Crime, Punishment and Vick

So Mike Vick has done his time and is once again a free man. The pundits are all kicking up a fuss about what the NFL commissioner might or might not do regarding his NFL eligibility. My question is... why is this even being discussed? what right does the NFL have to determine if Mike Vick should pay further for his crimes? What has happened to the notion of paying your debt to society? Vick did something stupid, wrong, immoral etc... etc... etc... On this I have no argument. In fact I hold no love for the guy and as a long time Falcon's fan I am one of many he has disappointed with his idiocy. As a result of his actions he was found guilty by a jury of his peers and sentenced to serve a prison sentence. He was deprived of his freedom for the past two years. He served his sentence and is now a free man. By and large the idea is that is supposed to be that.

Granted we all know that in reality convicts are not ever really viewed as full members of society. They have broken trust and few if any ever regain it to the same extent they enjoyed before running afoul of the law. Many claim that Vick should be banned from football... that it is a privilege rather than right to play a game for millions of dollars. Perhaps that is true. But I have to ask if it is right for him to be banned? Let us say that Vick was an auto mechanic rather than a Football wonder kid and that the ongoing discussion was to ban him from ever turning another wrench? Would that be right? I think the answer is obviously no and so I think the same holds true for running a naked bootleg on Sundays.... that is if any team will have him. Playing in the NFL IS most certainly a privilege. It is one earned by being better than anyone else at playing a game. That Vick still qualifies on those grounds I doubt anyone would seriously question. I doubt any would care to bet that no team would be willing to pick him up provided the league allows them the option.

I believe the league has the right to ban players from the game. For use of banned substances. For cheating. For illegal/dangerous hits, breaking contracts and any number of things. But I have serious heartburn with the notion that the League has the right to further punish someone who has served time for his crime as adjudicated by the legal system we have entrusted with the responsibility to uphold the laws of the land. In short I feel it is not within the leagues purview to deny Vick a chance to play in the NFL again. That is the responsibilities of all the teams in the league who will have to decide if he is someone they want to risk a roster spot on.