Is Vick Finished?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 10:17pm

Taking your personal feelings away from it, do you think Michael Vick will ever play football again?

He is, in all probability, finished with the Falcons. After jail & a year or 2 out of the game, some team will take a chance figuring the furor has died down.

I spoke to a co worker about it today.He brought up an interesting point. Isn't it just as cruel & inhuman for people to keep 50 or more cats in their house living in their own waste & being sick?

[MotorTink]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 10:19pm

his best and probably only bet in the future would be the Raiders.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 10:20pm

Someone suggested to me Arena Football

[MotorTink]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 10:23pm

nah, he'll be back in a few years after it has all washed over. I think what he did was horrible and disgusting, but he will pay for it and someone else will have screwed up bigger to take the attention away.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 10:28pm

Why is it that those athletes with the most talent shoot themselves in the foot

Dwight Gooden
Daryll Strawberry
Barry Bonds

The first 2 were destined for the Hall Of Fame. Yes Bonds broke Aarons record but it will always be tainted. He had enough talent to have a great career on his own. Maybe not as many home runs but not the cloud hanging over him. Now add Vick to the list

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 10:31pm

The ONLY good thing I can say about him is that he admitted guilt and is taking full responsibility for his actions. At least he was a man about it and didn’t try and blame anyone else for his mistakes.


And frankly, I couldn't care less he he ever plays again or not.

[VoiceAnth22]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 10:34pm

Anyone who does what he did to an animal should be left for dead in the trunk of a car somewhere.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 10:34pm

He initially denied it. He only admitted guilt when his friends started to nail him to cut deals for themselves

[MotorTink]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 10:36pm

It shows that these people are still human. They are still vulnerable and susceptible to the vices as us little folks. I'm not defending them at all, but they can fall just as hard as we do, just in the public eye. Vick has so much talent for the game and definitely was headed on a HOF track. But he made choices and will have to live with them.

[MotorTink]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 10:40pm

well any high priced attorney would have had him deny it at first.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 10:51pm

"Isn't it just as cruel & inhuman for people to keep 50 or more cats in their house living in their own waste & being sick?"

I don't understand where these equivalencies come from?

Yes, it is cruel and inhuman to keep 50 or more cats in a house living in their own waste and being sick. And there are laws against that too.

[MotorTink]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 10:56pm

While keeping 50 cats is cruel and inhumane, at least most of those people have good intentions, they just don't see the implications and consequences. Vick clearly knew that beating, starving, and executing animals was cruel, and went along with it anyway. Big difference.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:03pm

And if he had an ounce of brains, he would have stopped doing it the second he turned pro.

He HAD to have known that if it got out, it would be the end of his career.

[Patronus]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:10pm

I suspect he'll play in the NFL again. I don't see him ever playing QB though. He skill set there was somewhat limited anyway and he'll be extremely behind the curve after 1-2 years of prison.

I could see some desperate team sign him to be a Punt Returner and possibly a Running back - but I think his days of running an offense in the NFL is done. He'd need to go to the CFL or AFL for that.

Mr. Roxy - in regards to why the most talented people do things to tarnish their legacy...you named a few high profile cases of people who screwed up - but for everyone one of those guys there is a Cal Ripken Jr, a Tony Gwynn and a John Smoltz who has done the right things. It's easy to spotlight the bad apples, but there are a lot of "good guys" left in professional sports.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:11pm

Yes there are but the bad apples always get the spotlight

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:16pm

My guess is that he will not return. I have not seen the indictment, but I assume that the counts involve interstate transferring of animals for the use of betting and not cruelty.

Having 50 cats does not violate federal law.

[Patronus]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:19pm

True, but that is because most people are more interested in spotlighting the negative than celebrating the positive. It's the by product of the tabloid obsessed culture that we live in.

Either way - you asked why is it that athletes with the most talent shoot themselves in the foot. I was just pointing out that the question isn't particularly valid when you choose to ignore the dozens upon dozens of professional athletes who have the equal talent to that of Strawberry and Doc and are making the most of it currently.


