Should NFL let Vick play?Asset/Liability

iVillage Member
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.


 

Photobucket      The WeatherPixie 

 


Photobucket&nbs

Pages

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2007
Thu, 07-30-2009 - 10:31am

Yeah, we had/have our own problem child. Mo Clarette. He's serving time now. But I have a feeling as soon as he's released he'll be back in the news.

My step-nephew is in Tacoma. (for school) But only for a couple of months. Right now we are having soupy weather. We did have a very nice rain last night. Our temps. have been pretty cool for this time of year.

My son finds out in about 3 months if he'll be back there in your state. They don't know where they are going. He's hoping for Whidbey or San Diego.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2009
Thu, 07-30-2009 - 12:26pm
Ahhhh......this is how you REALLY feel about Vick!! Gotcha.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2007
Thu, 07-30-2009 - 12:47pm

Charges were eventually dropped on all of them in the Ray Lewis fiasco, right. Even though Ray, the upstanding individual he is, ended up testifying against 2 of his "friends" in order to save his own azz. They still beat the rap. Go figure.


I find it difficult to argue against your point of view concerning Vick. A part of me says he served far more time than other NFL'ers who actually killed people, so when's enough enough, ya know?


Your statement at the bottom about animals not having a choice who they associate with was right on. I couldn't agree with you more......even though, with an iVillage name like cat.smacks, I cringe whenever you blast Vick. cat.kiss or cat.love I wouldn't blink an eye over, but my lord girl, wuz up with dat? You think I may have had too much chocolate at lunch?

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2009
Thu, 07-30-2009 - 1:07pm

I couldn't agree with you more......even though, with an iVillage name like cat.smacks, I cringe whenever you blast Vick. cat.kiss or cat.love I wouldn't blink an eye over, but my lord girl, wuz up with dat?


Keep being the nice guy you are, and you won't have to worry with running out of names.


I made a variation of my last few names so that everyone would still know who I am.


I've been told my current ivillage name is cute.


If you google it, it's mostly about humans getting smacked by cats.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2007
Thu, 07-30-2009 - 1:39pm


Then who am I to question it? Cute? Hmmmmm......


My son was allergic to cats when he was young, so we never had any of them....just dogs. I love animals, as you must too. How can you not? One day I'll share a story about my deceased

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2007
Thu, 07-30-2009 - 1:55pm
Where's Mark? Haven't seen any of his post. Maybe if we talk about guns or RTBA he'll turn up.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2000
Thu, 07-30-2009 - 2:00pm
Didn't Mark change his screen name? Thought I recognised him under another name on the PT board. Of course I could be wrong.
Photobucket

 


Photobucket&nbs

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2009
Thu, 07-30-2009 - 2:21pm

Let's just say that losing an animal can be nearly, if not equal, as terrible as losing a child.


I've had to shoot so many animals I can't even make that kind of comparison.


And I doubt many people that have lost kids would feel that way, either.


Did you really mean that?


zz

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2007
Thu, 07-30-2009 - 2:30pm
I don't know. You might be right. Heck, over there names change daily. LOL
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-20-2007
Thu, 07-30-2009 - 3:24pm

Yes, I meant that. It may sound pretty cold I guess, but losing a pet can be very terrible to an owner. God help me, I've never lost a child or grandchild, and there isn't any way possible I can ever equate losing my dog to losing any of my kids. But I do know people that have grieved for over a decade after losing a dog or cat. And their tears are as big and as passionate as any you will find from a parent who lost a loved one. Does that make a bit of sense?


Maybe not, after re-reading it. Oh well, I hate it when anything or anyone dies. I take those losses very personally.


Did you have to shoot those animals because you're a hunter, or as part of your job, if I may ask you that?

Pages