The Michael Vick Story

Michael Vick is arguably the most exciting player in the history of football. He played college ball at Virginia Tech. He was the starting quarterback his freshman year and he led his team to the national title game in 1999. He entered the NFL draft in 2001 and went on to play for the Atlanta Falcons. He became a star in Atlanta and took the team to the NFC title game in 2004. Two years later, in 2006, he had his best season ever. He used his electrifying speed and athleticism to accomplish something that no other NFL quarter back has. He became the first quarterback ever to record over 1,000 yards in both passing and rushing. Michael Vick was living a dream and everything seemed to be going great for him. Soon things would change. Not long after the 2006 season ended, his life was turned totally upside down. He was faced with allegations of funding a dog fighting operation and eventually he found himself in prison, where he would stay for the next two years.

Michael Vick grew up in Newports News, Virginia. The coastal city was going through tough times and was well known for its high crime rate. At the time Michael entered the world, it was notorious for producing drug dealers and gang members. Michael's mother was just 16 years old when he was born. His father was just one year older. This is not exactly an ideal situation to be born into, actually its a terrible one. His parents went on to have two more daughters and a son named Marcus, who followed in his brother's footsteps and also played for Virginia Tech. Michael's parents did not marry until five years after his birth. His father was hardly ever at home. He spent three years in the army and then went through many jobs there after until he finally found steady work at a shipyard in Newport News. He worked from early in the morning until late at night so he got to spend little time with Michael and the rest of his family. With his father hard at work, Michael's mother was left with the responsibility of raising him and his three siblings. She worked at K-mart, and spent all the money she could on her children. The family lived in the Ridley Circle housing project and Michael's mother did her best to keep their crowded three-bedroom apartment in order.

While he was at home, Michael's father spent a lot of time teaching him the game of football. When he was just three years old, his father began teaching him how to throw a football. His father was amazed when Michael first tried to throw left-hand handed because he did everything else with his right hand. His father had been given the nickname "Bullet" because of the blinding speed that he displayed back in his high school football days. Michael took after his father in his passion for the game and in his extreme talent that he showed on the field.

Another very influential person in Michael's life was his cousin, Aaron Brooks. Aaron played for the University of Virginia and then went on be a starting quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. Aaron was four years older and Michael really looked up to him. He followed him just about everywhere he went, including the Boys and Girls Club. Michael played on a football team there. In his middle school years, he often called his coach, James Johnson, asking him if he would work out with him one on one to help him improve his fundamentals. Johnson knew Michael had lots of potential. He helped Michael get into a weight lifting program before he went into highschool. Michael was fairly small and he knew that he needed to add some muscle to his frame. He credits his intense leg workouts for turning him into such an amazing runner.

Despite growing up in the ghetto, Michael was a very upbeat, polite, and focused child. He was really passionate about football and he was always looking for ways to become a better player. He was extemely competitive as a kid and he still is today. He had that burning desire inside of him to be the best.

In elementary school, Michael also showed great promise in basketball and baseball. His future was looking bright and his focus seemed to be unwavering. When he reached his middle school years, however, he became a problem with his teachers and he found himself in trouble quite often. His mother encouraged him to become involved in some after-school activities to keep him out of trouble and off the streets. He gave up baseball and basketball after middle school and chose to focus on football.

He went to on to highschool in 1994. He tried out for the football team and though his coach was very impressed with his talent, his coach decided to place him on the junior varsity as a freshman. In Michael's first six games he threw 20 touchdown passes. In the mean time, the varsity squad was really struggling and its coach felt it needed a change. Coach Reamon decided to move their current quarterback to wide receiver and move Michael up to the varsity. In just his second game, Michael shocked everyone. He threw for an amazing 433 yards on just 13 completions. Vick's reputation continued to grow and improve over the next 3 years. Coach Reamon sent him to football camps every summer and worked with him privately. The offensive line was not very strong, so Coach Reamon encouraged him to improvise with his running ability. That is how Michael developed his unique style of running the ball almost as much as he passed it.

After high school, Michael Vick went on to play two years at Virginia Tech. He led his team all the way to the national title game when he was only a freshman. Virginia Tech lost that game and they finished 2nd in the nation that year. After stepping into the national spotlight, Vick became highly respected quarterback. He was forced to deal with the media on a regular basis. Different broadcasting companies were always calling because they wanted to do another interview. It was not an easy thing for Michael to handle.

He went on to have another impressive season his sophomore year until he got hurt right before the Pittsburgh game. Without Michael Vick in the game, the Virginia Tech team was not the same and they lost the game and their hopes of a national title. After his sophopmore year, Michael chose to enter the NFL draft where he was selected by the Atlanta Falcons. He became a huge star in Atlanta and also became the highest paid player in the NFL. He amazed fans with his extreme speed and his mind boggling ability to elude tacklers. He led Atlanta to the NFC championship in 2004 and set a great record in 2006, becoming the first quarterback ever to record over 1,000 yards in both passing and rushing.

After the 2006 season, Michael was charged for his involvment in a professional dogfighting operation. He was senteced to two years in prison. He had everything going for him and he threw it all away with some really bad decisions. As soon as he was thrown in prison, he came to the realize just how bad the things were that he had done. He was filled with disgust. Michael cried many nights as he layed in his prison bunk. He cried because of the regret for the terrible things he did, for all the people he let down, for all the dogs that he let suffer, and because he did nothing to stop any of it.

Now he is finally out of prison. He has been signed by a new team and is looking to bounce back. He wants to make up for what he's done by working to end dogfighting. He wants to help more dogs than he has hurt. He has been very humbled by his experiences of late and is now looking to make a positive impact on society. He has already given many speeches to high school kids in which he encouraged then to respect there animals. He also advised them about making other good decisions thta he failed to make when he was their age.

Michael Vick is back in the National Football League. He is now a changed man. He is on his way achieving greatness both on and off the field in the future.