That idiot, Peter King. This is NOTHING like the Duke lacrosse case!! There, you had one drugged-up whore, with the male DNA of the entire Seventh Fleet oozing out of every orifice, a prior occurrence of false rape allegation, and five failed attempts at a photo identification. Not to mention at least one defendant with an iron-clad alibi. Here, you have a grand jury indictment, on sworn testimony, with four corroborating witnesses and fairly specific details of dogs, dog fights, and betting amounts. If I'm Roger Goodell, Michael Vick is suspended NOW. If there is no substance behind these allegations, then he shouldn't have anything incriminating to testify about when he grieves the thing through the NFLPA. If he does have incriminating testimony, then he wouldn't bother with a grievance, and he'd bide his time through the criminal process.
Even if the NFL doesn't suspend him(I'd be shocked if this happened by the way) you've got to believe the Falcons will, or at least force him to take a "leave of absence". Lord knows all that money they gave him had less to do with his abilities as a successful NFL QB and more to do with putting asses in the seats, merchandising and what not. Now, all that is out the window. The guy is going to be a pariah. If they're smart they'll cut their losses and get out ahead of Goodell and maybe get some good PR out of the deal.
Haha seriously. I'm sure if that's what happens Mike Vick will have no problems putting him down. HIYO!!!
I think it had to do with canceling the season before this stuff was sorted out but you're right the cases are different.
I think Arthur Blank is a bit too full of himself to admit he was wrong, he'll make the league do his work for him.
No way out Vick won't be able to escape permanent damage Posted: Wednesday July 18, 2007 1:03PM; Updated: Wednesday July 18, 2007 2:38PM http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/don_banks/07/18/vick/index.html A few observations on the Michael Vick saga a day after he was indicted on dog-fighting charges by a federal grand jury... ? While he is celebrated for his rare talent for escapability on the field, Vick won't completely out-run the cloud that is now cast over his NFL career -- no matter how the case against him and three co-defendants ultimately is resolved. This season figured to be a pivotal one for Vick anyway, with new Atlanta head coach Bobby Petrino intent on finally developing Vick into more than just a running threat at quarterback. But now, with the specter of a multi-felony trial looming over Vick, playing the game's most demanding position could be tougher than ever for 2001's first-overall pick. On the road, Vick will be met with derision by fans repulsed by the grisly details of the 18-page dog-fighting indictment filed in a Virginia district court this week. Support was already waning for Vick at home late last season in the wake of his passing struggles and him shooting Falcons fans the double bird after a loss to the Saints. Count on the Falcons organization to do its best to stand behind its beleaguered quarterback, but team owner Arthur Blank is first and foremost a business man who always has a keen sense of his image and standing in the community. His patience with Vick will not be limitless, and if Vick becomes more of a liability than an asset, you can be sure Blank will not be dragged down with him. ? I can't help but wonder how that Matt Schaub trade is looking now to Atlanta? If nothing else, the Falcons showed poor timing in deciding to ship their young, promising backup quarterback to Houston in April, just weeks before the Vick dog-fighting investigation began. While it's too early to know if any potential trial could impact Vick's 2007 season, it's not too early to realize the Falcons could rue the day they sent their potential 2008 starter to the Texans in exchange for second-round picks this year and next year, as well as flopping first-round picks with Houston in 2007 (from 10th to eighth). If Vick is convicted and faces jail time in 2008 and beyond, the Falcons will wish they still had Schaub around. The same will be true if a league suspension ultimately is handed down, costing Vick a significant chunk of playing time. Joey Harrington, D.J. Shockley and Chris Redman. That's your current quarterback depth chart in Atlanta behind Vick. In this case, Schaub was an insurance policy the Falcons should have renewed, but didn't. That call is looking more short-sighted all the time. ? Why? That's the question that could be easily overlooked in Vick's current situation. Why would a guy making the millions he's making need to sponsor a dog-fighting ring that could jeopardize his career and personal freedom in order to gamble for mere thousands? One source close to Vick, who I talked to this spring for the story I wrote about the Falcons quarterback's recent slide from grace in Atlanta, gave me a rather blunt rationale for Vick's involvement in dog fighting: "He's not very bright at all,'' the source said of Vick. "And that's a big part of his problems. He's a very unintelligent person and he makes poor decisions because of it. It's not a white or black thing. Paris Hilton is an idiot, too. Mike Tyson was totally dumb, but for a long time his trainer kept him protected from his worst mistakes. You have to have someone around you who can protect you from yourself at times.'' Another league source I talked to had a slightly different take. He too watched Vick up close for years and came to this conclusion: "I've seen what he's truly about, and now, the rest of the world sees what he's truly about,'' the source said. "He's not dumb, and he's not a bad guy. He's just selfish. He's an extremely selfish human being. He doesn't care about his team or his teammates. He says he does, but he doesn't.'' Harsh words to be sure. But these are some of the same sources who, more than two months ago, assured me Vick -- despite his proclamation of innocence -- was heavily involved in the dog-fighting operation in Virginia, from its earliest stages on. With Tuesday's indictments becoming public, the assessment of those sources has been echoed by federal investigators and a grand jury.
