Commentary: Michael Vick and the NFL

[shelby]

Lawesome's point of view on the Vick debate. Enjoy.



It is time for a bit of perspective on the man. He is a supreme athlete. He may be the most gifted athlete in the NFL's history. He is a winner on the football field. He is a convicted felon. He has done hard time. He lied to a court of law, and to investigators. He has suffered enormous monetary loss, as well as the loss of his freedom. His reputation is destroyed, permanently. He does not appear to be, in any way, a "good" guy as traditionally defined.


Now that we have laid that all out, we come to a debate as to what debt he owes society and, by extension, the National Football League for his activities. Michael Vick served 19 months in prison. He still has 4 months of home confinement remaining. He has paid thousands in fines and many millions of dollars in legal fees, many relating to asset protection, as well as his criminal defense. I think it is fair to say he has hardly gotten off scott free.


Let us contrast this to two relatively recent cases involving atheltes, death, and humans. Leonard Little and Dany Heatley each killed fellow human beings, and got a relative slap on the wrist. Vick killed animals, and the lumber was laid to him. I am in no way condoning the killing of animals, especially for sport. The sad thing is that each day thousands of animals are killed in cruel ways because their owners can't afford them, they get angry at them, etc...


Vick is truly paying for trying to cover up what he did. He certainly deserves this part of his penalty. Lying under oath is something that should not be tolerated. This is why you have the right to remain silent, because it is the people's burden to prove you guilty based on evidence. If you speak, and lie, then you make the original charges almost moot. Either tell the truth, or say nothing. This has been a hard lesson for Vick.


This brings us to his future in football. The NFL has an absolute right to safeguard its product. It has made it clear it will little tolerate the continuing decay of conduct among its ranks. What isn't so clear is that this policy is directly in relation to the big money culture the NFL has created. Too many times the players in the league were getting away with their criminality due to their financial stature. Sure, guys like Rae Carruth did not get away with it, but all too often, crimes that you and I would possibly go to prison for resulted in players getting a small fine and, maybe, probation.


more... (http://www.billszone.com/mtlog/archives/2009/05/21/commentary_michael_vick_and_the_nfl.php)

[HHURRICANE]

I'm not sure but I think he needs a year off before being re-instated.

If his actions were not pre-meditated, than I might feel differently. He had many times to say "hey, I maybe shouldn't be doing this." This is the same guy who decided to use an alias and spread Herpes.

Leonard Little killed a person by driving a car drunk. He spent 90 days in jail and still played because both the court and league decided that he didn't get behind the wheel with the intent to kill somebody.

Strangling, drowning, and beating dogs over and over again doesn't sound like a person who has the capacity for quick remorse.

Let him spend a year as a brick layer and see how the real world works before reinstatement.

[Jan Reimers]

I agree with most of your article, Lawesome, including that Vick should be reinstated (but probably after another year, as HH proposes) and that his crimes are not as heinous as the murder of a human.

I think you overrate him as a football player, however. He may be a great athlete -although I would certainly not rate him as the greatest in NFL history - but he is no better than an average QB. He's a good runner with a strong but very erratic arm. An elite QB should be able to throw the ball much more accurately than Vick, as well as to make better decisions.

Beyond all that, I still feel that he is a dispicable human being, and my strictly personal feeling is that I never want to see him in a Bills' uniform.

[ddaryl]

Yes murdering a human is a worse crime, but what he did is horrifying in my eyes. It takes a pretty sadistic evil person to willingly train an animal, that if brought up properly can be the most incredible loyal friend you could ever find, to be a mean killer all for profit and entertainment.

Will they re-instate Rae Caruth, OJ Simpson ??? What Vick did he did in massvie numbers. We're talking 10's - 100's of dogs, bred, trained to be killers then thrown in a ring to kill or be killed. He did it over and over again for the most pathetic reason in the world... for more money.. the guy was a multi-millionaire but needed more, and he had no morals about how he would obtain more.

There was a special report on last night discussing what has happened to many of those "Vick" dogs. Many of them have been re-habilitated and are now receiving belly rubs and head pats while responding with wagging tails... Why would any human want to turn something so wonderful, so innocent, and incredibly loving into a death machine...

If a person is willing to do that then there are many other issues happening inside that persons brain that can never be trusted or forgiven. Evil is Evil and Ron Mexico is an evil person plain and simple.

[User Manuel]

I cannot disagree with your guys asessments. This is going to be an interesting story to follow.

[SABURZFAN]

he needs to serve the rest of his time first. then he needs to face suspension for lying to Goodell. had he been truthful from the beginning, then he would have earned the right to immediately play again. JMO.

[justasportsfan]

Vick won't want to go make ralphy stadium his home. Hard to dig through that turf instead of natural grass.

[Owen DeBoard]

I'm not sure but I think he needs a year off before being re-instated.

If his actions were not pre-meditated, than I might feel differently. He had many times to say "hey, I maybe shouldn't be doing this." This is the same guy who decided to use an alias and spread Herpes.

Leonard Little killed a person by driving a car drunk. He spent 90 days in jail and still played because both the court and league decided that he didn't get behind the wheel with the intent to kill somebody.

Strangling, drowning, and beating dogs over and over again doesn't sound like a person who has the capacity for quick remorse.

Let him spend a year as a brick layer and see how the real world works before reinstatement.
I wouldnt want that piece of **** to be a bricklayer because he would give us other bricklayers a bad name.

[DynaPaul]

Let's face it. Vick is a Randall Cunningham who made the unfortunate mistake of fighting dogs. I wouldn't even dare to say that he could the best athlete ever in the NFL like this Lawesome guy says. Vick is a glorified running back who sometimes throws the ball.

[SABURZFAN]

Let's face it. Vick is a Randall Cunningham who made the unfortunate mistake of fighting dogs. I wouldn't even dare to say that he could the best athlete ever in the NFL like this Lawesome guy says. Vick is a glorified running back who sometimes throws the ball.


a poor mans Steve Young.