Why Michael Vick Sustained a Concussion: He's a Professional Football Player

There's a lot of Facebook-generated schadenfreude in the aftermath of Michael Vick's concussion during yesterday's game between the Philadelphia Eagles (Vick's current team for you non-football fans) and the Atlanta Falcons (Vick's former football team). And while it's certainly nobody's duty to cheer for Vick or wish him well or even forgive him for his notorious animal cruelty, to celebrate his concussion as some kind of karmic payback is both inappropriate and nonsensical in a game where everyone (regardless of their off-the-field morals) is at risk. In a world of bizarre happenstance (of which American football is an important microcosm), narcissistic assholes can finish first,* and shit happens to decent people. Just ask Mike Utley.

As far as Vick returning to play, I suspect it will be soon, given a review of the videotape footage. It was a lateral helmet-on-helmet blow (with his own teammate!), followed by a bit of quick head torquing to the left—the latter of which is what probably rang Vick's bell.

* And given the bounty of narcissism in the NFL, it is probable that narcissistic assholes will finish first.