Michael Vick gets 23 months

[Charade]

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.

Obviously, Vick *is* dangerous to Pit Bulls.

 

[DrCavin]

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.)

Well except for you punter right? http://cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10522704

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

We'll all know in a few years what happens to his career. Everything else is just guess work.

That being said, my guess: I don't see how a QB with below average accuracy, who only got by on his foot speed is going to be effective in the NFL after a few years off when every year the players get bigger and faster. This isn't Tom Brady. He was a middle of the pack QB.

 

[sweetandsassyfl]

Well except for you punter right? http://cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10522704

Uh, no....actually Shanahan has already said that if he's guilty he'll pay the price meaning he's gone if he's guilty.

Broncos punter Todd Sauerbrun was cited for assault outside a popular
Cherry Creek restaurant early Saturday morning, then was taken to a
detox cell to sleep off a night of drinking, police said Monday.

Police spokesman John White said he didn't know where or when the
incident took place. But broadcast and published reports said the
incident took place outside of Ocean, at East 2nd Avenue and Clayton
Street, shortly after closing time early Saturday morning.

White said Sauerbrun was cited for allegedly hitting a cab driver,
who had ordered Sauerbrun to get out of his cab because of his
belligerent attitude. Sauerbrun was placed inside a Denver Cares van,
which took him to the city's detox holding cell for a few hours
before he was released. He played in Sunday's home game against the
Kansas City Chiefs.

"Things like this get blown out of proportion," Sauerbrun said
Monday. "I will be exonerated."

Broncos coach Mike Shanahan wanted to let things settle.

"Let's wait for the due process," Shanahan said. "If he's guilty,
he'll pay the price."
Greg Aiello, NFL vice president of public relations, said Sauerbrun's
status will be reviewed by the league after the legal matter is
resolved.

Sauerbrun will be a free agent at the end of the season, and this
latest run-in with the law could affect the Broncos' thinking about
next year's punter and kickoff specialist.

 

[Mickey'sMainMami]

First, for those who say give Vick another chance, maybe he will get it. We don't know what will happen in his future. I would like to say ban him forever, get him where it hurts, right in the pocket, but I think that he is at least getting punished is great. Most celebrities seem to be able to buy their way out. I am glad that he wasn't able to do that. Anyone who will torture and kill defenseless animals that can't speak for themselves is a punk in my book. If it wasn't for us animal lovers, people would be abusing dogs and cats all over the place. I am glad there are harsher punishments now, and getting harsher. I don't think he faces enough jail time. Sorry, but when you commit a crime, you are held accountable, and when you are in the public spotlight, you have to be that much more squeaky clean. The public can be harsh, and this is something that will follow him around for the rest of his life, but I don't feel sorry for him, because he made his choices. He chose to torture and kill animals that depended on him for food, shelter and love. Sorry but he blew his own career. I doubt any team will want to touch him. Like I said, the public can be very unforgiving, and I don't think any team will want the bad press.

After 2 years when he finally does come out of prison, maybe he will be allowed back in the NFL, but, by that time, 2.5 years will pass, the new wave of college athletes will be playing, they might not even need Vick. He was good, but he wasn't the greatest, and everyone can always be replaced. I do believe that after his jail time that should be the end of it, except he should never be allowed to own another animal in his life, but no one is going to want to be associated with him afterwards. That was his own doing. You can't blame them. People love their animals, as they should.

