PREDICTION: MICHAEL VICK TO BE REDSKINS QUARTERBACK IN 2010. HUH? SOMEONE SLAP THIS WRITER...PLEASE!

I love a bold prediction. In this post, guest-writer Brian Wilkins boldly predicts Michael Vick will comeback from incarceration and play quarterback for the Redskins. Yeah...I know what you are thinking, he must be a Redskins fan (or the biggest enemy)...right!!!

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On June 6th, 1980, a super man was born. On September 6th, 1999, a red-shirt freshman quarterback made history when he led his team to three rushing scores in one quarter en route to a 47-0 drubbing of the opposing team, James Madison. The fantastic moment arrived when he flipped his way into the end zone for the last of those touchdowns. He came down off balance, injuring his ankle on the play, but the stadium erupted, knowing very well that they were seeing another Michael Jordan. The only difference, this was a college quarterback out of Newport News, Virginia and not a 6’6” guard from North Carolina. That newly anointed God was none other than Michael Dwayne Vick.

In April of 2007, Michael Vick faced discovery that a property he owned in Smithfield, Virginia was an operational center for illegal dog fighting, gambling, and eventually a makeshift death camp/cemetery for dogs that were losers of these contests. Initially, Michael claimed he owned the property, but had no knowledge of the illegalities that took place at his crib.

On December 10th, 2007, the star power of Mike Vick would come crashing to earth, before Honorable Judge Henry E. Hudson. Three other men, who were part of Bad Newz Kennels, would come forward to testify against Vick. This is something that does not often happen between men of the “street-cred” fraternity. As you will see with Ray Lewis, the Baltimore Ravens great linebacker, murder does not necessarily equal time in prison. With the right alibi and the right group of associates pledged to not help authorities by being what is called on the street, “a snitch,” you can be the MVP of the Super Bowl the following year. Crime doesn’t pay, but sometimes people walk.

On April 2nd, 2008, Michael Vick will face another Judge, who will test him with two related charges in Surry County, Virginia’s Circuit Court. As O.J. Simpson realized, the game does not end when the bloody glove comes off and Judge Ito lets you skip. O.J. has found himself in a world of hurt in the aftermath of his initial trial. Vick may face the same sort of fate when he is tried a second time in a different venue, as a dog fighting felon. Most people walk into court innocent until proved guilty. Mr. Vick will not have the same luxury.

Michael Vick faces a great challenge to fight upstream, like salmon, to attempt to be a free man and hopefully get back in the NFL someday. According to most speculation, that could be anywhere from one year to ten more years. On the sunny side of the fence, if Vick were to successfully complete his drug treatment program at Leavenworth Prison in Kansas and then beat the two charges in Surry County on April 2^nd of this year, he could be out of the orange suit. With a great deal of added luck, he can woo the Commissioner of the NFL, Rodger Goodell, and some needy team to let him back on the field to play again. On the other hand, if the judge is a nasty one, in Virginia’s Surry Co. Circuit Court, Mike Vick may not run to daylight for up to ten more years. Hopefully, he will not have to switch positions in prison and play center! The future for Mike Vick is very uncertain right now, but this April will determine the first day of the rest of his life as he will know it.

The question of how Michael Vick arrived at such a destructive point in his life after being in such a lofty spot for the first twenty-something years of his life is an enigma. This is happening to so many high-profile athletes these days, particularly this past year.

We need to first set the table to see what forces set this activity in motion. Mike grew up in Newport News, Virginia — home to large military ships and not much else. This is an area that nets youth into early drug use and crime. For much of his childhood, Michael was under the careful watch and strong guiding wing of his mother Brenda Vick. Mike’s father, Michael Boddie, was not such a great father, spent time in the military, and was a job hopper. He finally settled into a job working at the Naval Shipyards of Newport News.

