It's becoming increasingly clear that one of the dominant story lines of the 2009 offseason will be the fate of Falcons quarterback Mike Vick.
Apart from the fact that he'll head home on May 20 to serve out the last two months of his federal prison sentence without the need for Soap-on-a-Rope and then exit federal custody on July 20 and then try to waltz back onto a football field, Vick is embroiled in a contentious bankruptcy proceeding and faces new allegations that he raided a pension fund to pay some of his pre-prison bills.
On top of everything else, Vick is reportedly peddling a book.
According to the New York Daily News, literary agent Scott Waxman is shopping a Mike Vick memoir.
“What will he call his book, ‘Vick: One Lucky Dog’?” PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk told the Daily News. “If Vick has started writing this book while in jail, the proceeds should fall under the rule that says a felon can’t profit from his murderous deeds.”
The bigger question is whether Vick's plan to supplement his revenue with the money of folks who want to read the story of a man who had it all and squandered it constitutes the kind of remorse for which NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will be probing.
“Shame and contrition mean keeping a low profile and letting time tell that you’ve reformed, not angling for . . . a return to stardom and a book deal," Newkirk said.
And we agree. Prison apparently has not stripped Vick of his athletic entitlement mentality -- as evidenced by a proposed bankruptcy plan that would allow him to keep among other things a Ms. Pacman arcade game.
The bigger problem, as we see it, is that Vick apparently still surrounds himself with enablers, and the enablers know that if they tell Vick he should do something other than what Vick wants to do, they'll no longer be on the Mike Vick payroll.
We've finally gotten rid of Brett Favre, now a year of this creep?
I'm hoping by the time camp and preseason starts, this guy is forgotten.
I can't wait for Robert Edwards' first comment telling Florio to shut up.
It's bad enough that we have to legitimize Mick Vick with all this news coverage - but really, do we need to legitimize PETA while we're at it?
The GUY DID HIS TIME! NUFF SAID! Let him return to the field where he belongs! BEARS BEARS BEARS! That would be a good fit! Raiders Bears or even Cards! Ya Never know! Vick did his time! What more do these animal rights buffoons want?
And speaking of books, please continue to not buy "Quarterback of the Future".
But we already had one! Why does there always have to be that one repetitive annoying story most people don't want to hear about? First it was Favre, then Vick, then Favre, then Favre and now Vick again. Oy Vey!
Vick is illiterate, he can't spell book let alone write one.
Summer of Vick? Does he have a big block of cheese?
Mike,
What's it mean to be on "Vick's payroll"? He has no money to pay you to be on the payroll. His enablers suffer the same delusion that Mr. Vick will be able to pick up right where he left off.
It would be great for Goodell to be at the hearing, because of course an agent is going to paint a rosy picture of what is available for work. The real picture would be the 32 potential employers + 4 UFL companies + the possibility of some unspecified number of AFL employers, and there is always the CFL.
But, where does anyone in their right mind think that this man will make more than $10?
Spin is one thing, but as the article points out, if Mr. Vick becomes a construction worker, there is NO recovery of anything and this man rides off better than the AIG scandalous pigs!
How about, Vick gets to keep 50% of the first $750,000, one house, one modest car, 25% of all the earnings above $750,000 and below $10M, and then 33% of everything above $10M, until all is paid off?
He wouldn't like that would he? It would screw up his entitlement mentality.
I can only hope that the judge and all of the debtors, including his former agent, stand up to this plan and not be fooled. The big $ is in the NFL, and right now, there isn't enough of a demand for his (two year non-proven) talent in Atlanta, Philadelphia, New England, Miami, Dallas, San Diego, New Orleans...
Maybe you can go on a book signing tour together.
Vick could leave out the "dog killing" and still write a book.
How about a chapter or two on the "water bottle" incident.
Maybe a few lines on "flipping the bird to your fans".
And at least a paragraph covering the art of "Stealing Rolex's from the airport".
Then finally.....my personal favorite. "Ron Mexico.....the man, the myth, the STD infected running back.
But of course the whole thing would have to be written in crayon
I'm sick of hearing about Vick too. I don't understand what we want from him. He committed a crime is serving his time and has a right to earn a living when he is done. The New York Daily news is a rag and just to prove it they go and find the one group who thought Vick should do about 20 years and ask them for their opinion. I look at all that is wrong with this country and Vick is the least of our problems. I don't know if it makes people feel better to see Vick suffer and no I don't believe it's racial, yes I do believe people are sick of spoiled pampered athletes taking for granted what most of us we never have.
