Should NFL let Vick play?Asset/Liability
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| Tue, 07-28-2009 - 9:39am |
Michael Vick paid his debt, but should NFL let him play?
Legally, there seems no question the disgraced quarterback's reinstatement is justified. Morally, many animal lovers will have misgivings.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-pucin-michael-vick28-2009jul28,0,9346.story
Reporting from Kanab, Utah — Your head says Michael Vick has served his time, has suffered some punishment for his horrific involvement in a dogfighting ring and that people who have committed more serious crimes are allowed to leave prison and go back to work.
Your heart, though, remembers a May day in a large and airy kennel here at Best Friends Animal Society, and Georgia, one of the unlucky members of Vick's Bad Newz Kennels, where she was taught to fight and then, because she was so good at that, had all her teeth pulled -- by a veterinarian. That way she could serve her time as a breeding bitch, whether she wanted to or not.
Your head says from a legal standpoint it is wrong to keep Vick from playing football this season for an NFL team if a team wants him. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Monday that Vick is immediately eligible to practice with an NFL team and can play in the final two exhibition games, with the idea that he may be fully eligible to play in the NFL by mid-October. Otherwise, your head says, what's the point of thinking our justice system works?
Your heart, though, remembers listening to John Garcia, Georgia's main trainer at Best Friends, talk about the worst parts of life for Georgia and her Bad Newz Kennel mates. About how some of the dogs were swung around by the neck and killed for not fighting or not fighting well enough. About how they were beaten and forcibly bred on something called the "rape stand."
Think about that.
Your head says, these are animals after all, not humans, and pro athletes and others in our society have killed humans -- by accident or with malice -- were imprisoned for their crime, served sentences and came back to society.
My heart, though, is at home with a dog named Dillon, who has cancer, who is undergoing experimental chemotherapy and whose spirit and happiness and daily anticipation of the good things in life put a lot of humans to shame, even as he suddenly loses a little hair around the ears.
That's what the sweet pit bull named Georgia teaches people who come to see her.
Georgia, with her toothless grin and her wiggly butt and her desire to kiss anyone and everyone, has become a goodwill ambassador. She puts on a bejeweled pink collar, is hooked on to her pink leash, and Garcia takes her around the country to show how even the fiercest fighting dog can be taught something else.
All Georgia wants is to please people. When her people wanted her to fight, she did. Now when her people want her to make kids giggle and to have adults marvel at her capacity to enjoy life, she does.
Outspoken Buffalo Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens has the right to his opinion given to reporters in Buffalo over the weekend.
"I think the way the commissioner is handling it is unfair to Michael Vick," Owens said. "I think he's done the time for what he's done. I don't think it's really fair for him to be suspended four more games. It's almost like kicking a dead horse in the ground."
Did anyone else's stomach turn at that phrase?
At Best Friends, Garcia sat on the ground in Georgia's kennel and spoke eloquently about Vick's dogs.
"How they were treated," Garcia said, "humans shouldn't be capable of that."
Garcia said his head told him Vick should one day be able to have a job.
"But is it his right to make millions of dollars?" Garcia asked. "I guess it is."
While he spoke, Georgia had run to the far end of her kennel, under a shady tree. She shook her head as if to signal John and a visitor that they should come to the cool place. So we did and she settled down for some petting time.
Should Vick play in the NFL again?
This heart says no, which makes it much less forgiving than Georgia's. She most certainly would give Vick a second chance. She's given all of us humans one. In that way, I guess, she's better than many of us.



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I believe in giving anyone a second chance. That being said, Vick is known to be an habitual law breaker going back to his high school days. I think Goodell should monitor his behavior for an entire football season to make sure he's truly been rehabilitated, or at least "acts" like he has. He will say or do anything in order to get on a team that will pay him large sums of money for his services, so one must take what he vows to do with a grain of salt.
People will use the Dante Stallworth case as an excuse to allow Vick back in the NFL.....Stallworth killed a human being and received only 24 days behind bars for crying out loud. Is a human life worth more than an animals? Of course not, but the behavior exhibited by Vick and his
I don't care if some consider that he's paid his debt to society.
He has a mean streak in him that should scare everyone who comes in contact with him IMHO.
On another note, The Texans have a good, young team. I've been a Cincinnati Bengal season ticket holder for years (can you see me sobbing from down there?). I wish they had built their team the way Houston has. Good luck this upcoming season. I absolutely love the NFL action. Sundays are my best days once football is here. Well, Saturdays too, if Ohio State is playing.....
Unfortunately, the fans have no say in whether Vick plays again or not friend. They can picket and boycott all they want.....bottom line is, if an NFL team decides they simply MUST have Vick as their QB, they'll go get him, and the hell with the fans. The owners' take on it is that if fans decide not to renew their tickets for next year because they signed Vick, there's plenty more of em waiting to buy them. Sad but true.
Well one place he won't be going is Cleveland. The Dawg Pound! Andrea Rison was booed out of Cleveland.
Wasn't Ray Lewis involved with some kind of murder?
The Bungals, oops, I mean Bengals have had their own problems with out of control players. (My brother and son are big fans)
Yeah, I can't wait for OSU football to start.
Ah, the Browns. Been up there for numerous Bengal/Brown clashes. Was spit on once by a Brown fan because I was flagrant enough to wear a Bengals hat and jersey to the game.....that ended up costing me about 3 hours in the local jail before I was bailed out. Ray Lewis was a witness to the murders of 2 men. His bodyguards killed them with a knife. He's a class act too!!
Did you say Bungles?? OMG, don't we Bengal fans suffer enough grief just by losing every year? Have a heart, will you please.....lol.
Mark September 12th down on your calendar.....USC comes to Columbus for a Saturday night showdown on the banks of the Olantangey River against our Buckeyes.....I hate to think how many Budweisers I'm going to consume that night!! I won't be driving of course.
I apologize for getting OT......geez. I can't help myself when sports are mentioned. Sorry.
The Carolina Panthers have had problems with players, too. (my other sons team) If they keep allowing these players to come back, I hate to think who will end up playing.
I've never been to a game. I live 25 miles from OSU. I've been there hundreds of times. Been in the stadium twice. But not for a game.
Never been to a Browns game. My step-nephew has tickets this year.
I agree that the Texans are the team to watch this year. I would watch the Oiler's. Mainly because of Eddie George. Great guy.
My grandson use to be a huge Dallas fan. Until they started getting in trouble. Then he switched to Miami.
I love animals and find the whole dogfighting/cockfighting thing heinous. I don't think sentencing is nearly harsh enough, yet I know that his sentencing has been harsher than some of the child molesters in my local area. These child molesters have been allowed to go on and work and run businesses after they have served their time. I don't watch sports and could care less what they choose to do with themsleves.
There is one thing I would like to point out as someone who holds a
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-uA9SM5Rt4
Which team would
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