I just don't get how people keep saying that it is different because he didn't kill a person, and that they are making more out of this, and the media spun it out more because it is animals. I care just as much about people as I do animals. If it were between saving a person and a dog, I would of course choose the person but mourn terribly for the loss of my dog. I know dogs and cats can't talk, but they show emotion, they get happy when they see you, they get sad when you leave. They will protect you if they feel danger. Why take advantage of that? Every year, thousands of animals are abused and neglected, and there is no reason for it. If you don't want an animal, don't get one! If you aren't going to take care of it, don't get one! There is no need to subject another living breathing animal or person to torture. There is no reason for it other than to be cruel! They made an example out of him because he was high profile, that might have been the first step they needed to let everyone know that animal fighting and torture won't be tolerated. Maybe alot of kids who grow up around it will think twice, maybe others that are doing it, might quit. I hope good comes out of this. I know it has brought more attention to it. I know I used to hear about dog fighting, and never really thought about it. I had no idea until this came to light how horrible it is! I didn't know they were tortured and killed! I am sorry, Vick had the choice to do this, and he chose to torture them. Inexcusable!

 

[LouDisney]

I am a huge animal lover, but I am not going to come in here and preach or go on and on about this. I will say this...Karma! She is one nasty witch and I would hate to have her after me...sucks to be Michael Vick right now huh?

 

[chyam]

He doesn't "deserve" to get his career back but what is the point of destroying the rest of his future after he has paid his debt to society? Should society deprive him of the right to pay for his crime and then go on to earn a living?
I am not sure that there is a team that would take him back but he has almost two years to rehabilitate his image and I would suggest that he start now.

Well Dawn, in most cases I almost always agree with you but I too think that he does not deserve to get his career back, I don't think that he deserves not to earn a living, but perhaps a living like most of us have where we live week to week and have to toil in the workplace, he does not deserve to play football again, he was given an opportunity to use his talents and earn millions he chose to spend that money on illegal activities and live like a king he made decisions that affected that, he is no longer a role model to anyone. His debt to society will be paid but he should never be in a situation that makes him any more famous than he was, and I don't think 2 years is anywhere enought to rehabitate his imagine, it is enough time to learn a trade to find a job once he is released.
And personally I don't know of to many teams that would be interested in him, alot of their fans would turn on them if they decided to pay him millions to play ball again. But maybe I am wrong but once he does do his prison time is there not something that can be handed down by the NFL, like a suspension or something? If so he maybe washed up to the point that he would never be the player than he once was.
I get so over these highly paid athetles that have such an "attitude" that they think they are above the laws.
Really if it were you or I that were involved in illegal activities we would have gotten the full sentence.

 

[chyam]

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.

Well personally I think anyone that commits a crime other than traffic offenses should spend some time in the slammer, and quite honestly I wouldn't want this idiot doing community service anywhere, he had the opportunity to be a role model, and that he when he should have been spending his free time to do community service, not spending it doing illegal activies.He squandered it, he now longer is someone would should be looked up to

 

[Fitswimmer]

did anyone see last night's game and the HUGE amount of people wearing #7 Jerseys??? I can't imagine wearing his jersey after what he did. I don't care how much it cost me, I would have burned the thing.

However, I agree with Dawn on this as well. Once Vick has served his time on the convictions he should be permitted to take any (legal) job that is offered to him-with the possible exception of any occupation where he would have access to animals.

 

[BoyLovesBuzz]

Well Dawn, in most cases I almost always agree with you but I too think that he does not deserve to get his career back, I don't think that he deserves not to earn a living, but perhaps a living like most of us have where we live week to week and have to toil in the workplace, he does not deserve to play football again, he was given an opportunity to use his talents and earn millions he chose to spend that money on illegal activities and live like a king he made decisions that affected that, he is no longer a role model to anyone. His debt to society will be paid but he should never be in a situation that makes him any more famous than he was, and I don't think 2 years is anywhere enought to rehabitate his imagine, it is enough time to learn a trade to find a job once he is released.
And personally I don't know of to many teams that would be interested in him, alot of their fans would turn on them if they decided to pay him millions to play ball again. But maybe I am wrong but once he does do his prison time is there not something that can be handed down by the NFL, like a suspension or something? If so he maybe washed up to the point that he would never be the player than he once was.
I get so over these highly paid athetles that have such an "attitude" that they think they are above the laws.
Really if it were you or I that were involved in illegal activities we would have gotten the full sentence.