July 26 court date for Vick NFL, Falcons, union take wait-and-see stance on QB Posted: Wednesday July 18, 2007 8:26PM; Updated: Wednesday July 18, 2007 8:26PM http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/07/18/bc.fbn.vickindictment.ap/index.html RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- This much we know: Michael Vick won't be on the field when the Atlanta Falcons open training camp next Thursday. He'll be in a federal courtroom. What happens after that was anyone's guess Wednesday, and there was no shortage of opinions. Suspend him. Cut him. Let him play until he's proven guilty of felony charges that he sponsored a gruesome dogfighting operation. For the time being, that's what the NFL intends to do with the star quarterback -- let him play. After consulting with the Falcons, commissioner Roger Goodell and top league officials agreed to let the legal process determine the facts. A person with knowledge of the meeting, who requested anonymity so the case would not be influenced, said the NFL would stick to that position for the foreseeable future, despite its new personal conduct policy. In April, Goodell suspended Tennessee's Adam "Pacman" Jones for the 2007 season even though Jones had not been convicted of a crime. He did, however, have 10 encounters with police and five arrests since he was drafted in 2005. The NFL players' union took the same stance as the league. "It's unfortunate that Michael Vick is in this position, as these allegations are extremely disturbing and offensive," the union said in a statement. "This case is now in the hands of the judicial system, and we have to allow the legal process to run its course. However, we recognize Michael still has the right to prove his innocence. Hopefully, these allegations are untrue and Michael will be able to continue his NFL career." Vick and three associates must appear in Richmond next week for bond hearings and arraignments on charges contained in a detailed, 18-page indictment handed up Tuesday. The four are accused of competitive dogfighting, procuring and training pit bulls for fighting, and conducting the enterprise across state lines. The operation was named "Bad Newz Kennels," according to the indictment, and the dogs were housed, trained and fought at a property owned by Vick in Surry County, Va. Conviction carries up to six years in prison, fines of $350,000 and restitution. Among the grisly findings: Losing dogs either died in the pit or were electrocuted, drowned, hanged or shot. The indictment said purses climbed as high as $20,000 for fights. Those and other allegations of animal abuse have already put Vick squarely in the center of strong and divided reaction. In Atlanta, where Vick's name dwarfs all others in pro sports, about 46 percent of respondents in an overnight telephone poll conducted by Atlanta-based InsiderAdvantage think the Falcons should release Vick. About the same percentage said the team should keep him until a verdict is returned. About 8 percent of the 859 people polled had no opinion. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Nike, one of Vick's sponsors, said it was reviewing the indictment and would have no other comment. In a letter to Goodell, Falcons owner Arthur Blank and Vick's corporate sponsors, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and the Rev. Al Sharpton joined with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the Humane Society of the United States in calling for strong stands against animal cruelty. "Today, we sound a clarion call to all people: Stand up for what is right, and speak out against what is wrong. Dogfighting is unacceptable. Hurting animals for human pleasure or gain is despicable. Cruelty is just plain wrong," the letter said. Goodell and Blank met individually with Vick in May after the investigation started, telling him to straighten up or risk discipline. Blank said he "could not have been more stern" in telling Vick that he represents himself, the franchise and the league and needs to do it right. "They both challenged me to be more accountable in all areas of my life. I know I need to make some changes around me to make sure that the people in my life have my best interest at heart," Vick said at the time. "My goal is to not let my fans, my teammates or my coaches down." The Falcons signed Vick to a 10-year, $130 million contract in December 2004. He has been paid about $44 million, including $37 million in guaranteed bonuses, and is due to earn a base salary of $6 million this season. Teams can amortize the salary cap implications of signing bonuses, but if a player is cut, all bonuses paid but not yet factored into the salary cap must be accounted for within two years. The Falcons face an estimated salary cap hit of about $6 million this year and $15 million in 2008 if they release Vick -- devastating hits to any team's budget. _________________________________________________ Such stupidity from a man making so much money and had the potential to be Pro Bowl bound. Perfect example of money don't make you smart.
