⁣“If” The Mike Vick Stunted Growth story. How’d the most naturally gifted football player ever, become one of the biggest disappointments? When I think about Mike Vick, the first word comes to mind is the 2 lettered “if”. If Mike Vick was taller, If only he was not from the streets, if only he had better guidance, if if if and the list goes on. To me one of the great things about sports is the wait and coming of the next transcendent talent. You can wait what seems like a lifetime to see the next sure fire great one, but if you do happen to catch one at the prime of your viewing youth, it’s one of the most breathtaking feelings in sports. Me being just old enough to feel the tail end of the greatness of Michael Jordan changed how I viewed not only basketball, but winning and hard work forever. You win on your turf, you stay down until you do, no other superstar can share your spotlight, because you’ve put in too much work to be denied all the glory. Then being in the prime of my youth and able to understand sports more, catching the glory days of Allen Iverson felt like a newer version of what great meant. He was relatable, he was cool, he was humble, charismatic, tough, but not in a way he alienated anyone in his presence, he was brave, and he was unbelievably good. I got to see that play out. Not on youtube, in real life. It had me running home from school to prepare for an unbothered watch of his game that night, and made me feel like if he could do it, I could too. Mike Vick was the perfect football player it seems, even with his obvious deficiencies, lack of size and a better foundation. No one thought of those when you saw the jaw dropping plays he made on the field. With basketball being my first love, Mike Vick made football a close second, as he was to me the Allen Iverson of the sport, for better or worse. If only he had Steph Curry’s temperament, protected up bringing and jovial personality what could he have been right? No, because then he may not have become joystick Vick. One of the greatest athletes I’ve ever seen in my life. Yet, I still wonder what “if” MICHAEL VICK | Stunted Growth | "IF" These Things Never Happened