Is NFL all bark, no bite?

A message to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, concerning the Michael Vick case:

Throw away the key.

The old saying fits here. Where some see crisis, others find opportunity. For Goodell, this is an opportunity.

Goodell has been clear that the New Deal in his era will be increased attention to players’ off-field behavior and the ensuing upgrade of the image of his National Football League. Goodell wants this to be the league of LaDainian Tomlinson and Peyton Manning, not “Pacman” Jones. Headlines will be for touchdowns, not tavern brawls.

Vick agreed Monday to plead guilty to a variety of federal charges involving dogfighting and gambling. The specific charges and pleas will become public next week, when Vick shows up and says, yup, he did it.

That will trigger new rounds of stories that may have little to do with the legal action, but much to do with public opinion.

We have already heard about dogs fighting each other to the death, an illegal activity, for the amusement of Vick and his friends. We have also heard about the manner in which some dogs who didn’t fight well were disposed of: drowning, electrocution, choking, being smashed to the ground.

The federal indictment against Vick included details of Vick’s backyard and dogfighting emporium in suburban Newport News, Va. First, there was the “rape stand,” where unwilling dogs were held to breed. Then, there were the “breaksticks” used to pry open the mouth of a dog.

The disgust level of this story seems to have no limit.

Still, those aren’t the things that would end Vick’s career as a quarterback in the NFL. He will go to jail for those, and with sharp lawyers be out in less than a year. He will pay some fines, and unless he’s Robin Hood (no chance) or Bruce McNall (also no chance), he will have enough left from the 10-year, $130-million contract (including $37 million in bonuses) he signed in December 2004 that any fine will look like chump change.

Pay attention to two things: the NFL’s statement Monday on Vick’s guilty plea agreement, and recent quotes from Goodell.

The statement: “We totally condemn the conduct outlined in these charges, which is inconsistent with what Michael Vick previously told our office and the Falcons.”

And the quotes, given to USA Today’s Jim Corbett just days ago: “There are areas we would be less flexible with, and gambling is one of them.” And, two sentences later, on the same topic: “I don’t appreciate being lied to.”

Goodell is set up perfectly to exercise his powers as chief executive of the richest and most popular professional sport in the country.

He has a “conduct detrimental” clause, like all leagues, and if gambling is, indeed, part of the plea, Goodell has cause strong enough to withstand the inevitable court action that would claim Vick’s employment rights have been taken away. Then, add in the ever-present 500-pound gorilla in a courtroom, lying to your employer, and it becomes fairly clear that, if Goodell wants to tell the world his league does not stand for this sort of behavior, now or in the future, he can do just that.

Goodell even has the ironic benefit of the timing of the Tim Donaghy case. The NBA has been devastated by one of its referees’ admitting to gambling on games, including some he worked. That has brought the sports gambling issue to the front pages of newspapers and made it the lead stories of newscasts.

David Stern has a mess. Donaghy will never again don an NBA referee uniform.

And Goodell has an example and a precedent.

As this plays out, there will be the inevitable wave of sentiment for a second chance. Some of the talk shows chirped away Monday about how “they were only dogs.”

There will be stories about Vick’s tough upbringing in housing projects and being born to a mother who was 16 and a father who was 17, parents who waited to marry until after they had four kids.

There will be discussions about our current collegiate sports system, where star athletes all leave early -- Vick after two seasons at Virginia Tech -- rendering the “student-athlete” concept somewhat of a fraud.

And there will be the legal and PR spin of those whom Vick can pay handsomely to divert the blame. Already, his lawyer was speaking Monday of the “people Vick was associated with” and his implication was that none were altar boys.

Several things are indisputable.

Vick will still be a fairly young man when he leaves prison, and should have enough NFL money left to start a new life, away from the game. Some people actually work 40 hours a week, or more. Others risk life and limb in mines. Vick likely will need to do neither.

Goodell holds all the cards and if he eventually allows Vick back in the NFL, he will face one of the toughest public relations challenges in the history of any major sports commissioner.

Vick once suggested an appropriate nickname for himself, one he thought reflective of his football talents. It was “Superman.”

Now, for awhile, that will work only if he finds a way to leap tall penitentiaries.

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Bill Dwyre can be reached at bill.dwyre@latimes.com. For read previous columns by Dwyre, go to latimes.com/dwyre.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

TROUBLING OFF-SEASON

Other NFL athletes who were disciplined for off-field actions in violation of the league’s personal conduct policy:

ADAM “PACMAN” JONES

Tennessee cornerback is suspended for the 2007 season for numerous violations.

CHRIS HENRY

Cincinnati receiver is suspended for first eight games of the season.

TANK JOHNSON

Defensive tackle is suspended for first eight games of the season, and is subsequently released by the Bears.