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NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 14: Michael Vick #1 of the New York Jets warming up before a game against the Tennessee Titans at LP Field on December 14, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
I know many people will still never forgive the man for the beginning of the story, but they have missed the rest of the story as it unfolded. A truly remarkable story of redemption. And really who doesn't need a little bit of that in their lives?
The credit goes to Vick for recognizing and making some serious fundamental changes in his life. An assist has to go to Tony Dungy, who made the effort to mentor the young man when many, many people wanted to throw him away like a piece of garbage. Sad beginning, conflict and drama in the middle, leading to a happy ending. If you made a movie about it nobody would believe it, yet it is the basic theme of so many Hollywood movies. The go-to theme if you will.
A remarkable sports story as well as a remarkable human interest story.
As ESPN notes, Vick opted to go with Chapter 11 rather than Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which meant he paid back all that he owed, not a small percentage. To him, it was an important and necessary step to demonstrate his willingness to atone.The deal with creditors is set to expire at the end of the year, and Vick will likely sell some property to close off the last of his debt.
"I feel blessed because I came out and found myself in a position where I had a lot of people that really believed in me, people who gave me an opportunity," Vick said. "At the time, it wasn't about trying to fulfill all the bankruptcy needs, I was trying to fulfill all the needs that I had in my life because I had nothing."
Vick will never escape the shadow of the events that landed him in prison. But he's shown through his actions that he won't remain defined by them. That's admirable, in its own way.
"It's the best thing I've done as a professional athlete, absolutely," Vick said. "I handled it so my team could move forward, and I handled it so people could forget about it and not look at Riley a certain kind of way. I changed the whole dynamic of that situation, and that was a proud moment for me. ... I was able to save a young man's career, and that young man went on to have the greatest year of his career and get a contract that he probably never imagined he would get."
I wanted to get into the story of Josh Hamilton and how great it was during the World Series, but of course, the Rangers did not cooperate by exiting early so I had to wait for another opportunity.
Winning the American League MVP award seems like a good enough second opportunity.
It is, in almost every way that I can see, a story of redemption.
Just like the Michael Vick story.
Just like your story.
Just like my story.
In many ways, it is in fact intertwined with "The Greatest Story Ever Told".
It's a story we should never tire of hearing about.
Regardless of who the story is about.
A British evangelist by the name of Leonard Ravenhill once said:
"The wonder of the grace of God is that God can take an unholy man out of an unholy world, make that man holy, then put him back into that unholy world and keep him holy in it."
That is the story of both Michael Vick and Josh Hamilton. Period. End of story.
Both are practical demonstrations of the gospel of the grace of God!
The frustration that comes from those who lie in wait for a relapse, so they can sit in judgement -- like God among men -- and say "gotcha", miss the point.
The point is made poignantly by Mr. Ravenhill in a sermon titled 'It is Finished' made shortly before his death in 1994.
In it Ravenhill refers to the phrase 'It is Finished' as the 'three most important words in history'. Further, he refers to these words as 'The Greatest Words Ever Uttered, By the Greatest Man That Ever Lived'.
Those are pretty bold statements. Let's see how he backs them up.
Again, going down that road the people mocked Him - that's what the Bible says. "They that passed by reviled Him wagging their heads." What a bunch of dumb, blind, senseless folk. If Caesar comes down the road they bow the knee and say, "Hail, Caesar."
If the priest comes, they stand in awe. But, you see, He not only was, He IS. In this mad, insane, world in which we live, HE STILL IS DISPISED AND REJECTED OF MEN.
We shouldn't put our tongue in our cheek and say this in a whisper. We ought to shout this from the house top. To a world that is groping in darkness we ought to proclaim with a trumpet voice, "It is FINISHED,
you can't buy salvation,
you can't crawl on your knees through the holy city,
you can't go on a pilgrimage,
you can't offer your righteousness,
there is nothing you can do, but bow in humility and confess and accept it."
So it really is a simple process -- this redemption thing.
Have faith, be humble, repent or confess of what you did wrong and and turn away from it.
Seems to me like that is the process that both guys have gone through and are continuing to go through daily. It's between them and God at this point. Not for us mere mortals to come between.
We all should have our own problems to work on don't we?
In his book "The People of the Lie" author M. Scott Peck walks through some of the issues. And they are a bundle of paradoxes.
I started reading this book (highly recommend it to all) when the Vick issue initially came to a boil and I am fortunate that within our church family and community groups we hear about and examine these issues routinely.
I don't pretend to have total understanding of all the issues, however, in the process of examining, I feel like I am coming to a better understanding than I had before. For that, I am very grateful.
In the Introduction of the book -- titled "Handle with Care" -- Peck makes some rather bold declarative statements about evil, recognizing it and dealing with it.
The first thing he says is:
- This is a dangerous book
- evil people are easy to hate
- remember Saint Augustine's advice to hate the sin but love the sinner
- Remember when you recognize an evil person that truly, "There but for the grace of God go I"
- We cannot begin to hope to heal human evil until we are able to look at it directly
- judgments need to be made about people
- such judgments cannot be made safely unless we begin by judging and healing ourselves.
He concludes by saying the "battle to heal human evil always begins at home. And self-purification will always be our greatest weapon."
He goes on, in the last chapter titled "The Danger and the Hope" to talk about
The Danger of Making Moral Judgement:
Even atheists and agnostics believe in Christ's words: "Judge not, that ye be not judged.".....
If we examine the matter closely, however, we will see that it is both impossible and itself evil to totally refrain from making moral judgments. And attitude of "I'm OK; you're OK" may have a certain place in facilitating our social relationships, but only a place.
Was Hitler OK? Lieutenant Calley? Jim Jones?...
What kind of father would I be if I discovered my son cheating, lying or stealing and failed to criticize him? What should I tell a friend who is planning suicide or a pateint who is selling heroin? "You're OK"? There is a such a thing as an excess of sympathy, an excess of tolerance, an excess of permissiveness.
The fact of the matter is that we cannot lead decent lives without making judgments in general and moral judgments in particular....
You and I go through our day making decisions that are judgments, most of which have moral overtones. We cannot escape from judging.
The sentence "Judge not, that ye be not judged" is usually quoted out of context. Christ did not enjoin us to refrain from ever judging. What he went on to say in the next four verses is that we should judge ourselves before we judge others-not that we shouldn't judge at all.