Updated On: 8/22/07 at 11:19 PM

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:19pm

So that means it is important to point out that there are very many who actually do great things and are genuinely good people.
And I think more importantly, is the middle ground. Most sports figures (no matter how talented) are simply people. They do good things and they do bad things, and in the end it is just because of being human.

I agree that Vick will eventually be back in the NFL, but his abilities, which I would agree with Stephen are no where near as great as some people claim, would mean he would take a much diminished role. He couldn't run an offense before, he certainly won't be able to after several years away from the game.

To the 50 cat questioner: How does one act of inhumanity and violence become less important because of the existence of others?
There was a great article about this on Foxsports (which I know is not a statement oft said) in which the author points out many of these foolish "equivalences" and why they are ridiculous.
Just because there are murderers doesn't mean we should stop working to stop cruelty to animals and it can go on and on. There is work to be done in many areas.

[geaj]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:23pm

Let's face it. If you've got the money, you can pretty much get out of about anything these days. He'll be back because someone will realize that they can make money from him. We like to see them fall, but we also love a great comeback. By the way, I'm not defending him. I think the whole thing is disgusting!

[AbbaRabbit]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:30pm

i think if he is allowed to play again, he should be requiered to donate a portion of his salary to some sort of animal shelter or rescue or santuary.

as for the number of cats/dogs allowed in a home, in my town it'a against the law to have more than 3 dogs... i'm not sure about cats but i think it's 4

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:31pm

It may well depend on what penalty pro football assess against him after he serves his time, and how long of a sentence is imposed. The judge does have some discretion in how long of a sentence is imposed. If he goes with a longer sentence, I could see Vick going for something like WWF or UFC rather than Pro Football when he gets out if there is there is additional time added on after his sentence added on by the NFL.

And, you never know what he will be like once he comes out of prison.

[Patronus]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:33pm

We like to see them fall, but we also love a great comeback.

In order to have a great comeback you need to have had something happen that was out of your control to facilitate that fall from grace.

Rick Ankiel & Jon Lester are great comebacks. Even Josh Hamilton who was out for several seasons due to substance abuse is a great comeback story because he overcame his addiction.

Michael Vick can never be considered a great comeback. He has plead guilty to a heinous crime and I think it's safe to assume that his guilty plea came on the heels of the plea agreement from his co-conspirator/friend who testified that Vick actually was involved in the physical killing of these dogs. Perhaps I'm naive and underestimating Joe Q Fan's ability to forgive and forget, but I don't see Michael Vick as being much of a positive story.

I certainly hope my favorite team doesn't sign him.

I can't see Vick becoming a professional wrestler, Deb. I don't think his body would hold up to that type of routine. Those boys don't have an off season. Perhaps in TNA, but never in WWE.

Unless of course by WWF you meant the World Wildlife Federation at which case I can all but guarantee THEY won't take him.

ETA: I have heard that Roger Goddell does plan to make his suspension from the NFL start after his jail time is up. I would think he would be suspended for at least one season for every year he gets in prison, so this will all more likely than not be a moot point if he is sentenced to 2 years. Federal prison doesn't have the same type of parole system as state prison. If he's sentenced to 2 years he is required to serve a minimum of 17 months.

Updated On: 8/22/07 at 11:33 PM

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:38pm

You are probably right - he is not that big - I guess he just looks bit to me in some of the pics.

BTW - how in the hell did the Rangers get 30 runs tonight?

[geaj]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:39pm

Ahh Patronus, but people like you and me are more and more in the minority on these things these days! I can only imagine how many kids still think he is "da bomb!" - and imagine the millions of parents who support them.

[Patronus]

Posted: 8/22/07 at 11:40pm

Two words: Jarrod Saltalamacchia!

4-6, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 5 Runs Scored.

That'll get some of it done.