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Should Michael Vick Be Allowed To Play In The NFL Again?
Posted by 7434be • 4/02/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: atlanta falcons, dogfighting, michael vick, nfl
Michael Vick gets out in May and the decision to reinstate him after being convicted and serving time for dogfighting is in the hands of the NFL comissioner.He has already signed a six figure documentary deal and has filed bankruptcy,I doubt he is broke.Should he be allowed to play again?
User Comments
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I think he's a crummy person, and wouldn't want him to be a teacher or babysitter, but I think the world will be safe with him just running around with a football.-
Thats what is is really about
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He is sort of cheesy
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I'd rather see him tossed in a cage for a match in the UFC with zero training. And afterwards, they can toss him into a jacuzzi before nonchalantly dropping in a plugged-in toaster.-
At like the UFC idea, he make be able to figth his way out i=of that though
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No, he shouldn't be allowed to play. For what professional football players get paid, they have to serve as role models for kids (among other things). He should be banned for life.-
he committed some serious offenses,NFL commissioner has to make big decision
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His house was up for sale - and it was BEAUTIFUL.
Only a couple of million.
But BEAUTIFUL!-
only a couple million
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I do think he should be allowed to play in the NFL. -
After all, the Jets need a quarterback now that Jay Cutler is taken
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What about Brett , Is he coming back , I heard he was
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I would like a no felon rule in all professional sports.-
Yes it is getting kind of rediculous with all the ciminal activity
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as long as players who test positive for drugs are given second (and third) chances and as long as players who are arrested for other crimes are allowed back, then yes he should be.-
He did his time did they
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I think he should be allowed to play BUT ONLY WITHOUT A HELMET AND PADS:) -
He should be hamstrung & thrown into a cage w/some ravenous pit bulls. Get it..."raven"ous? Scumbag.-
I kind of agree
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I absolutely agree. As a pit bull owner, the owner of a former bait dog, and someone who worked hands on in breaking up dog fighting rings anything short of excruciating pain is too good for him. He had it all, he blew it, he is a vile person and no amount of fake PETA* tests and crocodile tears will make me think otherwise.
*Peta wants to save lab rats and exterminate pit bulls... no wonder Vick and them are such good buddies now
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If you cannot punish everyone equally, why bother punishing at all?
Michael Vick was slapped with the harshest of punishments for what he did. If he wasn't famous, he would have been slapped with a month in jail and a hefty fine (that's what everyone else gets).
It's hogwash and I say let him play!-
no actually he wasn't, I have seen poor people in Augusta Ga slammed with charges in multiple states and federal charges and get 35 years for the same thing. He got off easier than most. I have been involved in 29 dog fighting cases and Vick has one of the lightest punishments that I have ever seen
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I'm in VA and it is the total opposite. Most people never even serve jail time for what he did. A hefty fine and their slate is clean. This man may have lost everything that meant something to him.
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that is sad then. Though it would explain why we are not allowed to adopt out bully breeds to VA, I always wondered about that.
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It's been like that for years. I had a pitbull when I was little (eh-hem some twenty years ago) and my dad tried to take her to the pound and they refused. Needless to say, I was quite happy seeing her come back home.
He made poor choices, yes...but don't deny him a second chance. If that were the case, I'd be done myself. -
Perhaps I am too close to the issue.
Ahem, a copy paste of a post on how I got my dog.
Many people have a heartwarming story about how when they saw their dog, they just knew it was meant to be. I wish I could say the same. My dog, Pacino is an American Pit Bull terrier, and she found me. I had just moved to Augusta GA for military service and had never heard much about dog fighting, and like most others I believed the Pit Bull hype. I was unjustifiably terrified of the breed simply because of how they looked.
That all changed one day, while I was shopping at Weis. I went behind the building to smoke a cigarette and heard a whimper. As a dog lover I went to investigate immediately. It came from the dumpster and my heart sank. As I peered in, I was taken back by this gigantic Pit Bull head looking at me. I was terrified, should I help it? Should I call someone? Then I noticed something, the notorious Pit Bull smile... but her canine teeth were filed down to the gum line. She was in pain, but she was still showing faith in humanity. She didn't want to hurt me, she wanted me to love her. She gazed at me with the most sorrowful eyes that i had ever seen, and it sent a chill down my spine. How could I have been so foolish as to fear what I did not know?
As I helped her out, with no regard for my own safety the gruesome truth about what had happened to her set in. She had a screw driver embedded in her chest, maggots feasting around her wound. The smell was suffocating. Her back legs were broken, her chest, back and ears were chewed up. Ripped to shreds. What happened to this baby and how can she be so trusting.After I got her out, I noticed that there were four other dead dogs in the dumpster as well. I called animal control and they came within ten minutes. they knew immediately that she was a bait dog, they explained what that meant and I was horrified. The officer attempted to take the dog from me, saying her injuries were so extensive that she would be put down. I pondered that, but her eyes, her beautiful sorrowfull eyes had gotten to me and I said no, she is mine. They were not so willing to let me have her. I begged, pleaded and showed them my bank account, I said please you can follow me to the vet, please let me take her.