"Thou hypocrite." he said, "first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."
Recognizing the potential for evil in moral judgments, he instructed us not to always avoid making them but to purify ourselves before doing so. Which is where the evil fail. It is the self-criticism they avoid.
The Dangers in Perspective:
The major threats to our survival no longer stem from nature without but from our own nature within. It is our carelessness, our hostilities, our selfishness and pride and willful ignorance that endanger the world. Unless we can now tame and transmute the potential for evil in the human soul, we shall be lost.
And how can we do this unless we are willing to look at our own evil with the same thoroughness, detached discernment, and rigorous methodology to which we subjected the external world?
The Solution?
Peck touches on the need to recognize the concept of Banality of Evil -- noted by Hannah Ahrendt in her book about former Nazi Adolph Eichmann -- and it's close link to the deception -- in many cases the self-deception -- of The People of the Lie. Peck notes in conclusion in the final chapter
A Methodology of Love:
...we are all in combat against evil.
...if our passion is great enough, we may even be willing to blow ourselves up in the process of "stomping out" evil.
But we run up against the old problem that the end does not justify the means.
If we kill those who are evil, we will become evil ourselves; we will be killers. If we attempt to deal with evil by destroying it, we will end up destroying ourselves, spiritually if not physically.
What to do then?....we must begin by giving up the simple notion that we can effectively conquer evil by destroying it.
Are we to throw up our hands - to regard the problem of evil as being inherently insoluble? Hardly. That would be meaningless. It is in the struggle between good and evil that life has its meaning - and in the hope that goodness can succeed. That hope is our answer: goodness can succeed. Evil can be defeated by goodness. When we translate this we realize what we dimly have always known: Evil can be conquered only by love.
It sounds so simple, so obvious. Then why don't we practice what we preach more? The problem is that although a simple concept in theory, it is difficult to put into practice. Peck calls it a "paradox" and a "dynamic balance of opposites" or a tightrope walk between making easy versus difficult choices.
He compares it to the paradox parents face raising a child. If a parent rejects all misbehavior, that is unloving. But to tolerate all misbehavior is equally unloving. A parent walks a fine line between tolerance and intolerance. Sometimes strict in the use of the rod, sometimes flexible. Peck notes that "an almost godlike compassion is required" or the patience of a saint at the very least.
It is not an easy thing to embrace ugliness with the sole motive of hope that in some unknown way a transformation into beauty might occur thereby. But the myth of kissed frogs turning into princes remains.
Peck states that the first task of love is self-purification. A difficult first step indeed. Many of us do not like to take a long, hard look in the mirror. We deceive ourselves. But the benefits are as follows:
When one has purified oneself, by the grace of God, to the point at which one can truly love one's enemies, a beautiful thing happens. It is as if the boundaries of the soul become so clean as to be transparent, and a unique light then shines forth from the individual.
Who wouldn't want that? Peck admits that the results of this approach are not perfect. The "effect of this light varies". Some are encouraged by it and change the course of their behavior (as Vick and Hamilton appear to have done) but even in failure there can be success.
...those who hate the light will attack it. Yet it is as if their evil actions are taken into the light and consumed. The malignant energy is thereby wasted, contained and neutralized. The process may be painful to the bearer of the light, occasionally even fatal. This does not, however, signify the success of evil. Rather, it backfires. As I said in The Road Less Traveled, "It was evil that raised Christ to the cross, thereby enabling us to see him from afar."
BEAUTIFUL!!!Timeless themes really. Good will conquer evil. The Truth will set you free. Love never fails.
In further explaining how this methodology of love allows good to conquer evil Peck quotes the words of an old priest who dealt with the issue on the front lines everyday.
"There are dozens of ways to deal with evil and several ways to conquer it. All of them are facets of the truth that the only ultimate way to conquer evil is to let it be smothered within a willing, living human being. When it is absorbed there like blood in a sponge or a spear into one's heart, it loses its power and goes no further."
The willing sacrifice of another is required to absorb the evil. Peck asks the question of whether this absorption of evil corrupts the good person. What would then be gained by this seemingly meaningless trade-off?
He admits that he does not know exactly how this process occurs, but he believes that it does. The victim becomes the victor.
He quotes C.S. Lewis: "When a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backwards."
....I know that good people can deliberately allow themselves to be pierced by the evil of others - to be broken thereby yet somehow not broken - to even be killed in some sense and yet still survive and not succumb. Whenever this happens there is a slight shift in the balance of power in the world.
Amen to that.
And that's why I continue to find these stories to be remarkable and timelessly beautiful to observe.
I can not understand how a writer can pen an autobiography about Josh Hamilton which is a story about redemption and then do this borderline, hatchet-job piece on Michael Vick.
Is one story really any more remarkable or laudable than the other?
Is one more worthy of redemption than the other?
Are we back to measuring the "likability" of the person to determine who we deem worthy of redemption or second chances? Sure seems like it.
I would hate to think there is something more sinister at work here but it is impossible not to note that Josh Hamilton is white and Michael Vick is black.
There were quite a few stories in the sports blogosphere about the comeback and I suppose if Vick of football, we may not have "heard" as much about it.
But the people who celebrate the story and "get" why it's important to "all" of us are not the problem here. We would have found ways and means to trumpet the glory of the message without the MSM's help, thank you very much.
Perhaps more introspection is in order, Mr. Keown. Apparently you don't get it.
I've included two other stories that do a much better job of explaining why the story whether it be about Vick or Hamilton is very important to all of us.
You can talk to Steve Young, he seems to get it. He made the connection between Vick becoming a good person first and then becoming a great QB second. The character question. We've gone over that one here ad nauseum, but it bears constant repetition for those kids coming up who do look up to Michael Vick. He may not be your choice or my choice as a role model, but he is for some kids out there.
And how good is a story is it to have them see this guy blossom into everything that everyone envisioned him to be, only after he became a good person. Steve Young is one of the few taht I heard make that connection. I know Tony Dungy would have.
Sorry, for some of us, there is no conundrum (conundrum defined: a riddle, a difficult problem) as you define it. For me, the conundrum is why more people just don't get it. CHARACTER COUNTS.
from the good folks at espn.com The Michael Vick conundrum
We should resist the urge to make it something more than a fabulous football story
It's a great sports story, and a story of a great athlete whose gifts are both resilient and singular. But everybody always wants more than that. It has to transcend sports. It has to be about heartbreak and redemption. There has to be a moment of clarity for Vick, when he saw the error of his ways and redoubled his efforts to regain everything he lost. And if there are visions of suffering dogs running through his mind as he pushes himself to run that extra set of sprints, all the better.
