When an offensive football player sees a hole, he instinctively runs for daylight and attempts to maximize the opportunity. But it seems Michael Vick, an instinctively-flawed individual, when facing the equivalent of a “hole” in real life, didn’t recognize the daylight as an opportunity.

When the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation announced the 32 recipients of this year's honor, and Vick was on the list, it brought with it the predictable knee-jerk angst from the media, talk show callers and activists. It was a perfect media storm that stirred the masses into a frenzy, halting intelligent discourse in its tracks.

The first emotional response was to blame the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation. But does it make sense to throw the blame toward an organization dedicated to helping children affected by child abuse?

Simply put, no matter what the public thinks, the only people charged with voting for Vick were his teammates in Philadelphia. They were convinced he had acted in a manner worthy of this designation and voted him in unanimously. And who are we to take exception to their opinion simply because we don’t like the man?

The larger and more important points to be examined here are the effect Vick’s selection will have on the foundation, and how Vick has reacted to and handled the most positive publicity of his post-prison life.

There's an old saying, “Any publicity is good publicity." In a normal three-week period after the Ed Block Courage Award Founcation makes its yearly announcement, director of communications Paul Mittermeier said the organization may receive 40,000-50,000 hits at EdBlock.org. In the weeks following Vick's nomination, however, the Web site was nearly crippled with more than 1.5 million hits.

Mittermeier said in an average year he talks almost exclusively to media in the 20 cities where there are Ed Block Courage Houses. But during these past few weeks, he has been fielding inquiries from TMZ.com and other national and international media outlets. The added exposure allows Mittermeier more opportunities to talk about the mission of the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation and the nearly 1 million abused children the foundation has helped since it was started to honor the late Colts’ trainer back in 1978.

Now, the focus can be put on Vick. Knocking him for winning this honor misses the point. And knocking those that voted him in is also off-target. What is fair game is looking at how Vick has used this moment and resulting debate as a “teachable” moment. So, what say you, Michael?

“Nobody can really understand what I have been through unless they walked a mile in my shoes," Vick said after the nomination.

That’s the best he could come up with at this poignant moment? Did the public relations team writing his robotic scripts have the day off?

This could have been Vick’s time to wax poetic, even shed a tear at receiving this honor. He could have alluded to the fact that he couldn’t wait to come to Baltimore to meet some of the kids cared for under the auspices of Ed Block.

Vick could have mentioned he was going to open a Courage House in Philadelphia. He could have said that while what he has gone through has been difficult, it pales in comparison to the nightmarish lives of these abused children.

He said none of that. Instead, he focused on himself.

If Vick does show up in Baltimore in March to receive his award, he'll have one more opportunity to see the daylight. While in town for the awards gala, the Courage Award winners also tour the Baltimore Courage House at the St. Vincent's Center. It's truly an eye-opener for many of the NFL players.

Two longtime NFL quarterbacks, Steve Beuerlein, then with the Carolina Panthers, and Jeff Garcia of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, were instrumental in the opening of Courage Houses in those two cities following their visit to St. Vincent's. Five other players have also made the same pledge.

Long ago, before Vick became a felon, there was a human soul that took a wrong turn toward his own personal nightmare. He's now been given an unprecedented opportunity to do something unexpected, something magical, with his amazing athletic gifts. If only he'll run for the daylight this time, he may find some real redemption.

Issue 145: January 2010