Obama Praises Eagles Owner for Giving Vick Second Chance After Animal Cruelty

Many animal lovers believe Michael Vick should have stayed sacked after his nearly two-year prison term after pleading guilty to federal felonies for financing a dog-fighting ring. But President Barack Obama has given Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie a high-five for hiring Vick, according to a twitter posting from Sports Illustrated reporter Peter King that blanketed the Internet faster than a nickel defense could foil a Vick pass.

“Yes, Obama called Eagle owner Jeffrey Lurie to praise the Eagles for giving Vick a chance. Said too many prisoners never get fair 2d chance,” according to the tweet from King, who SI's senior NFL analyst who also reported Obama's accolade for Lurie on NBC Sunday.

The league suspended Vick, who formerly called the signals for the Atlanta Falcons, but lifted that suspension after the third game the 2009 season. The Falcons didn’t want him back, but he signed with the Eagles, where he is compiling numbers this season that have some sports observers touting him as the NFL’s most valuable player.

Not so some animal-rights activists, who still count him their most vile personality because of the cruelty and death the dog-fighting operation inflicted.

And some bloggers asked rhetorically whether Vick would be receiving such an enthusiastic welcome back if he wasn't having such a successful season.