With Michael Vick settling in to his new half-way home, and talk of him being back home in short order due to lack of beds for ex-cons, it’s only a matter of time till we see him back in pads . . . somewhere.

Which brings me to the question, what if he does well?  Vick, regardless of his now incredibly sullied reputation, will always be remembered as a hobby darling.  His SP Authentic rookie card brought in insane prices, rivaling the likes of some of the greatest players in today’s game.  Vick’s cards saw their peak in value shortly following his NFC Championship run in 2004.

However, and for obvious reasons, Vick has become a joke among NFL fans, a villain among animal lovers, and his cards are often treated as nothing more than dummy cards in thick packs.

So, what if . . . . . ?  Vick will be back in the NFL.  Despite his crimes, and despite the negative press he’ll bring, some team is going to take a chance on him.  Some teams and coaches have openly expressed a willingness to take a chance on him.  So what if Vick comes back, and he’s good?

Will fans of whichever team he ends up with speculate on his cards in hopes that he actually leads their team to success?  Perhaps people will begin speculation even earlier than that.  What if he takes a struggling team to the playoffs?  Will he actually regain any interest from those who right now cringe when they pull a Vick jersey card out of a pack?

Vick’s situation in relation to the hobby is unprecedented.  O.J. is the only real hobby superstar who had serious, highly publicized legal trouble, and his card values took a hit that they never recovered from.  But, O.J. also did not have a chance to perform on the field following his legal battles.

While Vick’s cards will never reach the same incredible heights that they once saw, it’s not that difficult to believe that he could come to a team in need of a quarterback and a game-changer and have immediate success.  At the same time, it’s even more likely that he’ll either fall on his face due to having been out of the game for so long, find himself in additional legal trouble, or be unable to perform under the added pressures and distractions that he’s created for himself.

If he is successful, it’ll be interesting to see how he’s treated by collectors and investors.  Personally, despite the incredible quarterback struggles and inconsistencies over the decades, I hope to never see him in Chicago.

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