, “Way too damn much.”

PETA has not yet commented on the Vick/Nike deal, which is news in and of itself.  The always-boisterous company has failed to jump in and use some other newsworthy event to promote their agenda of hate toward humans.

The throngs of people living in Twitterville have tweeted their thoughts and most everyone outside the virtual Twitter kingdom remains happy with the 140-character limitation.  However, here are some of the highlights found in T-ville:

DesertBeacon – T-shirt in Philly: ‘Vick’s an eagle, Hide your beagle’

Peterocc – Vick signs endorsement deal with Nike who dropped him in 2007 after he pleaded guilty.  Corporations don’t care about anything but that $$$

Vinalex – Yezzir! Mike Vick with Nike again! I love dogs but I can’t hate on the guy forever.  Time for forgiveness and move on everyone.

CelluloidBlonde – When Vick says, “just do it” in a Nike ad, what’s he gonna do? Choke a dog?

Tehpixie – Michael Vick should be treated just like he treated his dogs…if he did that to little children, he would never touch a football again!

My response to the Twitter reporters:

@DesertBeacon – Does it come in XL?

@Peterocc – Really? Corporations only care about $$$?  When did that happen?  And you must be so smart.

@Vinalex – I love dogs too, but I can hate on a guy forever.  Justin Stursma took my lunch in third grade and my girlfriend in fifth. I will always hate that guy!

@CelluloidBlonde – I really don’t think what you said was interesting; I just really think your little picture is hot.  What’s up, baby?  You a dog lover?

@Tehpixie – So what you are saying is that if Michael Vick were a serial killer of children, then he would not be allowed to play football ever again.  Hmmmmm.  Let me think about that one . . .

Nike spokesperson was quick to explain that Vick was not the only one considered for the new position at the company, but was the only one that Nike felt comfortable pursuing, especially with their recent history.

Other people Nike was looking at before settling on Vick:

Hitler – wouldn’t return their calls.

Bin Laden – couldn’t be found.

George W. Bush – insisted his shoe be called the “WMD” and produced only in Iraq

Dr. Kevorkian – just killed ever offer shot his way.

Kanye West – kept interrupting and wouldn’t allow the Nike recruiters to finish their pitches.

Doug Telepman, my other friend on Facebook, had this to say about the Vick signing for Nike, “You know all too well that people on all sides of the ethical debate will tune in to see what Michael Vick does. Some want him to succeed, some want him to fail and some just want to see what he’s going to do next. Regardless, he attracts attention, and since that’s all the manufacturer cares about, his value is likely very high irrespective of his stats.”

The thought that continues to boggle my mind is how overwhelming the call for a boycott of the Nike corporation is for hiring a guy who ran a dog-fighting ring, did his time in the slammer and is now trying to put his life back on track while making millions of dollars playing a kid’s game.  This is coupled with he virtual silence in regards to the slave labor practices of Nike with children in third world countries.

Let me get this straight:  Hire a guy who made multiple mistakes and is trying to get his life straight and we will boycott, or continue to use children is sweatshops to manufacture my $150 sneakers and we will buy the socks to match.  Hmmmmm … something seems out of whack?

[MY FULL DISCLOSURE] – Nike announced they havent’ signed Vick, maybe they did find Bin Laden.  Nonetheless, with Vick pimping Nike or without him, I still wrote this whole article dressed from head to toe in Nike apparel.  Damn, these shorts are comfortable.  Oh and today Nike denies signing Vick, apparently their new slogan is “We Didn’t Do It.”

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J.David has never won an award for his writing, but he is a former collegiate athlete for a small college where everyone makes the team. Currently, he is a grad student at the University of Southern California studying the archaic form called, Print Journalism. J.David points to watching Barry Sanders catlike moves as the birth of his love for the NFL, and LT’s hit on Joe Theisman as the last day he ever wanted to play quarterback.

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