We do black and white. Gray has a tendency to elude our grasp.
That's the problem Mr. Keown, we do black and white a little too well. We don't do redemption well enough. Or maybe you should look at the percentage of the prison population broken down by race as well as the recidivism rate (redemption, redemption anybody??) and get back to me. Then maybe you get a bogey on the story.
It's already starting. The post-Sunday dissections included a healthy scoop of false Americana. You know the routine: "We're the land of second chances" and "We're a forgiving nation." Aside from being laughably wrong -- we do intolerance and rigidity when it fits our purpose -- it doesn't pertain to Vick in the slightest. He's not playing that game, and he doesn't seem interested in watching you play it, either.
It seems like the pot calling the kettle black here? Or am I missing something?
The point is, no announcer would ever think of saying that about Vick. (And no, this isn't about race, because Donovan McNabb looks more like someone I want to root for than Gradkowski. He's sure as hell easier to watch play the game.) Vick, by contrast, is nobody's role model. He committed some truly repellent crimes, and his apologies have been more perfunctory than vein-opening. There's a wariness about him that suggests a man who understands just how much of himself he can afford to parcel out to the public.
He seems to know, maybe better than we do, that America is a great land for second chances only as long as you perform. We're a country that values winners over the redeemed. The redemption we're seeking is often just the excuse to feel good about rooting for someone whose past is thoroughly distasteful.
Vick doesn't want to be your feel-good story. He just wants to be the bad-ass who happens to be the most riveting performer in the NFL. Let's keep it that way, shall we?
ESPN The Magazine senior writer Tim Keown co-wrote Josh Hamilton's autobiography, "Beyond Belief: Finding the Strength to Come Back,"
Seems like you are equal parts mind-reader and sports writer. You have no idea what is on Michael Vick's mind or what's in his heart. Neither do I. The difference is one of us seems more willing to give him a chance to prove himself. And one of us has already made up his mind.
This guy has a pretty good read on it. In our own ways we are all just like Mike. We can weigh out our sins on some scale that favors us all we want but in the end, all are sinners. And all need redemption at some point.
Vick described becoming a Christian in high school, but said that "the more success he achieved on the football field, the less he needed God." He said, of his time of incarceration, "I got back to my roots. The only thing I could do in prison was fall back on God. I wanted to do things right, that I didn't do the first time." This is a typical story: the disgraced celebrity who finds Christ in the joint. But why does it rub us the wrong way?
We prefer American redemption, the kind that Vick is enjoying on the field. We like success stories: people who play well. We want winners. As for God's redemption, we wish that our disgraced athletes would talk about their faith and reliance on Christ before they get disgraced, when it seems like they're just doing it as a P.R. ploy. Much like American redemption, we want winners. We want people who live their lives well. We prefer Kurt Warner and Tony Dungy to Michael Vick.
But aren't we Michael Vick?
Isn't it when we're desperate that we become serious about our faith? When life is treating us well, we don't talk about our reliance on Christ. It is when we are disgraced that we fall back on God...just like Michael Vick. In our strength, we have no need of him.
Michael Vick's American redemption is a redemption story on two fronts: a wonderful football player who seems to be playing wonderfully again; a longtime Christian who seems to have rediscovered his profound need for a savior. These are redemptions we can get behind. Maybe some attention will be taken from Vick's American redemption and given to his Christian one.
This was the best take I could find on the subject. Naturally, this one also comes from outside the realm of sports writers.
Michael Vick's Redemption, and Ours
By Michael Bruner, religion professor, Azusa Pacific University
The more fundamental questions are these: Is redemption even possible? Can anyone be redeemed? And how do we know that redemption has actually taken place?
The answer to the first question, at least from a traditional Christian perspective, is an unequivocal "Yes." The entire story of Scripture--from Genesis to Revelation--is about redemption. In fact, the only two options left to humans after the Fall are either redemption or damnation. If redemption isn't possible, it's time to hang it up, folks.
The answer to the second question is a little murkier. Some would say that there are those who are past the possibility of redemption. There are others who claim that God's redemptive power knows no limits. Whatever the case, Vick, who admittedly did despicable and depraved things, says he's contrite and has shown this to be so, and thus is probably more on the side of redeemable than un-redeemable. He at least deserves the benefit of the doubt. For now.
The third question is the hardest to answer. How can anyone know if the redemption of a person is ever sincere--even if they appear sincere? A cynic will claim that Vick is just faking it. But how does the cynic know? Gainsaying someone's intentions is a zero-sum game. The proof is in the pudding. It isn't Vick's thoughts, after all, that are on trial here, but his actions. If any of us were judged by our thoughts, there wouldn't be enough prisons in the world to hold the guilty. There is only One who knows the heart, and that final judgment is yet to be decreed.
In the meantime, we advocate for and believe in redemption. How can we not? We're all counting on it for ourselves, so how can we deny it to others? The Lord's Prayer casts aspersion on those who seek forgiveness from God but aren't willing to give it to others in return: "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors."
And the great hymn reminds us of our mutual condition: "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me."
Like me. Like you. Like Vick.
Like me. Like you, Like Vick. Indeed, pretty simple when you think about it. Very black and white. Problems seem to arise when we make that which should be black and white into shades of grey.
The road to sainthood, it appears, goes through the valley of wretchedness. Am I proposing that Vick be beatified? Not even close. But I am suggesting that some of the most powerful advocates for a cause often began as one of its chief antagonists. Michael Vick, in other words, could very well turn out to be a Good Samaritan. To that end, I offer him my handshake of reconciliation. As a Christian, it's the least I can do. As a lover of animals, it's the most. I hope he is successful. A lot of dogs are counting on it.
But what do I know.
I wish Michael Vick success, just not so much against the Giants. It's a pretty neat story.
Probably one of the most compelling and rich stories on display in the world of sports was the return of Donovan McNabb to Philadelphia to face Michael Vick. There are so many interesting subplots and stories buried underneath the surface.
I was glad to see McNabb get a mostly classy, but mixed reception from the Philadelphia fans.