It wasn't enough for Michael Vick to be a rich,internationally famous
It wasn't enough for Michael Vick to be a rich,internationally
famous NFL football star. He had to be a brutal thug,too.
Vick appears to be a sociopath,and that's not gonna change.
How about he gets no media coverage until he goes back to prison for
something,which seems likely.
Vick is a thug and has no right to any good job
Anyone with a record does not get to work at homedepot let alone play for the NFL
He and his brother are the poster children for assholes in sports
Cleveland should sign Vick. A dog team with a dog pound for fans.
come on florio, if you want to talk about vick all summer by all means be my guest. But can we remove the 'falcons' moniker, please for us atlanta fans. I mean its been hard enough being a falcons fan for the past 20yrs, but now we finally have a great young QB and all we hear about is the sonic d-bag that used to hold the position!
Listen I am with you, let him get what he deserves, but the only reason he is still on our roster is because of contractual issues that would screw our salary cap and our current team, and do we really deserve to have our team screwed up anymore than that waste of a QB already has?
OK, honestly we need to let this hatred of Vick the football player go. I watch football to see players, it is not a personality contest when I watch football. Can you catch the ball, can you throw the ball, can you run with the ball, can you hit the guy with the ball? That is it!! PETA is equating a dog's life to a human life, GIVE ME A BREAK!!!! Vick would have done his time in jail and if the commish does not let him back in the league it is no different than an employers who don't hire ex-con who are working to rehab themselves. If Vick can play he should be employed, I don't care about his personal life only his football life. Hey Matt Jones is still in the league, what does that say about the commish, you decide.
Legend:
PETA already did a number on themselves when it was announced the other day that 95%, yes NINETY FIVE, of the animals they had for adoption were killed.
F--k PETA.
This is the "Summer of Vick II." The first one was in 2007.
Just when you think PETA has figured it out, they compare killing a dog to killing a human being.
But doesn't Vick still have to face at least a year suspension from Goddell? It doesn't make sense that his suspension is allowed to be served concurrently with a prison sentence.
Anyone who does anything nowadays writes a book. Why blast Vick for it? You know you are going to read it.
This title (appropriately) sounds like a line from a horror movie trailer.
Where's the Youtube link and the gratuitous Seinfeld reference? Replace George and Jerry with Vick and Goodell, maybe playing a round of "frolf"...
Vick "legitimized" peta.
Now I dare you to go to a no-kill shelter, fellows, and try to adopt a dog.
Be honest and tell them you will keep the dog outside a lot.
I know how this will turn out...
I'd just like to know Florio, how do you know who Vick is surrounding himself with these days? Also, how do you know what his mentality is now?
Again, Vick needs to serve at least a one-year suspension, which means no Vick during the 2009 season. Guys like Peter King can go on crying, because as much as they want to write (or film...) a sappy redemption feature about the contrite former-dog-killer's inspiring road back to NFL stardom, WE DON'T CARE.
Let the flames begin, but jeez the dude has lost just about everything and is trying to come back, we don't know what the book is about. It could be a "don't do what I did type" Get a grip people the guy has done his time, has lost everything he had, and has been humiliated far more than some NFL players for worse crimes such as rape (http://www.seattlepi.com/football/125083_stevens05.html) I'm not a Vick fan and likely may never be. But the fact is I don't know what else this guy needs to lose for people to finally say enough.
Legitimize PETA? I can understand PETA being legitimized...all they are trying to do is stand up for the rights of all animals, especially pets. They may be a bit radical at times, but their cause is good, with good hearts behind it. I cannot say the same for Mike Vick. Doing a short prison term for the crimes he committed was too easy on him to begin with. The state should've never dropped its charges, asked for twenty, and then settled for ten. The guy got off scott free on the state charges simply by finally admitting to his crimes for the federal charges. As a fan of a great team with poor QB play, I have asked myself numerous times "would I want Vick on my team, with all the protests and media circus crap, if he ran for two tds a game and chucked for two?" The answer is no... football players must be held to the same standards of behavior as everyone else, and as his goofy bankruptcy proposal shows, he certainly still thinks he is entitled to everything he owns, despite the reality of his debts. The guy is a whacko, and it is clear he will not change. Vick has offered no sincere remorse for his actions, and will only do so if it finacially benefits him. I hope Goodellgives this guy a ban for life to get in the heads of all the nfl players that think they are above the law.