Well finally, my begging paid off and he said "lady if you want to spend thousands on aruined dog be my guest". And that is exactly what I did, her vet bills were 8456.11 and I didn't mind. She was so beatiful, her spirit was so strong that it seemed a small price to pay. After weeks of drainage tubes, anti biotics, staple removal and rehab, I had become the proud owner of an American Pit Bull terrier. Her face was scarred, but to me she was beautiful. The maggots had kept her infection from spreading and the other dogs she was lodged between had kept her from bleeding out. Now she was ready to come home.
I had three other dogs and was worried about her reaction to them. Would she fight them? Would she bite me or my baby? No she didn't. She sat docile in the kitchen, waiting for aknowledgement. She was not aggressive, or violent. She instantly loved my family and we loved her. I took her to a temperament test and she passed, as do 96% of pit bulls. I was floored at her resiliency and I love her for it. It was a long road from dumpster to home, but she made it. Animal control was able to figure out where she came from because one of the dead dogs was microchipped. There they found tapes of brutality, dog fighting and an instructional DVD on how to make a bait dog, using my dog as the subject. I demanded to see it, they were reluctant and I said I have to know, I have to know what she went through in order to help her.
The first tape was when she was just a puppy, etimated four months they "rolled" her with other dogs (encouraged them to fight to see who was a figher and who was not). She failed and they strung her up by her neck with her little puppy paws just barely dangling off of the floor. Then they cut her and encouraged the other dogs to bite her. it was heart wrenching and cruel. I couldn't finish. The second tape showed them beating her, she was a bit older then, to break her spirit. Again I could not watch, I went home and I held that dog so tight and wept for her. She licked my face as I cried, as if to say "It's okay mom, I am home now"
My love for this dog caused me to do some research and I learned that this is the most abused breed in the country. their desire to please their owners and their undying love keeps them coming back even in the most cruel of circumstances. I learned that there is no such thing as an unreahbilitatable dog. I learned that all of the qualities that I value, loyalty, unconditional love, determination, perserverance and bravery came naturally to this breed. Most of all I learned how gruesome dog fighting was, how big of a problem it is and what I could do to stop it. At that moment, I knew I had found my passion and my pit bull rescue was formed. I will not mention the name here as I was illegally shown evidence and do not want to get anyone into trouble but at least the few dozen people that I have`assited in putting away and around 300 dogs know the name all to well. I am writing this not as a promotion (hence the with holding the name of the rescue) but to open the eyes of the general public. Don't judge a dog by it's breed, and if you do, make sure you are not like the media and that you can actually spot a pit bull from a look alike. Check out this link, www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html can you find the pit bull? If not, then please open your hearts and your minds, don't judge and help stop this brutal sport.
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lol that is wicked long, I don't really expect ya'll to read the whole thing, but yeah that is why I am particularly anti-Vick
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awe,HELL TO THE NO!!!! people like that should be locked up,and key thrown away!! I HATE people who mistreat animals. IT'S JUST WRONG!! -
Edited: Petition link removed due to Jaybetee's comment directly below. I don't follow sports and did not know he had already been reinstated. -
He has already been re-instated and has been signed by my beloved Philadelphia Eagles. He is already practicing with the team and will be allowed to play in regular season games by October at the latest.
I think he should definitely be allowed to play. He committed a crime and he got put in federal prison for the crimes he committed. He served his time and now he should be given a chance to redeem himself.
I agree with what Eagle's Quarterback Donovan Mcnabb said in his blog, "Fast forward to today – I know what Michael was accused and convicted of and I don’t like it at all. I have had dogs all my life and consider myself a dog-lover. I am in no way excusing Michael for what happened but he was punished for his crime. He served his time and, at least I believe, has learned from it. I believe Michael is a changed person and that he deserves a chance at putting his life back together. A life, now, that will include being an activist to stop cruelty to animals." -
yes, i do. he went to jail he should be allowed to live his life and work.-
Amen sister!
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anytime
i understand what he did and how wrong it is. what turned me off of this whole thing is that when humans are murders, raped, tortured (or eaten) we don't get the same outrage. i still like to think that my life should be more valuable than a dog's but then again i have always been a dreamer.
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Yes, if someone chooses to hire him. I think that he should have been in prison for much longer, but that choice has been made and he's a free man now. If a team didn't want him playing for them, more power to them--but the idea that someone who has committed a crime, done his time and is a free man should "not be allowed" to pursue his livelihood when there is zero connection between his position and the crime committed is a scary prospect.-
Exactly!
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I agree with MadameX on every level of that post.
I recently wrote about this topic, mostly to bash the animal rights activists who were protesting his prospective career with the Philadelphia Eagles, but I'm not going to linkdrop.