From the Globe and Mail:
CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE
McNabb gets warm Philly welcome
Philly can be rough on its sports figures, but its fans also are knowledgeable enough to recall the good times. McNabb brought them plenty of those for 11 seasons, and they responded with an outpouring of kindness not often associated with this city.
Some in Philly remain unconvinced. I guess if McNabb's only sin to Philly fan is that he did not WIN a Super Bowl, then so be it. Enough of them did acknowledge what Donovan gave to them in striving.
The prospect of venom being spewed at McNabb for never actually winning a Super Bowl certainly existed Sunday. There was plenty of nastiness in the parking lots, but no hatefest inside the stadium.
Outside the Linc, the biggest pocket of protest was the “boo parade” organized by WIP radio personality Angelo Cataldi — the same man who put together the 1999 outing to the draft in New York when McNabb was selected instead of Ricky Williams. About 35 people, including two men on stilts, a juggler and one dressed as a clown, walked to the Spectrum next door while voicing their displeasure with the quarterback they dubbed “Dontovan” and 'McChoke.”
“The lazy, national media harped on the (draft day booing) for 11 years and ignored everything else,” Cataldi said. “They wanted a circus today, so we're giving them a circus.”
This is a guy who I have observed perform through the prism of a Giants fan, which means I was automatically conditioned to dislike him solely because he wore the Eagles uniform. But the way McNabb has carried himself - with great excellence, class, and dignity even during turbulent, controversial times - I have slowly, somewhat grudgingly at times been forced to admit that "This guy is a really good, really underrated QB" and wonder what it was about him that I disliked in the first place.
The McNabb scenario reminded me of how I used to feel about Buster Posey. When he was at Florida State, I initially was conditioned against liking him simply because he wore the Seminoles colors. Silly reason really. As I watched FSU games, at times I'll admit, I rooted for Posey to fail, just once maybe. A Seminole can't be that good, can he? But as he continued to excel behind the plate, at bat, as a closer - always coming through in the clutch - I realized again that this is a guy I would love to have on my team anytime. Why do I hate him? Because he wears colors I don't like? Probably not a great reason, right?
I mean I could justify it and say these guys "won me over" but it's kind of silly to have disrespect for them solely because they play for the opponent, even if that opponent is a fierce rival. We need opponents to play the game.
It all dovetailed into my feeling about the other QB on the field yesterday, Michael Vick.
I was watching ESPN's The Sports Reporters and listened as Mitch Albom almost sneered how he "didn't have to like" the Michael Vick story. Well, no Mitch - you big baby - you don't have to like it. But if you are the intellectual giant you present yourself to be - you should at least understand it.
Mitch wrote this about Michael Vick earlier in the season when the Vick story past through his fine city of Detroit.
That's because Vick may be unlikable, an ex-con, a loose cannon -- but he still can play football.
As much as I respect Mitch Albom as a gifted writer, I have to call his understanding and compassion as a human being towards a fellow human being into question here. IMO, he's missing a very important point.
We tend look for a Michael Vick to "redeem" himself as solely a football player and think that is the be all and end all measurement of whether or not he has "returned", or "redeemed" himself. But his "redemption" will ultimately be measured in terms of how he fulfills this promise he made in 2007. Remember this?
From abcnews.com Vick on Dogfighting Plea: 'I Will Redeem Myself'
"I totally ask for forgiveness and understanding as I move forward to bettering Michael Vick the person, not the football player," Vick, wearing a a dark suit, said in a somber tone.
The football star today described dogfighting as a "terrible thing," adding that his experience has helped him find religion. "Through this situation I found Jesus and I'm going to ask himself for forgiveness and turn myself over to God."
I shouldn't have to remind a Mitch Albom of this. Especially not a Mitch Albom who recently wrote this.
"It is... the most important thing I’ve ever written,” opens Albom’s (Tuesdays with Morrie) latest nonfiction book. It isn’t difficult to understand why. Using his characteristically succinct style, Albom’s prose offers readers an elegantly simple perspective on faith, tolerance, service and love while maintaining the complex reality of his characters’ true life stories.
As America struggles with hard times and people turn more to their beliefs, Mitch and the two men of God explore issues that perplex modern man: how to endure when difficult things happen; what heaven is; intermarriage; forgiveness; doubting God; and the importance of faith in trying times. Although the texts, prayers and histories are different, Albom begins to realize a striking unity between the two worlds - and indeed, between beliefs everywhere.
Albom’s expertise in piecing together a web of snapshot stories, however, reveals levels of meaning that could not be adequately told in any other way. He avoids repetitious overemphasis—the bane of much inspirational literature—and allows meaning, whether his own or the reader’s, to emerge with a quiet, confident grace. Albom’s latest is a masterpiece of hope and a moving testament of interfaith understanding.
Could these two pieces written by Albom be in more conflict? Can they be more diametrically opposed in tone? Can his understanding of the concepts related to faith be any more shallow?
If you remember the promise Michael made in 2007 - and you note his progress as a person since then - and you wrote and understood what you claim to have in Have a Little Faith than I'm sorry Mitch, I don't understand why you DO NOT like the Michael Vick story. Perhaps, I'm missing something?
Sorry Mitch, my understanding of redemption and the basis for salvation, must be somewhat different than yours. But I Thank God for that.
Ultimately, it doesn't matter what you or I think about Michael Vick, or what Michael Vick does or does not do on the football field, as long as he keeps his promise. And that promise is not to you or me.
Remember that and remember who you are and who you are not when you judge others. Shame on you Mitch Albom, it seems as if you should know better.
define redemption:
(theology) the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil
repayment of the principal amount of a debt or security at or before maturity (as when a corporation repurchases its own stock)
the act of purchasing back something previously sold
IT SEEMS FAIRLY EASY, RIGHT?!? - TEN SIMPLE RULES TO FOLLOW. - WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?!?
If we review both cases, we can see from the stunning story lines of both athletes rise and fall from grace a similar, oft-repeated path in their lives--a road-map if you will--that can provide some larger life lessons for those who deal in sports at the youth level.
Sometimes, these negative stories can provide valuable examples of what we need to look out for and prepare for to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
We preach how sports participation can help provide a moral framework for parents to pass on to our children and yet we hear the arguments over whether participation in sports DEVELOPS character or whether it in fact REVEALS character. A nature/nurture type of debate.
