It's a rarity in sports that an athlete gets an opportunity for redemption.

When mass media paints an image of a particular individual, it's seldom one ever escapes.

To do such takes a belligerence of critics.

But most importantly, a defining moment that far exceeds the expectations and perceptions of the spectator.

Try and think of overall hated athletes and you'll be hard pressed to find one whose image has done a 180-degree turn.

If anything the opposite is true.

A positive fan-friendly image takes constant consciousness about every decision made on and off the field, and a bad image is formed by one wrong move or simply enough; the company that you keep.

In today's sports arena, corruption dominates headlines.

Michael Vick, who had dominated headlines for the past two months, is part of the most uncommon story in a love/hate sports world.

The perennial losers known as the Falcons got a major face-lift after Vick was drafted No. 1 overall.

He sold season tickets, jerseys and was the topic of all news. Vick also has the overall admiration of African Americans in Atlanta who had been looking for a 'face' in the franchise.

But when looking at the results on the field, Vick doesn't stack up, minus 15 exciting plays that had fans on the edge of their seats, what has the indicted quarterback actually accomplished.

Now that Vick has taken the plea agreement, he will forever be associated with guilt.

But what does that really entail?

He has lost sponsorship from every company who decided to make Vick their marketed face.

He most likely will never play for the Atlanta Falcons again, but more importantly he may never play football again.

The interesting dynamic is the split view of people in Atlanta. The Caucasian population is appalled and distraught with Vick's actions, while the African American population says he's a target because of his race and social status.

Maybe it's a little bit of both.

How does Vick fix this?

He can't.

But his best effort will come making the TV circuit and apologizing on Opera, Larry King Live, ESPN, Dateline and all the other shows.

It may put a nice facade on the situation and get him back in the NFL, but Vick is forever tarnished.

It says so much about the company you keep and image you present.

From the finger to the fans, the water bottle, lying to the commish, it's been a time-bomb waiting to happen.