Michael Vick is known for his dramatic, game-breaking plays. During the football season, it is hard to turn on “Sportscenter” without seeing Vick, in his No. 7 Falcons jersey, pirouetting around hapless defenders. The NFL’s most gifted athlete has been making headlines lately, too, but not for his on-field exploits. Instead, Vick is garnering headlines for his off-field hardships. The airwaves are no longer dominated by Vick’s dazzling highlights but instead montages of the gruesome images captured from his Virginia home. Though the case has yet to begin, Vick has already been convicted in the court of public opinion, which has a far greater reach than the court of law.

Michael Vick has been unfairly convicted in the public eye of the gruesome allegations associated with dog fighting. Did we learn nothing from the Duke Lacrosse scandal? Why not give him the benefit of the doubt until things play out in the legal system? R.L. White, president of the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP, was correct in accusing animal rights groups, talk radio, and the news media of vilifying Vick when he has been convicted of no crimes. However, White went on to criticize, along with many others, corporate sponsors and the NFL for prematurely punishing Vick. This is just wrong. Vick’s sponsors and the NFL were left with no other alternatives, and in the end, the suspension from the Falcons will benefit Vick.

Vick’s suspension from the Falcons was a business decision. The corporate sponsors decision to pull the plug on him was merely a business decision. It has nothing to do with whether or not the NFL, Nike, etc. think Vick is guilty. That is not the way the corporate world works. Decisions are based on the bottom line. Remember everyone’s favorite racist, Don Imus? The American public was appalled when he made his infamous comments about the Rutgers women’s basketball team. What non-listeners of Imus did not realize was that this was not the first time he said something controversial or derogatory. What was different about these comments was that there was tremendous public outrage in response. Due to the negative publicity, Imus would no longer be a moneymaker for CBS Radio and continued employment would further damage the network’s image. He was not let go because of his comments, but instead because he was bad for business. It is the same right now for Vick. The truth is, whether it is fair or not, Vick is untouchable right now. Why would Nike keep his line in stores as White asserts it should? No one will buy the products. Financially, it makes no sense. In addition, Nike could risk the tarnishing of its image should groups such as PETA protest the continuation of the Vick line.

The NFL is in the same boat. There is enough scrutiny on NFL teams under normal circumstances. Imagine the media circus that would ensue if Vick was still a member of the team. The distraction to Vick’s teammates and the organization would far outweigh the contributions that Vick brings to the football field. The Falcons image would also be at risk should Vick be allowed to practice and play with the team. The negative publicity would be unimaginable. The NFL is not suspending Vick because it wants to; it is doing it because it has to. The league has had an image problem for some time. It seems every other week an NFL player is being arrested. The list goes on and on: Adam “Pac-Man” Jones, Tank Johnson, numerous members of the Bengals. While the publicity was bad for those incidents, it is dwarfed by the outrage felt across the country by not only football fans but also Americans in general. Allowing Vick to play while on trial could have devastating consequences in regards to the image of the league and the size of the fan base. The NFL is the most successful sports league in the United States and Roger Goodell intends to keep it that way.

Though a suspension may appear to be a slap in the face, for Vick it is really a blessing in disguise. He will most likely go on trial for charges of sponsoring a dog-fighting operation sometime during the NFL regular season. If convicted, he could face up to six years in prison. This sentence would be a damaging blow that would most likely bring to an end his NFL career. With potential to destroy his livelihood, Vick needs to be prepared and as focused as humanly possible for the trial. Playing a full 16-game schedule in the NFL would greatly compromise Vick’s ability to prepare for the impending trial. His time would not just be consumed by the games on Sundays but also the practices, team meetings, and film sessions throughout the week. He may wish he was under center for the Falcons with the game on the line, but the best thing for Vick is to focus on the court case because something much greater is at stake: his freedom. He does not want to create resentment among the American public and the jurors by continuing to play while the cloud of allegations hangs over his head. In the end, public opinion shapes everything.

It shapes whether Vick can be profitable as an endorser. It determines how Vick will be treated by the media, as just another member of a football team or as a sideshow act in a circus. Most importantly, a small portion of the American public, the jurors in his case, will determine whether Michael Vick will known as a felon or a free man.