PETA is the worst thing to ever happpen to the animal world.
he probably plays COD: world at war just to knife the dogs
Well said Legend.
Florio - give it a rest. Jealousy, hatred & harassment will only give you a one way ticket to where souls burn for an eternity.
You and Newkirk deserve one another "Anti-Rich-Black-Men". Give it up! No way should anyone be prisoned for killing some stupid, dumb dogs. When I was a kid growing up in the South, dogs stayed outside and did what they were purchased for: guard the property and if they failed at that, they were given some strict discipline and the authorities did nothing about it, because they were our property.
It was idiots like you and the ones bashing Vick that made dogs bigger than they deserve to be. Only sick individuals idolize animals. If they are your companions, that just shows how pathetic your social life really is.
If you are in a burning car, maybe the fire department will pull your dog out of the car and watch you burn - karma is a "you-know-what".
^ Here here. That crazy b!tch's comments were way out of line.
markmaddenkingfatso says:
March 29th, 2009 at 8:13 am
The GUY DID HIS TIME! NUFF SAID! Let him return to the field where he belongs! BEARS BEARS BEARS! That would be a good fit! Raiders Bears or even Cards! Ya Never know! Vick did his time! What more do these animal rights buffoons want?
His head on a platter for starters.
If Vick would have gotten in trouble for cat fighting... he would be throwing touchdowns right now
Ha ha WHITE PEOPLE!!!!! Sit a home, LAID OFF/UNEMPLOYED and cry while Vick is gonna get out and go back to making money. Maybe some of you should fight dogs to supplement your incomes, lol. NOBODY smart cares about PeTA or dogs and those of you stupid enough to follow them dont realize they kill more animals than anyone. dummies.
Florio is a PETA member. What a loser.
1,000,000 dead dogs arent worth one human life. Even in West Virginia! Get it through that conceded head of yours, Florio.
You know, for those of you sick of Vick and Favre stories, scan the headlines here (those are the things in bold) and if the story doesn't interest you, just scroll on by.
That's what I do with all the stories about which college athletes are working out for the pros. Those stories aren't that interesting to me, so I skip them. I don't feel the need to berate florio for daring to write a story that doesn't personally interest me.
Florio, you're doing great here. I love this site because I can read stuff I wouldn't ever hear about on espn et al.
The rest of you, quit your whining.
I don't know who to hate more.
Ingrid Newkirk, thinks people shouldn't use insulin because it was derived from pigs (even though her own staffers do) and she uses PETA money to finance firebombings of construction projects.
Vick is a low life P.O.S. who tortures and kills dogs.
This has all the makings of must see T.V.
Maybe the bankruptcy judge should make Vick be Newkirk's butler.
www.petakillsanimals.com
These people don't care about animals. They care about "the fight". They are attention whores and terrorists.
The title of his book should be: Michael Vick, every dog has his day!
"GregO" - White people like you are even more worthless than butt sniffing dogs. Mike Vick has too much money to be a butler, but I'm sure you can shine his shoes :)
Okay lets cut to the chase. You guys are so nervous that "The Last Position Not Dominated By A Black Athlete" is in danger of going away. That fat lady has already sang. Vick has changed the way owners review the quarterback position. Even Matt Cassell in just one season has made Tom Brady & Jay Cutler look insignificant and that's because he is mobile.
Mike Florio is just a whimpy hater that had sand kicked in his face on the beach. Vick has been out of football for 2 full seasons, yet just a mention of his name and he dominates the blogs, internet, ESPN, etc. That's why he was given the "highest" NFL contract of all time, and that includes Brett Favre, Eli and Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, so don't be hating Vick, you should be hating on the guys that write checks :)
Possible Title for Ookie's book
"Bubba Shot my Juke Box"
let me quote the great Beano Cook here..."The PETA people are worse then the taliban."
"CYNCYKID" - You seem upset :) Thanks for proving my point :) Have a nice day.