Some of the research coming out has pointed in the direction that--in the early stages of participation at the youth level--sports can be a valuable tool to teach strong values that kids can use throughout their lives. As athletes travel further and further up the ladder into the professional ranks however, these values are eroded and deteriorate.
We need to find out why this happens so we can figure out how to avoid this erosion and deterioration in the future. We can't of continually bang our heads against the wall in frustration, continually doing the same things over and over and expecting different results (definition of INSANITY alert).
I submit that the examples provided in the Michael Vick and Tiger Woods sagas provide classic, text book examples of how we get into this mess and how we can get out.
CONFORMING TO THE WORLD'S VIEW OF RIGHT AND WRONG SEEMS TO LEAK IN - TIME AND AGAIN. - RIGHT ?!?
In Michael Vick's example, we find that when Tony Dungy began his involvement with Vick he asked him point-blank "Where was the Lord when all this was happening?"
Dungy said Vick told him about going to church almost every week with his mother in Virginia and knowing there was a God. He said Vick talked to God while growing up and continued to pray during college at Virginia Tech.
But when he finally made it to the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons, his faith and his life took a turn for the worse.
"Michael said he felt God had answered his prayers by getting into the NFL and maybe he didn't really need Him anymore."
Let's review the key points:
- In the early years, he had a strong value system in place.
- As he advanced, he drifted away from that value system.
- He felt he didn't need it anymore once he reached a certain level.
Now we see that Michael Vick is continuing on the proper path and hopefully he will stay on this path the rest of his life.
Vick spoke standing beside Dungy before 1,100 fans, in his first-ever retelling of the role faith played in his life at the maximum security prison in Leavenworth, Kansas.
"I wanted to redeem myself," Vick said. “Pre-incarceration, it was all about me. When I got to prison, I realized I couldn’t do it anymore. The one thing I could rely on was my faith in God."
I knew my actions were wrong. But I convinced myself that normal rules didn't apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn't have far -- didn't have to go far to find them.
I was wrong. I was foolish. I don't get to play by different rules. The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me. I brought this shame on myself. I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife's family, my friends, my foundation, and kids all around the world who admired me.
I've had a lot of time to think about what I have done. My failures have made me look at myself in a way I never wanted to before. It is now up to me to make amends. And that starts by never repeating the mistakes I have made. It is up to me to start living a life of integrity.
I once heard -- and I believe it is true -- it's not what you achieve in life that matters, it is what you overcome. Achievements on the golf course are only part of setting an example. Character and decency are what really count. Parents used to point to me as a role model for their kids. I owe all of those families a special apology. I want to say to them that I am truly sorry.
Part of following this path for me is Buddhism, which my mother taught me at a young age. People probably don't realize it, but I was raised a Buddhist, and I actively practiced my faith from childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years. Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously, I lost track of what I was taught.
Again, virtually the same story,
- Once he got to a certain level of success, the value system eroded and he became disconnected from them.
"I knew my actions were wrong. But I convinced myself that normal rules didn't apply."
"Obviously, I lost track of what I was taught"
- He became self-centered.
"I thought only about myself."
- He was able to justify his behavior to himself because of who he was and what he accomplished.
"I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me."
We hear a lot about how important these guys are as role models to kids and how sports participation itself is important to kids growth and development. Then we get these rich, powerful teaching moments and what are the top issues the MSM puts the focus on?
- Why wasn't the media allowed to ask questions?
Who cares? Irrelevant!! And yet, that was one of the lead issues these whiny babies brought to the fore. Why were we left out?
- A lot of useless speculation on what he said, what he didn't say, what he should have said, what he was wearing, not wearing, blah,blah,blah,blah,blah.
Who cares? Most of it useless, pointless speculation based on the talking-heads own biases and experiences. Sorry Chief, YOU ARE NOT Tiger Woods!!!
- A lot of useless speculation based on what Elin should do or not do.
Again who cares? That's between Elin and Tiger. I wish them the best of luck. It's pointless speculation from dim-witted talking heads who haven not heard her position in the first place and can not even do enough research to properly pronounce her name. But we should accept that they know exactly what she should or should not do, or will or will not do about such a personal matter. We don't care what you would do, YOU ARE NOT Elin Woods!!!
- The lack of acceptance of said apologies offered by the self-appointed heads of Forgiveness Nation (the MSM). In most cases, this is after the MSM hounds the athletes publicly to ISSUE an apology!!!
WOW!! How forgiving is that? The lame-stream media refuses to accept Tiger's apology since they didn't get a chance to run the inquisition...UH press conference. That's a good example to set for kids. Tiger crafts one of the most complete and comprehensive public apologies yet offered, when in fact--he only needs to apologize to his wife and family--and the media spits on it. Yeah buddy, that's where I want to get my values from--the mass media. Let's stop asking any of these guys to apologize publicly if the self-appointed representatives of public opinion are going to reject all of them. What do they want, for someone to come out and slit their own throats? Oh, wait a minute, that would probably help ratings, wouldn't it?
If they were really concerned about the effect that Tiger's actions had on fans or on the nations youth and anyone else foolish enough to IDOLIZE him or any other athlete (Charles Barkley looking smarter every day) then at least be concerned and intelligent enough to present the core issues that seem to be common and recurring every time the story is told.
- Don't forget who you are or where you came from.
- Don't compromise your values--they were good enough to get you there, they should be good enough to keep you there.
- Build your house on solid rock not on sand.
- Don't let the ways of the world change your value system.
- Your value system requires daily care and maintenance, no matter who you are and what you have accomplished. The high and mighty simply have further to fall.
I guess I expect too much out of the Mainstream Media. It seems so simple, really.
WHO'S JOKING NOW, GILBERT? IT'S ALL FUN AND GAMES UNTIL SOMEBODY DOES THE PERP WALK
So he's looking at maybe 6 months, if the judge accepts the prosecutors recommendations. Or this judge could go max like the Michael Vick judge did and go to 5 years.
The NBA has suspended him indefinitely. As part of a plea deal, prosecutors agreed not to ask for more than six months in jail for Arenas. He will be sentenced by Superior Court Judge Robert E. Morin. Morin could sentence Arenas to anything from probation to a maximum of five years in jail.