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Oh go ahead, VK--everyone else does! -
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I believe when a person has done his sentence, then that means that he/she is ready to be readmitted into society. When we DON'T allow people second chances, what does that say about us? Now, if you want to make it a crime and lock him up for 100 years, that's another matter--but I truly believe that when a person has done his time, they should be allowed back into society without being ostracized--and this includes letting him back at his former profession.
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He's been punished. He's not in jail anymore so he should be allowed to do what any free person would be allowed to do. -
Also, it's not like they just said "Hey, welcome back." The league has given him a mentor and he is working with the head of the Humane Society to help stop cruelty to animals. He said he realizes what he was doing was wrong and hopes to help save way more dogs than he ever harmed. People need to give him the chance to make up for his mistakes and prove that he has changed.
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For all those people who have said "No", I think they really need to look deep into theirselves and think, "If I had committed a crime, had done the time I was sentenced to, and was remorseful for my actions, would I hope that society would see that and give me a second chance?"
Still say, "No!"?? If so, then you're fooling yourself.
Michael Vick was found guilty of a crime - regardless of what it was - and went to prison. He served his time and is now a free man. He's apologized for his actions and has committed himself to work with the Humaine Society to combat dog fighting, etc.
He also lied to his team mates, his team, and the NFL. For that he is further suspended for 6 regular season games. He's met with the NFL Commissioner and he is of the opinion that Michael Vick has attoned for his crimes.
Still say "No!"?
Everyone deserves a second chance. Playing in the NFL is not a right, it's a priviledge. With that in mind, I believe Michael Vick, having fully paid his sentences should be allowed to play in the NFL.
And shame on ALL those people who will protest him and boo him when he does get the chance to play.-
"And shame on ALL those people who will protest him and boo him when he does get the chance to play."
I have to disagree with this one. No reason he should "not be allowed" to earn a living, but there's also no reason that people shouldn't be allowed to express their opinions about what he did. -
Rory never said they "shouldn't be allowed" to boo or express an opinion! -
LOL ... I see my Pitbull got in there. Ya, I never said they can't protest and boo him, I effectively said they should be ashamed.
I'm not religious at all, but for those who are doesn't it say, something like forgiveness is divine? -
I noticed a link to an online petition and remembered this thread but as I do not follow sports and I did not know that Vick had already been reinstated. I posted the link and then when Jaybette posted saying he had been reinstated I edited and removed it.
Yes he served his time and yes he has a job and is entitled to it. However, I am entitled to my opinion I hold based on my personal experience of the sick and twisted bastards, who torture animals for financial gain and the sick psychotic paybacks they get between their ears from doing so. Experience has taught me that people, usually men, who are apprehended for torturing animals like he did are extremely sick and will most likely re-offend even if they do undergo years of therapy.
He's got his second chance but I'll BBBBBBOOOOOO! this sick and twisted bastard just as much as I want. -
"Experience has taught me that people, usually men, who are apprehended for torturing animals like he did are extremely sick and will most likely re-offend even if they do undergo years of therapy."
Statistically speaking, yeah he will most likely reoffend and studies show he will probably graduate to abusing humans, and then maybe people will see why exactly animal abusers should be looked at with a little more closely than say.. oh I don't know... shoplifters -
I think the chance for him to reoffend or move up to abusing humans exists, but he also has a lot of mentors and organizations behind him so I think he has a good support network that will make this much, much less likely.
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@endlessly
I have a lot of experience in animal rescue and in providing support and housing for children and pets who have been removed from violent households.
@jaybetee
I'm so glad he will be in the public eye because the normal pattern is for these guys to slip into the shadows and re-offend. It does seem that they aren't particulalry motivated by the money -- they are sick between the ears. -
Rory--well put, my friend. I completely agree with you.
I have been in jail--and even spent a little time at a minimum security prison. It's hard enough to come back from incarceration without all of society ostracizing you.
I really do believe that once you complete your sentence, you should be allowed to re-enter society and that society should give you the benefit of the doubt that you are rehabilitated.
I would really hate it if people held my past against me--and I have done some reprehensible things in my day. -
I think the main thing here is that people are saying he shouldn't be allowed to play football, which is how he has always made his living. It's one thing for people to dislike him for what he did and they have every right to their opinion. I think what he did was horrible. I can not, however, support the idea that the man shouldn't be allowed to return to his job because he committed a crime and went to prison. He has every right to go back to work if someone is willing to offer him a job.
Melinda-I agree. Everyone deserves a chance to redeem themselves.
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i used to think that MV was hot until i heard he had herpes...
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He wears a wig???!
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lol. all i know is he is one man this lolita will not touch!
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Awe hell 2 the NO!! I agree with deft!!!! Good bye nfl hello UFC!!! Except they should turn him loose in the cage with about 50 rabid pitts!!!
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Philly's my hometown GO EAGLES! -
The man paid his debt and now he should get the chance which he is...but Plaxico Burress may or maynot be so lucky.
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