NFL GM says 'count on it:' Vick will return to NFL

There is no gender connotation to this word; it is not meant to be derogatory toward women. It is used by the general manager in this simple context: teams will do anything -- anything -- for talent. To win.

Some foolhardy, daredevil coach or general manager, an organization willing to stand toe-to-toe with the hypocrites and phonies from PETA, will roll tape of previous moves and gyrations of the athletic Vick and say: "Get his agent on the phone. Stat. Oh, and order some extra security for his tryout."

Not even Roger Goodell's just crusade against the perps in his league will stop a Vick comeback. As fast as you can say NFL teams would sell their souls for a good pass rusher, Vick will be back.

He'll go to prison, work out with the fellas in the yard -- maybe play some ball with Burt Reynolds and the Mean Machine -- do some pushups in his 4 by 6 cell, channel some Tupac, toss in a few pull-ups and then emerge fit and ready to go.

Oh, there will be an NFL suspension, or maybe a stint or two with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but Vick is strong enough to outlast our attention-deficit disorder society and valuable enough of a commodity to attract NFL teams post-orange jumpsuit.

Several NFL sources said they doubt the commissioner will issue a lifetime ban against Vick. It will probably be a suspension of one year, the sources said. To be truthful, it wouldn't be fair to permanently ban Vick. If Vick goes to prison, serves his time, pays his debt, he should be allowed to come back to football.

Remember, this is a league that has employed murder suspects, players that have killed people while driving drunk, chronic women beaters, gun runners, drug dealers, former gang members, and all kinds of creeps and cretins, swine and smut-like -- all in the name of talent.

This is how it will go. When Vick leaves the comfortable hospitality of the federal prison system, he will hire the best PR firm on the planet. They will give him force-field protection from his critics, sway those on the fence and virtually fellate his supporters.

He'll sit down with some sympathetic, non-probing marshmallow soft interviewer and Vick will gush and cry and say he has paid his debt to society. It'll be a moment that would make Oprah look like Mike Wallace.

A team like, say, the Oakland Raiders will sign Vick and say he paid his debt to society (you'll hear that phrase a lot when he gets out of prison). He'll do a one-time press conference then melt away behind the protection of teammates and bodyguards.

Then whatever team Vick plays for he'll lead them to the postseason and his comeback will be complete. The only thing that will be missing is Vick's search for the real killer.

Remember something: Vick is only 27-years-old. Just 27.

It is true that much of Vick's game was built on a foundation of young, strong legs and as he gets older, those legs become more brittle. No question. Yet Vick is such a superb athlete that there is still plenty of run in those feet.

So Vick will be back. Because the 'hos in the NFL can't help themselves.