I was excited to hear that Nike signed Michael Vick again after his dogfighting ordeal. You can imagine then the disappointment I felt when it turned out that Vick's re-signing was all a lie. Obviously, this made me wonder why would Vick's agent, Joel Segal, a man who is respected throughout the industry, would make up a big ol' fat fabrication about one of the largest players in corporate America?

If you believe Nike's denial of the Vick deal, then I have some swamp land in Saudi Arabia that I'd like to sell you right now.

Nike is a relatively intelligent business brand. It didn't become the corporate powerhouse it is today by missing opportunities. From Tiger Woods to Michael Jordan, Nike is always standing nearby to sign the biggest and best names in sports. Whether PETA likes it or not, Vick is arguably the best in his profession. Before he left the NFL, he was the hottest quarterback in the league -- that's why he was paid the most money and put on the cover of the popular John Madden NFL video game. Vick didn't lose all of his ability after laying off for just two years; he is probably as good as ever.

Vick is ready to be great again, and there is nothing more powerful than an incredibly hungry athlete with all the talent in the world. If the Eagles give him a decent supporting cast, he could emerge as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, and his comeback story will be the most highly sought after in the corporate endorsement world. Nike is simply positioning itself to take advantage of the windfall.

The challenge for Nike is that, right now, Vick is a radioactive commodity. He is still controversial, and America thinks he's the worst thing since Adolf Hitler. If he is able to pull together a nice playoff run for the Eagles, though, you will surely see Vick shaking hands with a Nike executive at a press conference after signing a massive contract.

When it comes to Vick and Nike, the bottom line is this: I wouldn't be surprised if Vick is Nike's "athletic mistress." The company may be courting him at night and denying their relationship during the day. If the mistress is well-behaved and regains public approval, the relationship will be out in the open. While I hate to see a black man grovel, Vick has some apologizing to do for his behavior, which he is handling quite well. All he has to do now is back up his apologies with some touchdowns and 'Sports Center' highlights. To haters all over the world, Vick is still one of the greatest athletes in the history of the NFL. You better not get that one twisted.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a finance professor at Syracuse University, a leading African American speaker and author of the forthcoming book 'Black American Money.' To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here.