Should NFL let Vick play?Asset/Liability

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Registered: 03-18-2000
Should NFL let Vick play?Asset/Liability
163
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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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2007
Wed, 08-19-2009 - 11:16am

I'm sorry to hear about your DD's medical situation. We have a gentleman that works here who is bi-polar. We didn't know that when we hired him, but about a month into his employment, I noticed some rather stark mood swings in him. One day happy-go-lucky, glad to be alive, the next day sullen and wouldn't make eye contact with me even when I would try to talk to him. His attendance began to falter, and I had a heart to heart talk with him about it. It was then that he told me about being bi-polar. I suggested he seek medical help immediately, and get on proper medication or he would eventually lose his job here. Although he's had a couple relapses, he's still made great improvement in his overall performance.


I can imagine the struggles you must go through with your daughter, and I feel for you, believe me. At least she has an intelligent, caring mother that will help her get the attention she needs. It has been my experience that bi-polar children tend to be highly intelligent, and for the most part, the illness is not evident to most people. What a damn shame that people have to endure any illness, but for the young kids, it can break your heart.


Yes, I wish I could have given that lady a chance too. I could tell she just needed a frigging break, you know libra. The four of them were living in a tiny trailer at that time. She sent me a letter of thanks for at least allowing her to interview for that position, and asked if I would be so kind to possibly recommend her to other companies in the area who may be hiring. It was so sad to read that letter (I kept it BTW). Someone must have wrote the info. on her application for her because this letter had so many grammatical errors, and misspellings that I could barely make out what she was saying. She'll no doubt struggle to find anything decent.


Give that young lady a big hug, and tell her there's definitely hope that she'll be a very successful person in the work field, as well as in life itself.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 08-19-2009 - 11:20am

How in the world did someone find out about her past personal life? That's not only wrong, that's scary. That's like living in a Big Brother state.


A few years ago I was shopping around for private insurance for my son. I was appalled at the quotes I was getting. I finally asked one insurance rep "why is this so expensive for a healthy 20 year old kid?"


He answered "your son has been on anti-depressants.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2007
Wed, 08-19-2009 - 11:32am

I'll tell you how they found out. This applicant decided she would wear a short sleeved blouse that revealed numerous tattoos on her arms, and she also elected to wear a chain attached to something in her back pocket. After my interview with her, an HR rep. talked to her too. The inked arms led them to believe she may have been hiding something from her past. She was outed because of that.


One could say (and I thought this when talking to her) she may have made a mistake by wearing what she did to an important interview. Judge for yourself whether she used good judgment or not.


As for them finding out about your son's medical history, it happens every day now. Our lives, unfortunately, are open books. Very scary IMO. And your gut reaction after finding this out? WTF?????? Very common reaction I would say. No different than what I would think......only maybe my reaction would have even been more unprofessional.......blush.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2009
Wed, 08-19-2009 - 11:55am

I deleted a previous post to you, in this thread,

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2007
Wed, 08-19-2009 - 12:05pm

My son is Bi-Polar. When he was younger, he would rather self medicate than take meds from a Dr. He is pretty laid back. But can still get very angry. I know he'd have an awful time getting insurance. He's working for a pizza shop right now. He has changed a lot since he was a teen.

But because of his diagnoses, I doubt he'd ever get custody of his son. His son is autistic. But sons ex isn't stable either. So my grandson suffers. She has moved about 10 times in the last 2 years. She's on the run again. We haven't seen grandson for almost 2 years. I've even considered trying to get custody of him. But we have to find her, again.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-30-2002
Wed, 08-19-2009 - 10:24pm
My partner is bi-polar. This is why we own our own business, instead of relying on others for employment. His illness is also why he can't get health insurance. But if he doesen't get treatment, he can't remain stable, and work and take care of his child, pay taxes.......... He had his own run in with the law at one point. We are fortunate to live in a place where they have a mental health court. After fulfilling the requirements of the MH court, over the course of a year, and not violating probation for a number of years, their records are expunged. Though he is technically "the poster boy" for how meds should work, there are occasional breakthroughs, that most employers wouldn't tolerate. In all these years, we only lost one client as a result. The rest have been pretty flexible and compassionate. But he couldn't do it alone.


iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
Fri, 08-21-2009 - 12:31pm

I'm back...and trying to catch up!


iVillage Member
Registered: 08-30-2002
Fri, 08-21-2009 - 12:42pm
I was watching something recently and someone referred to athletes as "nothing but another peice of equipment." Maybe that is how the Eagles really view him, as nothing more than a machine, a peice of equipment. Maybe really with not much more regard than he had for those dogs. Maybe his only value is for what he can do on the field and that is it. I hadn't thought of it that way before. But having been closely linked to the race horse industry at one point, that is really how some owners view the horses. They are machines or equipment. Thier value in their performance. If they can't perform their value is by the pound. We can't really assume that the Eagles have any more value for Vick than taht because he is (allegedly) human. Maybe, he is just another dog on the field to his agent, coaches, team owners, etc. Let's not assume anyone actually "cares" about him for anything but mercinary purposes,


iVillage Member
Registered: 02-11-2009
Sun, 08-23-2009 - 9:19am

No, I wouldn't want dog fighting to go on next door to me-too messy and too noisy!


...sure I know there are other crimes that go along with dog fighting, but did u know that in many cases, police officers are in on it too. That's why they are being done in secret in many places. So u can say whatever you want, the fact is, the law (police) commits more crimes than us "regular folks". Period. Dog dying vs. person-hmmm-I care about the person 1st always.


You're right about 1 thing, greedy people should be in jail-like Bernie Madoff. He committed a crime against people and I was happy to see him go down.


"It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere" ~Agnes Repplier
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-11-2009
Sun, 08-23-2009 - 9:44am

All you do is

"It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere" ~Agnes Repplier

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