Suddenly Paris and Lindsey don't seem so bad

Imagine being young, good-looking, adored by tens of thousands of people (if not hundreds of thousands) and fabulously wealthy.

Who hasn't fantasized about such a thing?

Some of us might put our fame and fortune to good use --- maybe take up a philanthropic cause. Others might go a less admirable route by buying mansions, fancy cars, throwing lavish parties ... carpe diem all the way. And perhaps a few of us might succumb to self-indulgent vices like drug or alcohol abuse and end up destroying our own lives.

And each of those outcomes to having, well, everything, would seem to be in the realm of possibilities for almost anyone.

What is unfathomable to me, however, is that anyone with a world of options before him, would choose to promote ... dog fighting.

I don't care for Michael Vick. I think he is an outstanding athlete but only a mediocre quarterback. And I've long had questions about his character. I was also put-off by the inevitable hype that accompanied his every game appearance. (It was like sportscasters thought they were being paid a nickel each time they mentioned his name and yet were determined to earn seven figure incomes.) So when the allegations against him first arose, I was quick to assume the worst.

But damn ... running a sideline business where dogs fight each other almost to death? And then finding the the most cruelly inventive ways to ultimately dispatch the loser? Why on earth would anyone do that?

It's so incredibly incomprehensible to me, I almost think Vick might be innocent.

Almost.