Michael Vick and Jesus

Michael Vick is sorry.

Here's the text of his apology:

"For most of my life, I've been a football player, not a public speaker, so, you know, I really don't know, you know, how to say what I really want to say.

You know, I understand it's — it's important or not important, you know, as far as what you say but how you say things. So, you know, I take this opportunity just to speak from the heart.

First, I want to apologize, you know, for all the things that — that I've done and that I have allowed to happen. I want to personally apologize to commissioner Goodell, Arthur Blank, coach Bobby Petrino, my Atlanta Falcons teammates, you know, for our — for our previous discussions that we had. And I was not honest and forthright in our discussions, and, you know, I was ashamed and totally disappointed in myself to say the least.

I want to apologize to all the young kids out there for my immature acts and, you know, what I did was, what I did was very immature so that means I need to grow up.

I totally ask for forgiveness and understanding as I move forward to bettering Michael Vick the person, not the football player.

I take full responsibility for my actions. For one second will I sit right here — not for one second will I sit right here and point the finger and try to blame anybody else for my actions or what I've done.

I'm totally responsible, and those things just didn't have to happen. I feel like we all make mistakes. It's just I made a mistake in using bad judgment and making bad decisions. And you know, those things, you know, just can't happen.

Dog fighting is a terrible thing, and I did reject it.

I'm upset with myself, and, you know, through this situation I found Jesus and asked him for forgiveness and turned my life over to God. And I think that's the right thing to do as of right now.

Like I said, for this — for this entire situation I never pointed the finger at anybody else, I accepted responsibility for my actions of what I did and now I have to pay the consequences for it. But in a sense, I think it will help, you know, me as a person. I got a lot to think about in the next year or so.

I offer my deepest apologies to everybody out in there in the world who was affected by this whole situation. And if I'm more disappointed with myself than anything it's because of all the young people, young kids that I've let down, who look at Michael Vick as a role model. And to have to go through this and put myself in this situation, you know, I hope that every young kid out there in the world watching this interview right now who's been following the case will use me as an example to using better judgment and making better decisions.

Once again, I offer my deepest apologies to everyone. And I will redeem myself. I have to.

So I got a lot of down time, a lot of time to think about my actions and what I've done and how to make Michael Vick a better person.

Thank you."

A few things--

Vick didn't write this apology by himself. These were the words of his lawyers and handlers.

That's not to say that Vick was being insincere or didn't mean every word he said.

The words were carefully chosen.

It wasn't a wishy washy Bill Clinton sort of apology.

It wasn't angry.

He took full responsibility, and did no finger-pointing.

Bad boy Vick threw himself on the mercy of the public.

Did he really find Jesus?

I don't know. That's between Vick and Jesus. For his sake, I hope Vick changes and finds direction.

However, a nicely done apology isn't enough to make this all go away.

Vick's future with the NFL is uncertain.

RICHMOND, Va. -- Looking somber and speaking "from the heart," Michael Vick apologized Monday for "using bad judgment and making bad decisions" and vowed to redeem himself after pleading guilty to a federal dogfighting charge.

...Sentencing was set for Dec. 10 and Vick could be sent to prison for one to five years. Vick was suspended indefinitely by the NFL last week.

In Atlanta, the Falcons said they would not cut Vick immediately because of salary-cap issues. The team intends to pursue the $22 million in bonus money that he already received in a record $130 million contract signed in 2004.

"We cannot tell you today that Michael is cut from the team," owner Arthur Blank said. "It may feel better emotionally for us and many of our fans, but it's not in the long-term best interests of the franchise."

...He said little in court, standing erect and softly answering "Yes, sir" and "No, sir" to U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson's questions. Family members occupied the front row of the packed courtroom for the 15-minute hearing.

The plea by the suspended quarterback was accepted by Hudson, who asked: "Are you entering the plea of guilty to a conspiracy charge because you are in fact guilty?"

Vick answered yes.

Hudson emphasized he is not bound by sentencing guidelines or the recommendations of prosecutors and can impose the maximum sentence. Prosecutors proposed a 12- to 18-month prison term.

"You're taking your chances here. You'll have to live with whatever decision I make," Hudson said.

"A first-time offender might well receive no jail time for this offense," U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg said in a statement. "We thought, however, that the conduct in this conspiracy was heinous, cruel and inhumane." Vick is one of four defendants in the case.

The first defendant to plead guilty left the conspiracy in 2004 and is not as culpable, Rosenberg said.

Blank and general manager Rich McKay refused to say that Vick's career in Atlanta was over, though that is likely more a legal issue than an indicator of their future plans.

"We cannot undo what's been done," Blank said. "But we can and will recover from this."

The Falcons will receive a $6 million cap credit for Vick's salary this year since he's been suspended without pay. They are still on the hook for approximately $22 million in prorated bonus obligations spread out over this season and the next two.

Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron and former Atlanta Mayor and U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young, both members of the Falcons' board, attended the news conference at Blank's corporate headquarters.

My guess is the NFL hopes to get Vick back on the field.

My feeling is everyone deserves to be forgiven, but everyone also must accept responsibility for their actions.

In Vick's case, I think his NFL playing days should be terminated now.

If not, then the NFL should throw out it's personal conduct policy. It's pure trash.

Expressing remorse isn't the path to getting a do over. What's done is done.

Forgiveness isn't the same as a mulligan

Stories in the news the past few days have been really weird.

Mother Teresa is being ridiculed by some as a godless fraud; and Michael Vick is a poor lost soul, victim of a sick culture, now repentent and working for the Lord.

Weird.

God moves in mysterious ways.