Vick's cousin Davon Boddie was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell in Hampton, Va. It was that element that we've all seen hold back or bring down so many athletes from the hood - the entourage. But if it did, though, would this white kid have been busted? Remember, it wasn't suspicion of dogfighting that started the investigation that put Vick in jail. The deep pockets of an NFL star led to a kennel that was too big not to fail eventually. ![]() One pertinent question: Would a white kid have been introduced to dogfighting at a young age and have it become normalized to the extent that he builds it into his life after he joins the NFL? It's possible, but it's far less likely because what made Vick stand out among dogfighters is less race than class. This is not to say there aren't insights to be gained from hypotheticals. That Vick would have had radically different options in life compared with the Vick who grew up in the projects of Newport News, Va., where many young black men see sports as the only way out. If Vick had been born to white parents, you wouldn't even be reading this right now. ![]() When you alter his race, it's like those Back to the Future movies where someone goes back in time, inadvertently changes one small thing about his parents' dating history and then the person starts to disappear. I mean, who would this white Vick be? That person is unknowable. wait, I can't even continue that sentence in good faith. Thus when this hypothetical white Michael Vick. That alone sets his life trajectory in an entirely different direction. In making Vick white, you have him born to different parents. It fails to take into account that switching someone's race changes his entire existence. The problem with the "switch the subject's race to determine if it's racism" test runs much deeper than that. I'm certain white privilege would not be enough to rescue a white NFL star caught killing dogs. Killing dogs is a heinous crime that disgusts and frightens many Americans. Whiteness comes with great advantages, but it's not a get-out-of-every-crime-free card. It is so facile, naive, shortsighted and flawed that it is meaningless. But after his arrest for dogfighting, so many people asked: Would a white football player have gotten nearly two years in prison for what Vick did to dogs? 1 overall, about one in five of the league's passers is African-American, compared with two-thirds of all players. ![]() A decade after he became the first black QB to be drafted No. Race is an undeniable and complex element of Vick's story, both because of his style as well as the rarity of black QBs in the NFL. I'm saying Vick's style is so badass, so artistic, so fluid, so flamboyant, so relentless - so representative of black athletic style - that if there were a stat for swagger points, Vick would be the No. I'm not saying that a black QB who stands in the pocket ain't playing black. In those breathtaking moments when the Eagles QB abandons the pocket and takes off, it feels as if he's thumbing his nose at the whole regimented, militaristic ethos of the game.Īll of that is why, to me, Vick seems to have a deeply African-American approach to the game. Vick's style reminds me of Allen Iverson - the speed, the court sense, the sharp cuts, the dekes, the swag. I don't just mean that sort of football where you have to count to four-Mississippi before you can rush the quarterback, nearly everything breaks down and it's all great fun. ![]() WHEN MICHAEL VICK PLAYS, I see streetball. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser
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