Here are the details of the incident from the same story. I understand different venues, different prosecutors, different leagues and political climates, but given the prior history with Arenas, if this judge doesn't up the ante, he's making a mockery of the gun laws that will resonate across the country. High profile cases, unfortunately have a tendency to do that.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Kavanaugh, reading in court from a statement of facts that Arenas agreed to, said the charge stemmed from a Dec. 19 dispute with another player over a card game. Kavanaugh did not identify the other player, but authorities have searched the home of teammate Javaris Crittenton for a gun.
Kavanaugh said the disagreement developed during a team flight back from Phoenix. The other player offered to settle matters with a fistfight, but Arenas, 28, said he was too old for that and suggested he would instead burn the other player's Cadillac Escalade or shoot him in the face. The argument on the plane ended with the other player saying he would shoot Arenas in his surgically repaired knee.
Two days later, Kavanaugh said, Arenas brought at least one gun to the Verizon Center in a black backpack. He laid out four guns on a chair in front of the other player's locker with a sign saying, "Pick one."
When the other player asked, "What is this?" Arenas responded: "You said you were going to shoot me. Pick one."
The other player said he had his own gun, threw one of Arenas' weapons across the room and then displayed what appeared to be a silver-colored firearm, Kavanaugh said.
His biggest punishment for the crime could be, like Vick, the voiding of his huge contract by the Wizards. It is also being reported that Adidas has ended its endorsement deal with Arenas.
It's staggering to think back that over the last year or two, almost a quarter of a billion dollars in salary and/or endorsements up in smoke over issues of character, conduct or bad behavior. Actions do carry consequences. Ask Michael Vick, Plaxico Burress, Tiger Woods and now perhaps Gilbert Arenas to follow. Not to mention the troika of college coaches (Mangino, Leach, Leavitt). Granted, some may rehab their reputations or careers and recoup some of the money back, but still, a lot of money just vaporized.
In a bit of irony, I just heard some of the NBA pundits weighing in on the odds of Arena contract being voided (small) and one of them speculated that if the Wizards did successfully void the deal and make Arenas a free agent that the team most likely to be first in line to sign him - THE NEW YORK KNICKS.
Mayor Bloomberg, meet your city's newest sports star.
At the Bills training camp, Terrell Owens stated he feels that embattled Michael Vick needs to be reinstated immediately by the NFL and said any additional punishment added by NFL Commissar Goodell would be similar to "kicking a dead horse."
Interesting choice of words considering the hovering publicity hounds named PETA, but I think T.O. is right. And I certainly didn't want to pass on an opportunity to agree with T.O. about anything.
According to published reports, Owens added:
"I think he's done the time for what he's done. I don't think it's really fair for him to be suspended four more games,"
"It's almost like kicking a dead horse in the ground. ... The guy's already suffered so much. And to add a four-game suspension on a two-year prison sentence, that's ridiculous."
Then T.O. added to the wisdom dispensing with the following:
"Why shouldn't he? I mean, there's a lot more guys around the league that have done far more worst things than that and gotten second chances," Owens said. Owens said he would welcome Vick as a teammate.
"Michael Vick is a guy that really hasn't any character issues besides what he got a prison sentence for, so why not?"
He was going along so well with the first comment--really he was. Then he tripped over his feet a bit on the second one. The "no character issues besides..." is going to leave an "Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?" quality to it as far as the PETA folks go. But hey, let them squirm a little.
Plus, I would love to see them try to picket Terrell Owens. Maybe they can protest in front of his driveway. That seems to provide good theater.
Dungy: A Fatherly Touch In this week's SI, Tony Dungy, who announced his retirement as coach of the Colts last January, offers a first-hand account of meeting with Michael Vick (left) at the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kans. "I firmly believe Michael deserves a second chance in life," writes Dungy. "I understand how appalling dog fighting is, and in no way do I condone it. But he was given a punishment that the court deemed appropriate, and now he exits prison having paid for that crime. It's time to let him bounce back after that loss."
Since L'Affaire Vick of course we have witnessed the Dontae Stallworth DUI fiasco. A HUMAN died as a result of his actions, a father and husband. And he gets 30 days in jail. We'll see how Goodell handles this one.
The league seems to be piling up guys who are responsible or actively involved in actions leading to multiple deaths (Leonard Little, Ray Lewis and now Dontae Stallworth).
The Plaxico Burress case is yet to be resolved, but that seems to be another case where the punishment clearly will not fit the crime.
In my opinion, Vick and Burress will pay a much higher price than their crimes demand, while the previously mentioned players responsible for the loss of human life remain virtually unscathed from a professional standpoint. Seems fair, right?
What a system--this system we call JUSTICE. We would be better served spending less time wringing our hands over the "Affair du jour" and more time returning a sense of balance and fairness to our Justice System.
There are no winners in this situation unfortunately. Oh I'm sure in some ways PETA and the ASPCA will have some measure of victory for a cause they've been fighting to bring to light for many years.
But if some real good is to come from this, my hope is that young players on the collegiate and high school level realize that behavior is important regardless of who you are, that character counts. However, the coaches and administrators at those levels have to show the same desire to do the right thing as the federal prosecutors showed by swooping in before the Surrey County prosecutors had the chance to allow this crime to be washed away by using their "favorite-son" home court advantage with Michael Vick.
Now it's Roger Goodell's turn to show that his newly-minted conduct policy applies to star players as well as the 53rd man on the roster. If his policy is to have any teeth and any hope of modifying behavior, he has to show the same type of discipline he showed Pac-Man, Tank and Chris Henry. Because to my knowledge, other than Tank, nobody else went to jail yet for what they did to bring the NFL wrath down on them. And like Tank's time-out, the Vick punishment has to run consecutively with the federal sentence, not concurrently. If it runs concurrently, it will send the message that they aren't really serious, that there are two tiers of rules, one for the marquee players and one for the replacement parts. Watch what they do, not what they say. It's was easy to say they wanted to be tough on bad behavior when the player was easily replaceable. Let's see how easy it is now.
Finally, on a side note, it's my opinion that unless Vick gets some serious psychological counseling and maybe some spiritual counseling, that there is no chance that he comes back, never mind as a player, but as a person. I see all the talking heads speculating on "How soon will he be back?" instead of focusing on what kind of person will he be when he does get back? How are we going to go about changing the heart and mind of a person who would do the type of things that were done without conscience and remorse? It's always easy to be sorry after you got caught. Something is wrong in the heart and the soul of a person who would do the things he would do when he thought nobody was looking. When he thought he wouldn't get caught.