The one thing that Mr. Boddie brought to the table for Mike was football. A former footballer and quick player, Boddie taught Vick how to throw a football. The odd thing is that he also discovered Michael was slightly ambidextrous. He did everything with his right hand, but chose to pass the ball with his left. Jimmy Hendrix played a strung-upside down Stratocaster guitar, since he was a lefty, but I don’t think a left-handed football was ever invented, that I know of.

Michael participated in basketball and baseball at age 8, and was very good at those as well — sort of like Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders — and was drafted in 2003 by the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball. His mother decided it was time for him to focus on something beneficial after school, since he was becoming a thorn for some of his teachers, so Mike gave up the other sports to focus on football.

He quickly became a success for Warwick High School after being transferred from Ferguson High, which was closing. Vick was convinced by his coach to attend Virginia Tech over Syracuse. Imagine Donavan McNabb and Mike Vick on the same team. Stop that attack I say! He became an instant hit for the Hokies, scoring three times against James Madison in 1999.

Mike Vick became the first ever to be awarded the Archie Griffin (nation’s best player) award. He was voted Big East offensive player of the year and was 3rd in Heisman voting that year as a freshman. Incredible! He was not through however. Michael would deliver shock and awe into the eyes and souls of scouts, coaches and fans around the world, with his play that season. He pulled off a miracle in Morgantown, West Virginia, ultimately guiding his Hokies to a perfect season and into the BCS championship game. Michael cemented place as first pick of the NFL draft and $130 million contract with his play at quarterback in that game against Florida State. The Hokies lost 46-29 in the contest, but Michael Vick was the true winner that day in New Orleans.

All of this success at such an early age — wow! Perhaps Michael should have taken a step back and a big breath — maybe this was the turning point of his career?

Shortly after Vick became an Atlanta Falcon, his trouble started. He was accused by a woman in 2003 of giving her a sexually transmitted disease and that offense was settled out of court. Cha-ching!

In January of 2007, Vick was stripped of a dubious water bottle that apparently had the makings of a marijuana tool complete with secret compartment. The police filed no charges. Cha-ching!

The killer was the dog fighting ring. Ron Mexico, as Michael Vick was “dubbed” by his accuser in 2003, set up, financed and participated in the fighting and killing of up to eight dogs. Dog fighting is rumored to be a regular under-the-table activity and cultural influence where Mike Vick is from. Maybe so, but did it have more to do with Vick wanting to impress his entourage and be the BMOC (Big Man on Campus). He threw his money around, threw some dead dogs around, and ultimately threw his future around. And what future will that be?

Some experts say that Michael Vick will have to convert to another position if he gets back to the NFL, or that he will be a long shot or have lost a step by then. Let me make a case for ole #7. I feel that if (and that is a big “if”) he can beat the rap in the two Virginia state charges and escape Leavenworth in say another year or 18 months, he has a fabulous shot of returning to prominence.

I believe that as a guideline, the Surry County Judge may secretly support the local boy, see his good deeds in the Fed Pen, and support the position of the Federal court. A Judge does not want to appear to be way off base when passing judgment, especially when the spotlight will be on that person to make such a career-altering decision. I think Rodger Goodell will slap Mike the hardest and keep him out another year, possibly six months. The NFL draft, in the short future, does not appear to be heavily stocked with Mike Vicks; most are pro-style quarterbacks coming out. I think a dozen teams will be curious and equally thirsty for a quarterback by then.

I will go out on a limb and say Mike Vick will be the starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins in 2010. Dan Snyder has the money and has been wooed in the past by the Deions and Bruces, who were super stars that were essentially washed up, but could still contribute. The Jason Campbell experiment will be over two years removed and Snyder will no doubt have changed coaches (as often as we change our under wear) for the tenth time. Mike will be a home product there, and even if he fails, he makes Snyder even more cabbage! Any team that takes Vick will obviously have to fend off the PETA storm troopers, but that may not be so difficult to do three years later.

So, I’ve said it all here. Vick will be back soon — albeit changed, focused, and older (but still capable) — and he will better than before. You can bank on that.