Philadelphia Eagles sign disgraced NFL player, Michael Vick

August 14, 8:39 AMTacoma Dogs ExaminerPenny Eims

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After serving 18 months of a 23-month sentence in federal prison, disgraced NFL star, Michael Vick, has been signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.  Vick has been out of commission since 2006, when he was found to be heavily involved in a dog-fighting ring.

Vick's suspension from the NFL was conditionally lifted on July 27, but there wasn't a mad rush by teams to sign the controversial player to the roster.  Eagles coach, Andy Reid, chose to overlook the controversy and give Vick a chance at redemption.

No doubt, the move is going to cause an uproar among  dog-loving fans. Many are shocked and outraged by Reid's decision to allow Vick to join the team. Others feel that Vick has paid for his crime and deserves a chance to redeem himself.

The Humane Society of the United States is currently working with Michael Vick on a campaign to discourage low-income youth from participating in the horrific dog-fighting arena. However, one such event, held  in a suburban Atlanta community, was so tightly controlled by Vick's handlers that the majority of the community was unaware of his presence.

PETA, on the other hand, has released an official statement that is not as forgiving of Vick and his past dog-fighting actions. PETA and millions of decent football fans around the world are disappointed that the Philadelphia Eagles have chosen to sign a man who hanged dogs from trees, electrocuted them with jumper cables, held them underwater until they drowned in his swimming pool, and even threw his own family dogs into the fighting pit to be torn to shreds while he laughed. What sort of message does this send to young fans who care about animals and don't want to see them be harmed?

PETA certainly hopes that Vick has learned his lesson and feels truly remorseful for his crimes—but since he's given no public indication that that's the case, only time will tell. At this point, all Eagles fans can do is cross their fingers and hope that they won't ever have to explain to their sons and daughters what a "rape rack" is and why their favorite player was using one, as Falcons fans once had to.

Time will tell what plays out for the Philadelphia Eagles, the fans and Michael Vick. Those of us who can not wrap our heads around the actions committed by those in the dog-fighting world will certainly have a more difficult time letting go of the past and trying to move forward.