But he has taken the first step on the road to rehabilitation and gaining back the respect of the fans. Some are focused on what he's lost. A lot of money, endorsement, prestige and fame. And yet when I heard he had taken that first step, I heard the words from Tony Dungy's book "Quiet Strength: Principles, Practices & Priorities of a Winning Life" running through my mind.
"And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?"
--Matthew 16:26
Michael Vick needs to focus not on the world he just lost, but instead on finding his own soul. I hope at sometime during his rehabilitation that Michael hears those words and understands those words. Because at that point he will have taken the most important step back. Peace.
WTF!!! No matter what the story, ESPN finds a link to Bonds. Wrestler dies, kills his family, link it to Bonds. Vick runs his dog killing operation, link a story theme to Bonds. Global Warming, I bet the knuckleheads at the WWLIS find a way to lay it at Bonds doorstep. And I love how every weasel talking head now wants to caution everyone that an indictment doesn't mean anything happened. YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE AN INDICTMENT OF BONDS YET AND YOU'VE ALREADY CONVICTED HIM IN THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION. You'd have to be contortionist to reconcile your arguments now folks. Athletes are supposed to know exactly what they put into their bodies when they test positive for steroids, well the same argument should go for Vick and his property. He should have (and very likely did) known what was going on. Why does Vick get the benefit of the doubt for something that is much more of a disgusting act against society? And please don't give me your nonsensical drivel about Vick not chasing a "hallowed" record. THAT ONE IS OLD. ESPN writers and talking heads are one-trick ponies and when the BALCO grand jury goes bye-bye after pitching a three-year shutout, what say you then?
Note: judging by the other comments posted, it seems as if many others are catching on to the WWLIS's act. My faith in the collective intelligence of my fellow man is being restored.
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It's difficult to put the Michael Vick situation into perspective, because the details of the indictment paint a picture of a sick, disturbed individual. And it's not as if he hasn't flashed signs of becoming a bit of a jackass before.
He makes the Bonds affair look like child's play. This very likely sinks lower than Pete Rose, lower than Barry Bonds, lower than Ray Lewis and perhaps due to the he said/she said, "was it rape or simply adultery?" nature of the offense, lower than Kobe.
It's absolutely insane that we are at a place where we are searching for the bottom of the barrel of behavior in sports. Let's see, what's worse? Steroids? Rape? Active participation in a homicide? Running a dog killing operation? Pedophilia? Good Luck sorting the chips here NFL. And your dumb-ass sponsors. You all deserve each other.
And now we'll see if the Ayatollah Goodell is serious about his brandy-new personal conduct policy or not. It's different now that we;re talking about a marquee player rather then Pac-Man or Chris Henry or some other replaceable part. Be careful what you wish for, huh Roger-Dodger?
If the details I'm hearing are correct, that Vick purchased raw land and this "enterprise" was built on said land without his knowledge, then you can toss out the rogue relative, I didn't know what was happening on my property defense.
This will get very ugly, very quickly. Because these guys will turn on each other quicker and in a more ferocious fashion then the dogs they bred. And guess who has the most cash on hand to hire the most ferocious pit-bull legal team? And guess who has the publicity generating machine of both the NFL and corporate scumbag Nike on his side?
Right now, I feel sorry for Vick's accusers, they are going to be attacked with a ferocity we haven't seen, well since the last Presidential election.
As for Nike, they've already proven themselves to be a fairly rotten corporate citizen, so it does not shock me one iota that they would support Citizen Vick. That's fine, that is their prerogative. They should remember however, there are consequences for this position. They better hope they are right in stridently aligning themselves with Vick and continuing to roll out new products with his name as the sales tool.
For what it's worth, I'll take my chances on an early burn-anything-I-own with the Nike logo on it. If I end up wrong, I'll by a whole new Nike infested wardrobe. However, the verdict won't be my prime determinant (you know the whole OJ thing).
Let's see how big a fan of the court of public opinion the World Wide Leader in Shake and Bake (ESPN) becomes now that one of the biggest stars of their largest broadcast partner (the NFL) publicly fries when the details of his behavior come to light.
It's like I've always said, don't listen to what they say, watch what they do. Actions speak louder than words. They will act different here, because at the core level, let's just say, we know what they are, we're just negotiating the price.
I forgot where I saw it, for attribution's sake, but some legal expert opined in an article that Team Vick will spin all further media accounts using some euphemism that diverts attention from what this is, a dog-fighting operation, sick, sadistic animal abuse. Much like L'Affaire Kobe's rape-trial was rarely referred to as what it was, a rape-trial, it was Kobe's off the court issues, or Kobe's legal issues.
Making it sound like he was fighting a parking ticket or something. You'll see the same thing here.
Just to remind people that one of the behaviors psychologists have found common and prevalent in serial killers and other sociopaths, is an inclination to abuse animals before moving on to other victims. It is a sick, abhorrent behavior. Clinton Portis's jackass defense that a lot of people do it, doesn't justify the behavior.
It makes the defense that once this jackass exhausts the legal process, Goodell better come down good and hard on this clown. In fact, if I was NFL Commissioner for the day, I would tell Scumbag Vick in no uncertain terms:
"You can play the system here all you want, that is your right, but if this thing gets strung out to the end, and you're even remotely close to a guilty verdict, you'll never play in the NFL again. You will be banned for LIFE. And I don't mean life, like in the justice system definition of life, I mean the rest of your time here on earth LIFE. Are we clear, scumbag?"
It actually disgust me to no end that they will let this guy take the field.
Make no mistake about it, as much as I love the Giants, if this douchebag is playing against them, I wouldn't watch it.
UPDATE: Nike surprisingly does the right thing by suspending the new Vick shoe line that was due to be released. I already weeded the Nike shoes from my wardrobe but maybe now I can keep the pants and shirts.
===================================================================================== AS THE GIANTS TURN:
Well, we're stuck with Sabean for a few more years. The team is in last place and seemingly is intent on mounting a sincere challenge to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for the #1 overall pick in nest years draft. Which we'll use to draft and develop a stud pitcher we can use to trade for another broken down veteran.
That's the Sabean MO.
And don't give me the A-Rod pipe dream.