From Atlanta Journal-Constitution Reaction over indictment mixed among fan base By JEFFRY SCOTT, JOEL BROWN The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 07/18/07 On Wednesday, Mike Scarce, president of the 300-member Falcon Fan-Atics fan club, invoked what had become in less than 24 hours, the new incantation of the Falcon nation: "Innocent until proven guilty." Versions of that reaction reverberated across the fan base on the news that Falcon quarterback Michael Vick was indicted for taking part in an animal fighting enterprise and may have been involved in killing losing dogs. "You can be charged with anything, and he may not have done anything," said Scarce, 48, a mail carrier who lives in Cumming and has owned season Falcons tickets since the Georgia Dome opened in 1992. "He definitely can afford good lawyers, and good lawyers can go a long way in this situation." Stockbridge season ticket holder Chuck Ruffino said: "I'm hoping for the best and hoping he should be properly acquitted. My feeling that him playing will make the season, and I feel like if he plays it will be a great season." At the same time loyalists seized the moment to voice frustrations with the quarterback who may have put fans in seats at the Georgia Dome, but has been embroiled in off-field controversies. "I'm a Vick fan because I'm a Falcons' fan," said Scarce. "But I never thought he would get the team to the Super Bowl because he had never had the right chemistry ? he's never been a leader, on or off the field." Scott Lehman, of Marietta, said he supported the Falcons and Vick because "I live here, and support the city" but feared the allegations are damaging and divisive to the team and city, whether Vick is guilty or not. "We now will step back several years and have a divide again in Atlanta along racial lines, on the Falcons and life in general," Lehman wrote in an e-mail. Many fans said they weren't surprised by the indictment. Fan Doug Miller summed it up this way: "It was something that was expected. It was just a matter of time until something went down." The greater concern now is whether Vick will play this season. With the recent suspensions of NFL players such as Adam "Pacman" Jones and Tank Johnson, most fans seem to expect the NFL to take similar action on Vick. "The new commissioner is trying to send a message to the fans," Bobby Russell said. "They may decide to make him the sacrificial lamb. " Bonaparte said: "I think he'll be suspended for most of the year, if not all of it. He hasn't been in trouble as far as the law, but as far as the court of public opinion, there's a number of different incidents that make him suspect. That's not the wholesome quarterback that a southern city wants." Few worried that Vick will serve any jail time. "I think if this goes to trial, it'll be a plea bargain," K'Lee Reeves said. "I think that would be in his best interest. He needs to save what bit of reputation he has. I'm sure the owners are going to still let him play." Russell said if he wins acquittal then wins on the field, all will be forgiven. "If he has a good season," he said, "the whole thing will get washed under the rug." Bonaparte was less forgiving. "Get his behind out of here now," he said. "I think we should have traded him last year, when his market value was still high. He had six years to win the Super Bowl. He said he would win it in five. This is his seventh year. It's time to move on."
how would you react if this was vilma or chad? if the facts were the same as in this case, i'd want them out of here
Me too....what Vilma said was pretty ignorant too.....not like what Portis said but still pretty stupid...
why is it not possible for vilma to do it, with his comments and portis' it seems like these miami guys, and southern school guys in general, seem to not think dog fighting is that bad, may have seen a fight in the past even, as they just brush it off
