Philadelphia Eagles QB Micahel Vick just got the best endorsement ever!

Vick, who was once named “The Most Disliked Person in Sports” has been slowly gaining support during his road to redemption, but now he’s getting it from the leader of the free world, President Barack Obama!

The Prez made a phone call recently that basically seals the deal on Vick’s comeback.

Yup… you read right!

The PRESIDENT of the effing United States of America went out of his way to publicly praise a man who, 3 1/2 years ago, many thought would never again play in the NFL.

Even the most ardent believers in Vick could never have fathomed a turn-around like this.

NBC’s Peter King reports that Barack Obama called Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie earlier this week to congratulate him for giving Vick a second chance after his release from prison.

In the call, President Obama said that released prisoners rarely receive a level playing field and that Vick’s story could begin to change that.

In retrospect it seems obvious that Vick would eventually get a second chance in the NFL, I mean… his skills speak for themselves. But it wasn’t so clear-cut back when he was caught lying to the commissioner about his involvement in dog fighting, getting sternly admonished in federal court and serving his sentence at Leavenworth.

[READ: Mugshot Mania ~ Michael Vick 2008 (Respect His Sexy!)]

Things have definitely changed and Vick’s rise and fall and rise is truly an amazing story. He is a true role model and regardless of what his haters may say, Vick went from Atlanta Falcons star to pariah to inmate to backup QB to starter to MVP candidate to being praised by the president of the United States… all in the course of a few years.

Who the hell could top that?

We tend to take for granted unbelievable events when they slowly unfold before our eyes. The step-by-step nature of these sorts of tales tend to minimize the shock when taken in over a long process. So though it now seems like it was all pre-destined to work out like this, it wasn’t.

Vick has been playing the best football of his career for a playoff team and was second leading fan favorite for the Pro Bowl. For Obama to praise Vick now shows a number of things, namely that uttering the quarterback’s name is thought to be a safe political move and at the moment, Vick’s the model of redemption, someone worthy of praise.

Vick got that “second chance” from Lurie 16 months ago and there was no phone call from the president then. Praising Vick now is a safe bet because now that he’s playing great, it seems most people have either forgiven him or stopped caring about his transgressions.

Because of that, some say that Obama’s praise of Vick is simply a shrewd political move, meant to improve his image moreso than Vick’s.

After what could be termed a rough two years in office, the president is looking for a second chance from the people who have turned against him over the past two years. Supporting a huge star like Vick could help with the president’s recent image problems. It may not register much nationally, but it couldn’t hurt in Pennsylvania. After all, it’s a swing state and 2012 is just around the corner.

But I disagree. Vick deserves the support. He has paid his dues to society and has proven that he is worthy of praise.

What do you think? Is Obama using Vick to gain support for himself or is Vick just great?

(source)