I think Magowan has been a good owner for this franchise, money has not held them back as much IMO as the use of the money given, and that is Sabean all the way. There’s been way too many dollars tossed down the drain with little return on the field.
Bonds salary over all his years with the Giants has been one of the biggest bargains in baseball. They’ve done a poor job capitalizing on having a centerpiece.
Which leads me to believe that if they ever actually had a legitimate chance to get someone like A-Rod, this recent history of personnel decisions will come back to haunt them. 4-5 teams will be in the hunt for him and I have to imagine the dollars will be close among all. The deciding factor after that, for A-Rod and his agent, will be which team can build around him after they’ve paid his king’s ransom of a salary.
Giants and Cubs would seem to fall back in this regard, behind the Yankees, RSox, Angels and perhaps the WSox. Just my $0.02.
UPDATE: Well, the Taste of Chicago just concluded, but for dessert Chicago gets a taste of Bonds. Two dingers, two balls hit out of the stadium (one foul). 4AB's and three absolute laser beams. GUESS WHO'S BACK??? At this point, FUCK THE WEASEL, who cares if the scumbag Selig is there or not. It would actually be better if he's not there.
I hope this is what Vick sees is his dreams nightly, a dog like this with an attitude, and he immobilized, with a couple of raw steaks stuffed in his pockets.
IF WISHING ILL WILL ON MICHAEL VICK IS WRONG, I DON'T WANT TO BE RIGHT.
I know it's not right to wish ill of others and as much as I disliked Michael Irvin as a player with the Cowboys, when Philly Fan cheered when he got hurt I thought that was classless and over the top. But for Michael Vick, I can only hope that if he is allowed to play next year, that he suffers an injury the likes of which make the Joe Theismann injury look like a paper cut. And the crowd delivers a standing ovation as he lies there in pain.
And save a trip to the DL and/or emergency room for Clinton Portis and that idiot Samuels from the Redskins. Defending this jack-ass is condoning this type of behavior. To say it goes on all the time and you know of places where shit like this goes on all the time to justify it is simply asinine, I'm sure most people could say the same thing for activities like drug dealing, that doesn't mean it should continue to occur. Or that if Michael Vick chooses to do it, he should be allowed to because he makes the kind of money he does. There's something wrong with Portis and that giggling buffoon Samuels.
I'm not sure what Arthur Blank is waiting for on this colossal F-up. If this kind of crap happened to one of his flunkies at Home Depot , they'd be on the unemployment line in minutes.
1) The Weed in the Water Bottle Incident 2) Flipping of the Fans in Atlanta (those are your customers) 3) Mastermind of a Dog Fighting Enterprise
You know your screwed when the late night comedians lampoon you. He's given them enough material to last for some time. Problem now is, I'll bet the mere mention of his name makes the crowd angry enough to ruin whatever comedic bit they attempt.
1. Joey Bart 6-2, 215 C Power arm and a power bat, playing a premium defensive position. Good catch and throw skills.
2. Heliot Ramos 6-2, 185 OF Potential high-ceiling player the Giants have been looking for. Great bat speed, early returns were impressive.
3. Chris Shaw 6-3. 230 1B Lefty power bat, limited defensively to 1B, Matt Adams comp?
4. Tyler Beede 6-4, 215 RHP from Vanderbilt projects as top of the rotation starter when he works out his command/control issues. When he misses, he misses by a bunch.
5. Stephen Duggar 6-1, 170 CF Another toolsy, under-achieving OF in the Gary Brown mold, hoping for better results.
6. Sandro Fabian 6-0, 180 OF Dominican signee from 2014, shows some pop in his bat. Below average arm and lack of speed should push him towards LF.
7. Aramis Garcia 6-2, 220 C from Florida INTL projects as a good bat behind the dish with enough defensive skill to play there long-term
8. Heath Quinn 6-2, 190 OF Strong hitter, makes contact with improving approach at the plate. Returns from hamate bone injury.
9. Garrett Williams 6-1, 205 LHP Former Oklahoma standout, Giants prototype, low-ceiling, high-floor prospect.
10. Shaun Anderson 6-4, 225 RHP Large frame, 3.36 K/BB rate. Can start or relieve
11. Jacob Gonzalez 6-3, 190 3B Good pedigree, impressive bat for HS prospect.
12. Seth Corry 6-2 195 LHP Highly regard HS pick. Was mentioned as possible chip in high profile trades.
13. C.J. Hinojosa 5-10, 175 SS Scrappy IF prospect in the mold of Kelby Tomlinson, just gets it done.
14. Garett Cave 6-4, 200 RHP He misses a lot of bats and at times, the plate. 13 K/9 an 5 B/9. Wild thing.
2019 MLB Draft - Top HS Draft Prospects
1. Bobby Witt, Jr. 6-1,185 SS Colleyville Heritage HS (TX) Oklahoma commit. Outstanding defensive SS who can hit. 6.4 speed in 60 yd. Touched 97 on mound. Son of former major leaguer. Five tool potential.
2. Riley Greene 6-2, 190 OF Haggerty HS (FL) Florida commit.Best HS hitting prospect. LH bat with good eye, plate discipline and developing power.
3. C.J. Abrams 6-2, 180 SS Blessed Trinity HS (GA) High-ceiling athlete. 70 speed with plus arm. Hitting needs to develop as he matures. Alabama commit.
4. Reece Hinds 6-4, 210 SS Niceville HS (FL) Power bat, committed to LSU. Plus arm, solid enough bat to move to 3B down the road. 98MPH arm.
5. Daniel Espino 6-3, 200 RHP Georgia Premier Academy (GA) LSU commit. Touches 98 on FB with wipe out SL.
2019 MLB Draft - Top College Draft Prospects
1. Adley Rutschman C Oregon State Plus defender with great arm. Excellent receiver plus a switch hitter with some pop in the bat.
2. Shea Langliers C Baylor Excelent throw and catch skills with good pop time. Quick bat, uses all fields approach with some pop.
3. Zack Thompson 6-2 LHP Kentucky Missed time with an elbow issue. FB up to 95 with plenty of secondary stuff.
4. Matt Wallner 6-5 OF Southern Miss Run producing bat plus mid to upper 90's FB closer. Power bat from the left side, athletic for size.
5. Nick Lodolo LHP TCU Tall LHP, 95MPH FB and solid breaking stuff.
