No other active athlete will face such heavy public scrutiny as the former star quarterback attempts an NFL comeback. Vick's name has become synonymous with dog fighting, a heinous crime that landed him a 23-month prison term slated to end July 20 (followed by three years of probation). He is scheduled to begin house arrest on May 20.

Vick wants to resume his football career, but immediate reinstatement isn't a given. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has said Vick must genuinely show remorse and be "prepared to handle himself differently going forward."

Vick, though, will have to convince more than Goodell if his comeback is to succeed. Vick needs to reinvent himself so at least some of the skeptical teams, fans, media members and animal-rights activists are willing to give him a second chance. Otherwise, Vick may remain such a pariah that no franchise will sign him. Atlanta has reportedly shopped Vick for a mere seventh-round draft pick. They found no takers for what was one of the NFL's most physically gifted quarterbacks.

Vick's representatives should already be formulating a plan to rebuild his image. No pun intended, but I'm willing to throw Vick a bone despite my utter disgust for what he did (my wife and I have eight pets — all of which were strays or rescue projects). Here are five suggestions for how Vick can help salvage his livelihood:

A mainstream mea culpa

Vick's first sit-down interview shouldn't come on a sports network. Try hitting Oprah or The View. These are shows that have more mainstream appeal and help influence public opinion, which has a trickle-down effect on media coverage. Vick also should receive a sympathetic ear provided he comes clean about what transpired. Public service announcements decrying dog fighting are a given. If the folks at PETA are not sympathetic, find another animal rights group that is. There are plenty out there.

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