As Michael Vick is formally indicted, questions remain as to what measures the NFL Commissioner would take. PacMan Jones, another NFL player, was suspended after multiple incidents involving the police. But would the NFL take as hard a stance against superstar Vick?
As the quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, Michael Vick should have known and respected the prominent position he held. Whether directly involved in the multi-state dog fighting ring or not, Vick supplied the home and property to people who were directly responsible. This lack of judgment and foresight has cost Vick and the Atlanta Falcons some serious PR points.
Simply put, the quarterback is the face of the team - like the lead singer of a rock band. He is the one everyone looks to for leadership. He sets the tone and controls the game. He is the most important player on the team. The salary and the media spotlight reflect the importance of the quarterback position.
Today, it was announced that the commissioner of the NFL may allow Vick to play “for now.” A suspension hasn’t been ruled out, depending on the court’s findings. If Michael Vick is implicated directly, you can be sure that he will face at least a one year suspension, thus plummeting the Atlanta Falcons into the abyss of playoff uncertainty. The Falcons have no one who can fill the shoes of Michael Vick.
But luckily for Vick, a winning franchise is a very forgiving franchise. Should he be able to escape from these allegations with little more than a slap on the wrist, he has every opportunity to remind the coaches and the fans why he deserves to be the man behind the wheel.
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July 19th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
It’s unfortunate that the Atlanta Falcons cannot see past the dollar signs and throw this poor excuse for a human being off their teams.. There is nothing on Gods earth that will ever convince me that Michael Vick had no knowledge of what was going on, on his property. He will get some equally immoral creep to say it was done without Vick’s knowledge and this person will take all the blame off of Vick and our court system will allow it. Vick will laugh at the fools who let him get away with it. He’ll go back to playing football for way more money than he deserves and never feel any remorse or embarassment or guilt. And the Atlanta Falcons will let it all happen. I don’t know how any of you can call this sportmanship. Atlanta please come to your senses. Remember fair play the golden rule all they taught you in church throw this horrible person off your team. Don’t say innocent till proven guilty. The whole world knows he is guilty. Do you really want to play football with the likes of him? If you do you are just as bad and you are condoning a despicable act.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:32 pm
Michael Vick, the qb, has been vilified in 31 cities because, basically, he’s not a very good qb. he has, at best, a mediocre arm.
Now he’s being vilified in 50 states.
I’m cool with Goodell’s decision. He’s presumed innocent, let him play. Let him lead you to the playoffs, and maybe even go to Hawaii. And then be convicted and face sentencing in March ‘08. Or maybe January ‘08, in the first week of the playoffs.
For the first time since 1983, I’m glad I’m a Philly fan. No matter what decision you make, it’s gonna suck for Atlanta.
July 20th, 2007 at 12:30 am
He was a THUG when they hired him, and he’s obviously not changed. So, the NFL wants to continue to promote this kind of behavior? That certainly is the message. A month ago, it appeared that NFL management was serious about cleaning up the image and the sport after the Pacman Jones case. So, Michael Vick tortures and mutilitates helpless animals - if they wouldn’t fight another of their own kind to the death they were drowned, electrocuted, hanged - and he assisted and facilitated in how many more, and because he can toss a football, we look the other way? AND he collects how many millions per game in the process? No thanks. So far, Nike is the only name looking clean here. No wonder the Arabs hate us.
July 20th, 2007 at 7:05 am
Cynthia,
You obviously feel very passionately about this subject. I’m not comfortable with putting “Don’t say innocent until proven guilty” in the same paragraph as “Remember fair play, the golden rule they taught you in church.”
This is just like the Barry Bonds situation. You may be 100% convinced that he is guilty. But punishments are not met out based on even certain opinions. Facts must come into play.
Though I tend to think Vick had “some” knowledge of what was going on, I can’t say how much and I’m more than comfortable with letting him off the hook if no evidence is supplied.
Why? Not because I love Vick or the Atlanta Falcons. Far from it! I’m a tried and true Dallas Cowboys fan. But because as long as we err on the side of innocent, we can sleep at night. There are hundreds if not thousands of law breakers running free because they simply haven’t been caught yet. But the one innocent man who rots in jail is an injustice there is no excuse for.
July 20th, 2007 at 7:08 am
Dwight, I think we’re thinking the same thing. We think he’s guilty, but we’re okay with him playing the regular season, leading the team to the playoffs, and then losing the opportunity to win if found guilty.
Let this thing play out. Give the courts a chance. Some of you have no idea how crooked this nation would quickly become without them. The imbalance we have now pales in comparison to that.
July 20th, 2007 at 7:14 am
Cheryl,
Maybe you know something about Michael Vick I don’t. I must admit, I did not follow his collegiate career. I don’t remember him entering the NFL. So I can’t look back and say he was always a thug.
The statement you made about Arabs is really overgeneralizing and unfair.
The issue isn’t that he throws a football, so we’re going to look the other way. The issue is that he hasn’t been convicted. If there’s a chance he was not involved, and there is definitely a chance, then it would be more unjust to punish him for no reason.
He will face consequences if the evidence proves he is guilty. But if the evidence proves without a doubt that he had no involvement? What then? A lot of people will owe him an apology.
He may be an innocent man with a HUGE reputation management problem.
And for the record, the only thing more despicable than mutilating animals is mutilating humans. I cannot bear to even imagine what was done to these poor animals, so don’t think that my opinion is based on desensitization. I care very much about animal safety. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to take my moral outrage and hang the first person accused. Due process, my friends. Due process.
July 20th, 2007 at 10:53 am
Clearly, the Falcons and the NFL believe their fans care more about winning than about animals’ lives. It’s really awful and tarnishes the sport, even if they choose to suspend him at a later time.
Clearly, if they suspend him now, they’re only responding to “outside pressure,” not doing what they think is right. What does that say?
The public is overwhelmingly against Vick. At my day job, we put up a neat interactive poll and 90% so far have voted against Vick:
http://www.ugo.com/a/love-or-hate/?person=michael-vick
July 20th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
Daniel,
Yes we agree on letting it play out in the courts even if it takes years on appeals. But I want to point something out about your reply to Cheryl. You said ““Don’t say innocent until proven guiltyâ€. That is a misquoted legal term that applies only to the judicial branch. The presumption of innocence (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presumption_of_innocence) is an important part of our government, but it doesn’t hold the person on the street to that standard.
July 20th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
your right about Atlantic Falcons only responding to outside pressures. They don’t feel the outrage a normal human being feels. Neither does the NFL. I am so saddened by this realization. I will never attend another NFL game or watch one on tv ever again. I am truly revolted.
August 14th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
.I admire your blog. You share a lot of concern for issues that we cover and will cover at the How Blogazine (www.HowsMatter.com/blog).
Author Dov Seidman recently posted on the effect Barry Bonds’ reputation will have on the way people will view his achievements through history. He compares it to how businesses must learn to deal with the effect of reputation on their efforts. I think you’ll find it fascinating.
If you are interested, you’ll find it at http://howblogazine.com/barry-bonds-makes-the-number-but-misses-the-mark
We’ll be following your work here.
Nelson Handel, Editorial Director
How Blogazine