In letters to Blank, jailed Vick says he's staying in shape -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ESPN.com news services When they choose sides for football games in the yard at the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., Michael Vick is the popular pick. Twice for the same game, it seems. In an interview with the New York Daily News, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Vick is playing ball in prison to keep his body in shape, his arm limber and to pass the time. "Apparently, there was a prison football team and he played quarterback for both sides," Blank told the Daily News in Monday's editions. The suspended Falcons quarterback is serving a 23-month prison term at Leavenworth's minimum security satellite prison camp after pleading guilty last August to a federal dogfighting conspiracy. Vick, who was sentenced in December, is projected to be released in July 2009. Blank, who signed Vick to a 10-year, $130 million contract in 2004, has been communicating with Vick through letters, which Vick initiated. The quarterback has written that he is making 12 cents an hour washing pots and pans and playing a lot of football. "He's written me a couple of times," Blank told the Daily News. "I've written him back, he's stayed in touch." Blank also said Kevin Winston, the Falcons' senior director of player development, has visited Vick on several occasion. Blank told the newspaper he has no such plans, although it's evident he still has a soft spot for his exiled quarterback. "I just try to be supportive and as understanding as I can be," Blank told the Daily News. "He talks about the process he is going through and what he has learned, the lessons of life, how he's going to come out a different person. "He's sorry he has affected so many people in a negative way -- the league, our club, our fans. He feels awful about that. The letters sound quite sincere to me. From a mental standpoint, he sounds good." Vick will go to trial on state dogfighting charges in Virginia on June 27.
That's a great picture. I hope Vick can recover and get back into the NFL. Say what you want about the dog fighting or about the passing skills or about anything, he's a fun player to watch. I don't know if or when it will happen, but if it does, it'll be very interesting.
About as interesting as an electrocuted dog's corpse, thanks. What has always bothered me about this dog fighting thing is the phony contrition. Of course that's what he HAS to do, but I'm hard-pressed to believe he actually thinks there's truly anything wrong with torture and blood-letting for sport, even though he's in the clink. And again, the whole school of sentiment that they're only dogs what about people blah blah, to me that's a skewed line of deflected reasoning that avoids the basic notion that it's sick. And I'm sticking by it. Heh, that picture always does make me laugh, though.
Yeah, I gotta admit, this was a good read. If there is one person Vick truly betrayed in this whole mess, it was Arthur Blank. Blank served Atlanta to Vick on a silver platter. He built the whole franchise around him. Arthur Blank should have every reason to own a Mike Vick dartboard, or to simply never think about the man again. To hear that they are in correspondence is very refreshing. We here so many stories about powerful, heartless billionaires and popular, mindless athletes that we can easily forget they are still people underneath it all, bonded not by contract, but by choice. I wish Michael Vick luck. Pots and pans can be a humbling experience. If he came back into the NFL with Arthur Blank's blessing and had even the least bit of success, that'd be a truly great sports story.
What about the concept of justice and the rule of law? Are you sticking to those? Michael Vick was found guilty in a court of law and he is currently serving his debt to society. Should Vick get a spanking as well? How about a flogging? Maybe we should just electrocute him, Hammurabi-style. The interesting thing about this story is that he absolutely DOES NOT HAVE TO prove anything to Arthur Blank. If all Michael Vick wanted to do was get back into the NFL, he'd be writing love letters to Al Davis. (It would only take one, I assure you). I think the fact that he's looking for redemption from the man he betrayed most speaks volumes. Blank has gone on record essentially saying "Vick is dead to me." This is the most difficult path, as far as I can tell, and typically I've found the most difficult path is often the right one. The question is, does Mike Vick feel bad for betraying Blank or for murdering dogs? But the answer is irrelevant. He's serving his time. That's all that matters. I'm happy to live in a society that doesn't shame its ex-convicts. I totally concur with you that killing dogs is sick. But its not my place to add to Michael Vick's sentence, because I wouldn't want anyone else adding to mine.
Oh, wah. Agreed that he's paying his debt to society, and I wish him luck after such time. And, let him make millions - elsewhere. Not in football. Is he sorry he betrayed Blank? He's probably more concerned he pissed away being at the top of the world, if you ask me. I believe in second chances, don't get me wrong. But let's agree to disagree that I would not in the least find it a 'great sports story' if he got 'redemption' by coming back to the NFL.
No, Jetophile: I disagree to disagree!!!!! :wink: Are professional sports of such importance to the moral fiber of America that someone who is found guilty of a crime- a crime unrelated to the sanctity of the sport, mind you (not something like steroid abuse, cheating, gambling etc.)- is due an automatic lifetime ban? And where then would you draw the line? Crimes involving cruelty? Crimes involving meanness? Crimes involving poor judgment? Or are you just wah-ing for the poor children and their lack of role models? :sad: BTW, you're a good debater, but I smell a Goodellian!
Is it really that far-fetched to find out that a man who grew up in a culture that regularly fights dogs and whose occupation is one of the most physically demanding in the world (daily cortizone shots, steroids, horrendous injuries), doesn't see the problem with treating an animal the same way he and his co-workers get treated on a daily basis-like another hunk of meat?
Tell ya what...you answer my question, then I'll answer yours. I'm all for having an intelligent, logical discussion. It seems to me, however, that this subject has too many emotions involved for most on this board to even engage in a rational conversation. If ya can't do it, don't try it.
Michael Vick made his own decisions. The dogs had no choice. It's really simple. Trying to defend him is just silly.
Thank you...that's actually a logical argument. My question, however, was in response to jeto's comment that she is "hard-pressed to believe he actually thinks there's truly anything wrong with torture and blood-letting for sport, even though he's in the clink." You are right that the dog's don't have a choice and could be considered wrong. My question was "Is is really that far fetched that a man who partakes in a sport that many would consider torture and blood-letting (believe me, I went door-to-door raising money for pop warner ball when I was little and got an earful more than once) wouldn't see anything wrong with it?". I don't see how anyone could think that he would think otherwise...that's my point.
Trying to equate dog fighting to football - at any level (NFL to Pop Warner) is the most ludicrous argument one can make. I will have to check, but I may actually be stupider for having read that. :breakdance: Now if you are going to say that it isn't that far fetched that he would feel no remorse because he was raised in an environment that looked upon dog fighting as the norm, then sure, I get it and agree. If he had family in the business and grew up around others involved, then you can draw that link between the two. But you cannot even begin to convince me that football is all about torture and blood-letting, and on the same level as dog fighting.