Matt Casell made Tom Brady look insignificant?
Brilliant.
I feel badly for the black supporters of Vick. They are the same ones who supported OJ (who went right back to white women in the decade between his trials, btw).
You are a rudderless ship...yelling at Florio or those who are rightfully appalled at Vick's crimes isn't the answer.
What you need to do is get a respectable job (defined as anything legal that earns you a pay check, so yes cleaning my office at night is respectable), stop thinking Travis Henry is a a real man, don't consider a black man who is educated and understands the proper conjugation of verbs a sell-out or Uncle Tom, stay with one woman (yes, that means your baby's mama--try even respecting and thinking of her as a person, rather than a role player), and most importantly raise your children with respect, dignity, teach them to value all life, education and you will be a real man.
Class dismissed.
Your credibility sinks lower and lower with every blurb about Michael Vick. It's obvious you have some vendetta against him and it's quite sad that you're risking your integrity just to fight against this guy.
People come here for rumors and football, not some guy that will try to make a comeback while no team will care for him then this story will be a non-story all along.
?>>markmaddenkingfatso says:
March 29th, 2009 at 8:13 am
The GUY DID HIS TIME! NUFF SAID! Let him return to the field where he belongs! BEARS BEARS BEARS! That would be a good fit! Raiders Bears or even Cards! Ya Never know! Vick did his time! What more do these animal rights buffoons want?<<
For him not to take another snap in the NFL in his lifetime.
Go find a cell phone kiosk. There's one in Denver said to be hiring.
>>czsanthony says:
March 29th, 2009 at 9:54 am
OK, honestly we need to let this hatred of Vick the football player go. I watch football to see players, it is not a personality contest when I watch football. Can you catch the ball, can you throw the ball, can you run with the ball, can you hit the guy with the ball? That is it!! PETA is equating a dog’s life to a human life, GIVE ME A BREAK!!!! Vick would have done his time in jail and if the commish does not let him back in the league it is no different than an employers who don’t hire ex-con who are working to rehab themselves. If Vick can play he should be employed, I don’t care about his personal life only his football life. Hey Matt is still in the league, what does that say about the commish, you decide.<<
Sure, he should be employed... by someone else. Where you got it in your head that the NFL *has* to bring him back is beyond me. The NFL is under NO obligation to hire him, and nor should they be.
The term "psychopath" that others have used about sums it up, which is why it's different than Matt Jones or Leonard Little or Donte Stallworth. Compared to those guys, Vick is the lowest form of life. He didn't make a careless mistake, he deliberately chose to torture and murder helpless animals for his own personal gain. He doesn't deserve the fame that comes with being a pro football player. He doesn't even deserve the fame that comes with being a garbage collector. Really, about the most he deserves in life is to be a professional porta-pottie cleaner.
>>BlueEyeDevils says:
March 29th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
“GregO” - White people like you are even more worthless than butt sniffing dogs. Mike Vick has too much money to be a butler, but I’m sure you can shine his shoes
Okay lets cut to the chase. You guys are so nervous that “The Last Position Not Dominated By A Black Athlete” is in danger of going away. That fat lady has already sang. Vick has changed the way owners review the quarterback position. Even Matt Cassell in just one season has made Tom Brady & Jay Cutler look insignificant and that’s because he is mobile.
Mike Florio is just a whimpy hater that had sand kicked in his face on the beach. Vick has been out of football for 2 full seasons, yet just a mention of his name and he dominates the blogs, internet, ESPN, etc. That’s why he was given the “highest” NFL contract of all time, and that includes Brett Favre, Eli and Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, so don’t be hating Vick, you should be hating on the guys that write checks <<
Wow... You really are the lowest common denominator of people, aren't you?
"The last position not dominated" - Sorry guys they are all dominated now :)
The only good thing about Michael Vick was his Madden debut...
I keep reading these "as we see it" blurbs added in once in a while. Did you write this to be an article on The Sporting News anc got shot down, so you decided to put this on your own bully pulpit? As I see it, more and more you are becoming less professional.
The problem signing Vick to a contract would be a fan backlash and protesters of how he treated animals. If someone was smart they would have him donate all proceeds of the book to abused animal shelters. This would help give him a better chance of a team signing him as they could point to this to show he is remorseful for his actions. I'm sure it would help influence Goodell also.