Okay, so whats the maximum dollar amount that someone who commits a crime, pleads guilty, and serves jail time should be allowed to make?

 

[Tomader]

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.[/QUOTI agree with you. I think having him pay heavy fines and alot of community service would have been more benificial to everyone. I don't agree with what he did or feel he should get off without paying for it but I think loosing your money and career is stiff enough. You don't rehabilitate someone in prison,you make them harder. I think he would be better off working at the humane society. In the end he will get his rightful justice. When he leaves this world there will be alot of dogs waiting for him.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

did anyone see last night's game and the HUGE amount of people wearing #7 Jerseys??? I can't imagine wearing his jersey after what he did. I don't care how much it cost me, I would have burned the thing.

I saw that too and couldn't believe it. At first, I thought it was his family, but then I kept seeing more and more people.

I watched SportsCenter this morning and they were saying that if he is allowed back, then he most likely will not be a QB.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I saw that too and couldn't believe it. At first, I thought it was his family, but then I kept seeing more and more people.

I watched SportsCenter this morning and they were saying that if he is allowed back, then he most likely will not be a QB.

Wide Receiver?? That's all I could see him doing.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

Wide Receiver?? That's all I could see him doing.

That or a cornerback.

 

[Demosthenes]

Well personally I think anyone that commits a crime other than traffic offenses should spend some time in the slammer, and quite honestly I wouldn't want this idiot doing community service anywhere, he had the opportunity to be a role model, and that he when he should have been spending his free time to do community service, not spending it doing illegal activies.He squandered it, he now longer is someone would should be looked up to

I certainly agree that Vick is not someone that should be looked up to, but I cannot concur with the idea that any offense greater than a traffic violation deserves jail time. The idea behind jail time is is to remove predators from the general populace. Jail protects us from them. When we jail people when they are not dangerous, it costs society in several ways. 1st, the person cannot be a productive member of the society and becomes a ward of the state. 2nd, the person cannot help his or her family, and they too often become dependent on the state. 3rd, the person is placed in an environment surrounded by known felons; these felons show, either directly, or by example, how to commit and get away with more felonies! To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin, when we send prisoners to prison, it is akin to sending them to criminal university.

Vick has no marketable skills outside of football. He will go away for two years, and when he returns, he will likely not be able to play football again. This is a person who, when presented with the ultimate opportunity, still committed criminal acts. Now, he has no means of making the kind of living he once did. What is he going to turn to? What he knows best, and what he will know best for the next 2 years will be felons. We, as a society, are taking a fool who abuses animals and are taking away every opportunity he has for good, and only giving him options that could make him more dangerous. I think that is a bad idea. Now, I think what he did was wrong and that he should be punished. I think he should be suspended with a lifetime ban from football, I think he should pay huge fines and do community service. Even house arrest seems like a good idea to me. Despite that, he should not be put in a position where his only influences are dangerous people and known felons. I fear that we are not rehabilitating him in prison, we are turning him into an even worse monster, and the truth is, he poses no real threat to the rest of society.

 

[sweetandsassyfl]

Demosthenes, I think I may be able to agree with you on your sentiments (as long as house arrest and not necessarily in a million dollar mansion was involved.)

 

[shortbun]

Who is he/ what did he do?

Can I be you?

 

[sweetandsassyfl]

shortbun, I think it's because she lives in Belgium

 

[MarleyMurphy]

I think the point that everyone is missing is that people who harm animals, in many cases, end up hurting people. I am a huge animal lover (and own a pit bull mix myself) but the problem is much bigger than hurting a defenseless animal. One of the biggest indicators of whether a person will commit a violent offense to a person is if they have committed a violent offense to an animal. Also, fighting animals brings many other problems such as gangs, illegal gambling, and drugs. It also desensitizes people to violence. Whether you believe torturing an animal is wrong or not- dog fighting does not exsist in a bubble.