An open letter to Michael Vick:

Dear Mike,

Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike Mike — where do we start?

I'd like to say I feel bad for everything that's happened, but you made some very poor choices and you still don't seem to grasp the seriousness of it all.

Not just that your playing career lies in the balance, but the fact you could be involved in anything so heinous as dogfighting and the suffering and the death of the animals — indirectly or not.

You had a small window of opportunity early and you blew it. You could have pleaded ignorance. The idea of the culture of dogfighting doesn't warm you to people, but you should have come clean earlier.

You should have apologized, admitted that you did something wrong and dumb, and that you would have done everything in your power to change it.

This is America. People can be very forgiving if you own up to your mistakes — does Hugh Grant ring a bell?

You should have had your people on the phone to PETAor ASPCA to tell them, "I made a horrible mistake. What can I do to make things right?"

Sadly, you wouldn't even have had to mean it. You could have faked the sincerity just enough to make people realize you felt bad.

Instead, you waited too long, apparently listening to some legal eagles tell you to fight it to show that you are innocent, even if you're not.

Now, that opportunity is lost forever.

Three co-defendants have already been chirping, testifying against you and cutting the sweetest deal they could with the U.S. District Court in Richmond, Va.

Then, on Monday, you finally agreed to a plea bargain, but did it come too late?

Everything appears to be going against you and you smight not be able to scramble your way out of this fix.

It never hurts to take the initiative. Look, it worked for Jason Giambi.

The New York Yankees' first baseman mentioned last year he "messed around with that stuff" (steroids?) and was called to speak to former Sen. George Mitchell, who is heading the investigation into the game's steroids problem.

Giambi's punishment? Nothing. He was frank and cooperative and MLB commissioner Bud Selig decided no punishment would be meted.

That's not to say you would have gotten a free pass, but being barred from training camp during due process with the potential of a lifetime ban does not sit well.

My guess is you'll try to make amends down the road to salvage your career and someone will give you a chance. However, that delay spoke volumes and sent an even more powerful message: that you never cared what you did was wrong.

Now, the one who had the most to lose is going to lose it all. It didn't have to be this way, Mike, but you'll need a lot of good luck to turn things around. Huge fines and jail time are on the horizon, but your legacy is set in stone.

And it's not a very positive one.

Not sincerely,

Sam.