Michael Vick's character rehabilitation is not just about dog fighting

The comeback story of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick has been well chronicled. Vick's 15 passing and six running touchdowns, combined with a 63.8 percent completion percentage, have propelled the Eagles into a first place tie in the NFC East. His spectacular play has Philly fans envisioning a return trip to Cowboys Stadium for Super Bowl XLV in February. This would be the sequel to the Eagles upcoming trip to North Texas, this Sunday night, when they battle the Dallas Cowboys on NBC.

If the NFC Championship eludes Vick and the Eagles this season, it appears a trip to the Hawaiian island of Oahu would become his consolation prize. Wednesday, the NFL announced that Vick leads all NFL players with 729,838 fan votes for the 2011 Pro Bowl, played January 30 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. This tally is nearly 40,000 votes higher than the second place position, held by Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.

Pro Bowl selections are determined by a combination of votes from fans, players and coaches. Online fan voting concludes on December 20.

While Vick's conviction and subsequent incarceration for dog fighting are widely known, it should be remembered that this occurrence was far from the only blemish in the pre-Eagle career of the first overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft.

This is the same Michael Vick who settled a civil lawsuit from a woman who claimed that the QB knowingly exposed her to genital herpes. This saga led to the disclosure that Vick sought STD treatment under the infamous alias Ron Mexico.

Later in Vick's Atlanta tenure, he was fined $10,000 for giving the “dirty bird” to his home fans after a loss to the New Orleans Saints at the Georgia Dome.  

Vick was also involved in some rather bizarre instances at both Miami International Airport and Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport.  

By all accounts, Vick has righted his behavioral approach, since arriving in Philadelphia prior to the 2009 season. He has worked hard, said the right things and allowed his actions on the field to drive the rampant news coverage he continually garners.  

The Eagles organization boasts a starting QB far different from the one who used to stand under center in Atlanta. While Vick's dog fighting history is the dominant narrative of his past, fans should remember that Vick's former life involved many more indiscretions than just his most famous example of wrongdoing. 

He appears to be a changed man.  

Below is a piece of video displaying the new version of Vick interacting with fans during this season's training camp.