First, there was Pacman. Then, it was half of the Cincinnati Bengals’ roster. And now, America’s most popular sport may have finally found the poster-child for its new conduct policy.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is a guy who would seem to have all the trappings of fame — the fans, the money, even the screw-up younger brother. Vick’s talent is undeniable, and his impact on the league and his franchise are obvious. He’s a household name, the kind of player people pay to watch.

He’s also the kind of player whose jersey can be seen throughout America, like Brett Favre, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Chad Johnson and LaDanian Tomlinson. The list is really just about that short. You’d be hard-pressed to find a player who’s had a bigger impact on the game, its hype or its bottom line.

And that’s exactly why Vick’s possible involvement in a dog fighting ring is so interesting: There may be no better opportunity for the NFL’s new commissioner, Roger Goodell, to get across his point that the league means business when it comes to enforcement of its conduct policy.

And as the weeks pass, the story just refuses to die. There was the original discovery of a house owned by Vick where numerous injured dogs, fighting equipment and paraphernalia were discovered. A steady stream of anonymous sources has been coming forward ever since to various media outlets. Most recently, ESPN claimed that despite Vick’s assertions, the former Pro Bowl quarterback had an intimate knowledge of the happenings at his property, and that Vick had even placed bets on some of the fights himself.

Vick was booed by fans at the NFL Draft when he, future Hall of Fame defensive end Bruce Smith and fellow Falcon DeAngelo Hall stood at the podium with the commissioner to honor the dead of the Virginia Tech shootings. At that point, the story had just broken and many details had not yet been revealed, which only serves to demonstrate even more how polarizing the issue is.

And by polarizing, I mean Vick against the rest of the country. Or, at least the majority of the country that don’t participate in the bloody spectacle themselves.

Dog fighting is a felony in 48 states. And there’s not exactly a public outcry about the injustice of that fact. In short, it’s an issue that most everyone agrees on. Unlike former Miami and New Orleans running back Ricky Williams, who would appear to be permanently banished from the league because of an affinity for marijuana, the punishment of Vick’s crime will garner no cries of outrage or pangs of sympathy for the embattled superstar. If Goodell gives Vick the same treatment he’s given Adam “Pacman” Jones, Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry or Williams, there will be cheering everywhere but Atlanta — and maybe there, too.

Vick’s supposed crime is that despicable. And his profile in the league and on the national stage is that great, making him the perfect example for the commissioner to get his message across with a stern punishment. There would be no way to ignore what happens next or cast it aside as a meaningless slap on the wrist leveled against an obscure player.

Goodell should have all the motivation in the world to go after Vick with everything he’s got. Previous suspensions and penalties handed down by the league this off-season have been doled out on the basis of the public relations hit caused by an athlete’s supposed misdeeds.

And it’s hard to imagine a nightmare for the league that’s bigger than this. And if some reports are accurate, Vick could be just the tip of the iceberg. Clinton Portis and Chris Samuels of the Washington Redskins already gave voice to the opinions of many athletes on the subject when they argued that so long as it was on Vick’s property, no one else should care.

But of course, people do care. And the more they find out about the pervasiveness of the “sport” in the world of the NFL, the worse things will get for the league. This is why the time is now for the commissioner to make a statement about just how far he’s willing to take this newfound dedication to lawfulness and good citizenship.

And the best part? You just know that Goodell is hoping it plays out like that.