The Pro Bowl roster was announced today, and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick was at the top of the list of starters. Anyone who knows football knows this is no surprise, but it is another piece of news in a narrative of Vick as an example of someone who was given a second chance after jail, and who — thus far — seems to have been successfully reformed by the prison system. 

Was Vick an example of how people in America can get a second chance, or an exception, as a pro-athlete who doesn't need to live by the same rules as others? Did you or someone you know ever receive a second chance?

Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Michael Vick's recent heroic turns on the field may help him get back in the public's good graces, only three years after being convicted for operating a dogfighting ring. Takeaway sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin discusses what's at stake for Vick and the Eagles in this weekend's showdown with the Giants. Ibrahim thinks Vick has proven himself a changed man.

Why are some people talking about Michael Vick, who plays for the Philadelphia Eagles as the MVP candidate when he has only played in only seven games this season?

Well, in the wake of one of the most incredible offensive displays that a quarterback has ever had, monday night's 59-28 drubbing of the the Washington Redskins, Vick, at 30 years of age and a year out of a prison sentence for operating a cruel dog-fighting ring that took him out of the NFL for two years, scored for two touchdowns and threw for four.

The Dallas Cowboys finally won their first game of the season yesterday, beating the Houston Texans, 27-13. Nando Di Fino, sports writer for The Wall Street Journal, takes us through that game and the rest of the NFL, including Michael Vick's dominance over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is taking full advantage of his playing time and flying high, throwing 2 touchdowns yesterday to beat the Detroit Lions.

Nando Di Fino, sports writer for The Wall Street Journal, has the latest on Vick and the rest of the NFL.

• Tech Takeout: New York Times tech reporter Nick Bilton explains the implications of Blackberry manufacturer Research In Motion having had a second major email and internet outage in recent weeks.
• Financial Takeout: New York Times finance reporter Louise Story tells us about a price index that for more than two decades has been charting  just how much all of those items listed in The Twelve Days of Christmas would cost.
  
• Sports Takeout: Sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin discusses gifts for sports lovers and the possibility of redemption for disgraced quarterback Michael Vick.

Lance Armstrong's comeback attempt at the Tour de France ended this weekend in defeat. He finished third behind Spaniard Alberto Contador, who racked up his second victory in Paris. The Takeaway Sports Contributor, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, recaps the weekend in sports, from Lance Armstrong's plans for next year to the weekend at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.