Who Let the Dog Out?

Michael Vick has been on a short leash since his meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell a few weeks ago. He was released from prison last month after serving a two-year sentence for running a dogfighting ring. Looks as if he will be “fighting” his damaged reputation for a while.

This story reminds me of a lecture from last semester’s PR class on image restoration. At the time, we were discussing how Michael Phelps’ publicist could boost his popularity back from the bong-gate scandal.

I stumbled across an article on Vick last night that struck me.

Apparently, Vick spoke to Atlanta-area youth about the devastating effects of dogfighting. However, very few members of the media were allowed inside to hear Vick speak at the community center.

The PR choice is obvious: Get Vick involved with the community, but keep him out of the limelight. Do Vick’s people think he’s had enough spotlight for the time being? Are they trying to keep him on the down-low? Vick is going to do a “60 Minutes” special interview soon, so what’s the point of keeping his community work a secret?

They’re the professionals, not me. I’m just curious to see what the next move will be. Vick’s mentor Tony Dungy said tonight that Vick will likely have a home in the NFL within the coming week so this story is far from over. I’ll be wagging my tail in excitement waiting to hear what happens next.