Judge Rejects Michael Vick's Plan to Repay Creditors

Michael Vick is under the impression that he has "10 or 12 more years" left in his professional football career. At least that's what he told the judge at his bankruptcy hearing on Thursday. At 28, having spent nearly two years in the clink, and last taking an NFL snap in 2006, the notion that Vick could play another decade borders on the insane.

That said, I get where he's coming from: he owes a lot of people a lot of money, and unless he plans on living to the age of 400, that $10-a-hour construction gig won't do him much good.

Vick's proposal -- to keep the first $750,000 he earns each year and pay his creditors with whatever's left -- didn't fly with Judge Frank Santoro. He rejected the "plan", presumably because there's a better chance that the Broncos sign Marcus Vick (with Elvis Dumervil's blessing) to replace Jay Cutler, and he leads them to the Super Bowl. Throwing only left-handed passes.

Santoro said there is no guarantee the league will have the 28-year-old player back, and suggested he start on a new plan by considering liquidating his two Virginia homes and three cars he had planned to keep. The judge said a documentary deal indicates that Vick is building financial momentum, but he currently had too much debt and no proof he could come up with all the money creditors are demanding.

To his credit, the former face of the Falcons franchise sounded a conciliatory tone in the court room: "I can't live like the old Mike Vick ... I was very immature. I did a lot of things I wasn't supposed to do being a role model."

Realistically, his NFL future looks bleak. There are sure to be teams interested in him -- if not as a quarterback, then as a "Wildcat specialist" -- but before it gets to that point, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will have to reinstate him.

And while Vick testified that he's optimistic about his chances if he shows remorse and does the right things, he also thinks he'll be playing till he's 38. That, coupled with Goodell's near-zero-tolerance policy on player misconduct makes me think that Vick's NFL future is far from certain. In fact, there's a better chance he's wearing a hard hat and sporting a tool belt in the coming months.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

4-03-2009 @ 7:02PM

pauln286 said...

10 to 12 years? We are talking NFL football right? Not "The longest yard" football. Keep dreaming Mikey. It's all you can afford to do.

4-03-2009 @ 7:32PM

fshnt21 said...

MAYBE HE CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH OBAMA FOR A BAILOUT OR PAY HIS DEBT OFF WITH HIS ENDORSEMENT MONEY......

4-03-2009 @ 7:35PM

horatiowrd said...

its '09, if your gonna needlessly through politics around atleast learn to turn off the caps lock key. There is just no excuse for it anymore.

4-03-2009 @ 7:37PM

Can no one forsee, Bill "I'll do things my way" Belicheck disciple Josh McDaniel taking a run at Vick.

4-03-2009 @ 10:55PM

Hola said...

Ban him
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-NFL-from-reinstating-MichaelVick

4-03-2009 @ 10:56PM

Ban Vick

4-03-2009 @ 11:01PM

4-03-2009 @ 11:02PM

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-NFL-from-reinstating-MichaelVick

Vick please go away

4-04-2009 @ 1:53AM

Aaron said...

Hola you and these crazy PETA ppl are trying to bury a good man who made a mistake. You need to have some forgiveness to you, the man just wants to do right. He is going to get involved in charitable works, probably with animal rights groups. I know the work Mike Vick does in my community and the community he came from. He deserves another chance. People like you just want to bury a superstar athlete to send a message.

4-04-2009 @ 6:47AM

DraigAthar said...

Michael Vick as a QB? Doubt it. No team could afford to have him on the field that long. The boos from the fans would disrupt things on the field way to much.

4-04-2009 @ 8:23AM

bkind7x said...

The Judge did not reject Vick's plan, he suggested having a plan A, and making Vick's current plan - plan B, because until he knows the NFL will reinstate him his current plan will not work. YES - vick easily has ten to twelve years of football left - WHY - because like Warren Moon - who played a long time - Vick had or still has the strongest arm in the league - and when - he loses just a little zing on it in 8 years from now - the last few years of play he will still have one of the strongest arms in the league.

4-04-2009 @ 10:00PM

gladys said...

I dont think he deserves a second chance, they should have him live like a regular guy no job no health insurance, let him find a job, lets see what else he's qualify to do, enough of these sport stars getting a free ride, see how far he gets with an $8 to $10 job.

4-05-2009 @ 9:01AM

Christi said...

I have never been a Michael Vick fan but he is certainly getting a bad deal. I love dogs and what he did was wrong but he has paid for the crime. Let the man have a shot. Any team should want him if they run the wildcat and he could be a great back/slot receiver. He is worth $1 million/year all day long. Send him to Miami and he will excel. Just keep a close eye on him in the off hours because the chances of him getting in trouble for something have to be 50/50.

4-05-2009 @ 2:23PM

melee627 said...

To me this whole thing is bull crap. The NFL and society at large has people who have DUI manslaughter (Leonard Little "Rams") who still played. We have people caught with drugs in Hollwood still making millions (stallone) but everyone wants to crucify this guy like he was Judas betraying Jesus. Whether people want to admit it or not Mike Vick was convicted of something that most people get probation time for and still have a job. Go look at the data that's a fact. He's done his time lost all his money and wealth. What more do you want? I'd rather have him earning a living and spending in this economy than leeching off it because he doesn't have a dime.