Michael Vick Enters His Plee, Atlanta Falcons Won't "Immediately Cut"
I haven't been following sports enough to know if this is just symantics and legalspeak, but the Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said today that they would not immediately cut ties with Vick. He cited that it "wasn't in the best interest of the franchise" and other legal ramifications.
My initial thought is that cutting him immediately isn't the cheapest solution. Based on the NFL's suspension, they don't necessarily have to cut him. Vick couldn't play anyway until that suspension was lifted.
Still ... the consensus up to this point was that Vick would never play a home game in Atlanta again. Is that still the case?
As to Vick's statements after the plea was entered. It's not like the guy accidentally walked into a dog fighting ring and got caught up in the moment and placed a bet or killed a dog. This didn't happen one time, or even just a couple of times. This was something he bankrolled. Now I don't know whose idea it was to start the enterprise ... but it's not the sort of thing you can just apologize away. And his comment about "Finding Jesus;" it just makes me mad. If that's true ... well I can't speak to when God enters every life. But it just seems a little contrived to me. For the sake of his soul, I hope it's true and that he really does try to atone. The only way I think he can do that is to be the spokesperson for the SPCA, ASPCA, or the Humane Society, and to discourage dog fighting loudly and openly. If he does not do those things ...
I heard an interesting thing, that the judge has set a half day for sentencing. Which the ESPN expert (expert?) said usually means the defense is going to put on a dog and pony show to get his sentence considerably reduced.
I'm going to be disappointed if he doesn't do jail time. But the rumors are that he's giving up the names of drug dealers that were surrounding Bad Newz Kennels. And that is expected to weigh heavily with the government prosecutors and in the end, the judge.
He may just end up with probation.
I hope he actually stays away from this cruelty because of this. I hope he does know that what he was a part of is truly, truly wrong. My instinct tells me that he does not. But I hope that I'm wrong.
My initial thought is that cutting him immediately isn't the cheapest solution. Based on the NFL's suspension, they don't necessarily have to cut him. Vick couldn't play anyway until that suspension was lifted.
Still ... the consensus up to this point was that Vick would never play a home game in Atlanta again. Is that still the case?
As to Vick's statements after the plea was entered. It's not like the guy accidentally walked into a dog fighting ring and got caught up in the moment and placed a bet or killed a dog. This didn't happen one time, or even just a couple of times. This was something he bankrolled. Now I don't know whose idea it was to start the enterprise ... but it's not the sort of thing you can just apologize away. And his comment about "Finding Jesus;" it just makes me mad. If that's true ... well I can't speak to when God enters every life. But it just seems a little contrived to me. For the sake of his soul, I hope it's true and that he really does try to atone. The only way I think he can do that is to be the spokesperson for the SPCA, ASPCA, or the Humane Society, and to discourage dog fighting loudly and openly. If he does not do those things ...
I heard an interesting thing, that the judge has set a half day for sentencing. Which the ESPN expert (expert?) said usually means the defense is going to put on a dog and pony show to get his sentence considerably reduced.
I'm going to be disappointed if he doesn't do jail time. But the rumors are that he's giving up the names of drug dealers that were surrounding Bad Newz Kennels. And that is expected to weigh heavily with the government prosecutors and in the end, the judge.
He may just end up with probation.
I hope he actually stays away from this cruelty because of this. I hope he does know that what he was a part of is truly, truly wrong. My instinct tells me that he does not. But I hope that I'm wrong.
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