Michael Vick gets 23 months

[DawnCt1]

He's had more than one second chance in the past with other issues.

Then he needed to be charged and held accountable for THOSE issues. This is the issue that he was tried and convicted on. If it were a problem for the NFL, he should have been fired at the time. He wasn't, so why pile it on now? Because they can? I don't like Michael Vick but I am not sure what good it is going to do for society to relegate him to the unemployed for the rest of his life.

 

[Laura]

The gambling alone could prevent Vick from returning to the NFL. But, if that weren't the case, it's too soon to say how his tarnished image might affect his future. When he does get out, he'll be 29, likely not in NFL shape, and rusty from not having played for two years. His reputation can hurt him. The recent marijuana thing doesn't really help, either. Time will tell.

 

[DrCavin]

Crack Cocaine is really popular too!! There are a TON of people doing it, and happens around ALL of us on a regular basis. Even the Governor/Mayor of D.C. has done it. Does it mean that the drug dealers and those caught in posession shouldn't be held responsible and charged to the fullest extent of the law?

I don't care how popular dog fighting is, the people who do it are uneducated and incapable of compassion. If they can treat animals that way, well just take a look at the way they treat the people around them too.

Isn't he serving a sentence? He is not uneducated, I am sure anyone who attends VT has some education. The people of DC must have thought the Mayor was rehabilitated while in prison, didn't they re-elect him??

 

[DrCavin]

No, but I consider the team I root for to be "my team" and I know that their coach would never take a person like Michael Vick who has not even shown any remorse onto the team.

 

[CathrynRose]

I wish he would have received the whole 5 years for what he put those animals through.

Maybe he should have been placed in a room with his "pets" for 5 minutes. Not really but cases like this just make me sick.

Thing is - the reason these people choose 'pit bulls' as their fighting dog, is the pit is a very very LOYAL people-oriented dog. Most dog handlers are in the Pit WITH the dog, cuz they wont bite them. They just obey every command. (loyalty!)

He's a disgusting human being who should rot in H E double hockey sticks.

 

[wvjules]

This is one of those things I thought I'd NEVER say...I agree with Dawn.

And to add my own thoughts.

Yes, what Vick did was horendeous. I feel bad for the dogs that were subjected to such violence. However, Vick has been sentenced for this crime and will serve his time. At what point will his punishement be enough for some? Once his time is served, he deserves as much of a fresh start as any other convict. Not that I watch much NFL, but I don't think I'd boycott the team that may sign him. To me it does not suggest they are immoral or scum, it just means they want the best players to WIN football games.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

What he did was horrible and I am disgusted with him. However, if he does serve his time, then I don't see why anyone should prevent him from working (even if that is in the NFL).

I can't imagine that he'll end up back in the NFL though. He will have been out of the game for so long and be out of shape. A team may pick him up (cheap) and he will more than likely be a backup.

 

[TennVolTony]

His punishment was too light and the NFL should ban him for life. The MLB did it to Pete Rose and he didn't KILL anything.... he admitted to gambling. Vick RAN the dog fighting/gambling.

I say let him rot in prison.

 

[CathrynRose]

His punishment was too light and the NFL should ban him for life. The MLB did it to Pete Rose and he didn't KILL anything.... he admitted to gambling. Vick RAN the dog fighting/gambling.

I say let him rot in prison.

Correct-a-mundo!

 

[BoyLovesBuzz]

His punishment was too light and the NFL should ban him for life. The MLB did it to Pete Rose and he didn't KILL anything.... he admitted to gambling. Vick RAN the dog fighting/gambling.

I say let him rot in prison.

Pete Rose wasn't banned for gambling, he was banned for gambling on baseball. Very different.

 

[hiwaygal]

Pete Rose wasn't banned for gambling, he was banned for gambling on baseball. Very different.

Still, I think the point is that what Vick did was considerably worse and yet he has not been permanently banned from the sport.

I don't care about his chances of earning a living after he serves his time. I think the point is that his chances of a fresh start will be MUCH better than any other convict. And, unfortunately, the American public has a short memory. I don't think he'll play football again (for various reasons, not the least of which is his physical condition after many years out of the regime) but he will most likely still have better chances at success.

 

[BoyLovesBuzz]

Still, I think the point is that what Vick did was considerably worse and yet he has not been permanently banned from the sport.

Unless he has violatd a league rule, he shouldn't be banned. I don't know the specifics of the NFL gambling rules, or the penalties. However, if you remove the heinous elment of the dog fighting, the gambling part of this, is akin to wait NFL players probably wager on the golf course every week.

 

[hiwaygal]

Unless he has violated a league rule, he shouldn't be banned. I don't know the specifics of the NFL gambling rules, or the penalties. However, if you remove the heinous element of the dog fighting, the gambling part of this, is akin to wait NFL players probably wager on the golf course every week.

see post #34 (someone else posted a quote there)

According to Commissioner Goodell, Vick violated the rules of his contract.

I am not familiar with all the rules and regulations either, I'm only going by what information I have seen.

 

[DrCavin]

NFL has not announced anything further than him being suspended indefinitly.

Only way MV doesn't play in the NFL again is if Goodell puts more time on the suspension after MV is released from prison.

 

[DVC Sadie]

Thing is - the reason these people choose 'pit bulls' as their fighting dog, is the pit is a very very LOYAL people-oriented dog. Most dog handlers are in the Pit WITH the dog, cuz they wont bite them. They just obey every command. (loyalty!)

He's a disgusting human being who should rot in H E double hockey sticks.

CathrynRose, I happen to agree with you. I was just trying to make a point this morning after seeing the this topic on the news.

 

[sweetandsassyfl]

You can laugh all you want.....the football team that I root for is well known for being one of the cleanest, most moral teams in the NFL with one of the most hard-nosed coaches when it comes to discipline (he requires lie detector tests whenever a player is accused of any type of serious misconduct and has said that if the player fails them, he is off the team no matter how much talent he has.)

 

[cinmell]

You can laugh all you want.....the football team that I root for is well known for being one of the cleanest, most moral teams in the NFL with one of the most hard-nosed coaches when it comes to discipline (he requires lie detector tests whenever a player is accused of any type of serious misconduct and has said that if the player fails them, he is off the team no matter how much talent he has.)

Which team do you root for???

 

[sweetandsassyfl]

Denver (and Tampa but Denver is the one I was referring to.....my best friend in school was a Denver fan and she got me interested in them.) Your team has a pretty good reputation for having a hard-nosed coach as well

 

[Demosthenes]

In my opinion, prison should be for removing dangerous people from society. It is also an appropriate place to put people who have shown an inability to control their actions (repeat offenders). It is not a place to put people who pose no immediate threat to anyone or their property. When we incarcerate people like this, we train them to become better and more advanced felons. Community service and stiff fines would have been a much more fitting sentence. I don't think anyone should spend time in prison for dog fighting, at least not on a first offense.

 

[Charade]

Unless he has violatd a league rule, he shouldn't be banned. I don't know the specifics of the NFL gambling rules, or the penalties. However, if you remove the heinous elment of the dog fighting, the gambling part of this, is akin to wait NFL players probably wager on the golf course every week.

If being convicted of something like this *isn't* against league rules, it should be!!!