We've said plenty about Mike Vick over the past few months as part of our side gig at SportingNews.com. We've identified ten teams that could take a run at him. And we've looked at the factors Commissioner Roger Goodell will be considering as he considers Vick's request for reinstatement.
So we needed to come up with a new approach, or find another cow to milk.
So we decided to keep the stool right where it is, for at least one more column. Click here for our latest take regarding Mr. Vick.
SportingNews.com: Vick shouldn't settle for second string when he gets a second chance
Posted by Mike Florio on July 19, 2009 10:59 PM ET
Just wait for Favre to make his decision and then tell the Vikings he wants to play for them.
Let's spend the summer talking about a convict who is not a player and an old retired QB who is a drama pimp seeking another publicity fix. This isn't football.
Mike, the stool joke is what makes PFT PFT. Stupid humor that makes me laugh out loud, literally. If we could just cut some of this new red tape that is keeping the comment ratings away, then PFT would be PFT again.
I rate your effort to bring back comment ratings as a 1.
Every time I see Vick's name in text it makes my skin crawl. If the NFL lets him play again I'll watch the Antique road show on Sundays instead. That's how much I despise him.
His name was Maximus, not "Maximum".
Ugh.
Riiight Florio... Vick should pull the Daunte Culpepper move from last year since that worked out so well.
Vick will never start at the NFL level again and dont give me that BS about how he had enough potential as a QB to be drafted #1. You cant seriously tell me that given a re-do that he would have been picked that high. Vick = most overhyped player ever
It doesn't matter if Vick is better than any of the 32 starting QBs. He has to be significantly better than any of the 32 starting QBs. Given Vick's age, baggage, and the economy, I just don't see any team bringing the guy in. I would think any coach that may want to bring Vick in, would immediately be on the hot seat and that he must get positive results from having Vick on the roster immediately. Vick can't be riding the pine. Vick can't be average, he has to make the team significantly better than average. Of course this all assumes that Goodell allows him back into the NFL.
If Vick is allowed back into the league, I believe it will be a public relations nightmare and that it has the potential to affect ticket sales negatively. Goodell will have a lot of explaining to do. Any good reporter will be able to put Goodell on the defensive.
If Goodell allows Vick back into the league at all, I believe it won't be announced until a busy part of the NFL season where the NFL is more active. If that is indeed the case, he won't be a starting QB. He won't be a second string QB either because he won't know the offense.
The Michael Vick thing is not going to be about football. His talent skills, and his time served will not be enough to overcome the insane publicity value that PETA will generate to oppose his reinstatement.
Any owner that takes him on, at any price, or with any expectations will be thrashed by PETA until they fold their cards.
The NFL is first about marketing, not winning, not being fair, but marketing and the franchise that allows themselves to be the focal point of a PETA campaign will suffer a HUGE public relations nightmare.
I don't care for PETA, I don't agree with their tactics, but I have seen what their members can carry in the way of commitment, and I don't think any NFL owner is going to be prepared for what that means from a public relations standpoint.
I really hope he is not further punished. WHile what he did is horrible, what is just as terrible is that there is a greater out pouring for this dude to stay out of football then Stallworth. Stallworth killed a person, Vick killed dogs. I have always had dogs, and I get angry if my kids even tease the dog, but still I have a solid grasp on reality and realize the difference between killing people and killing dogs.
People need to settle down for christ sakes. Vick went to jail, did his time, lost 20 million in salary and endorsements, and the story played out throughout the world. Im not condoning what he did but Leonard Little and Donte Stalworth KILLED people with their cars while under the influence.. Little, came back to the NFL too! Get off the Vick thing, what he did was wrong... I dont here anyone talking about Leonard Little at all. Personally, I felt Vick was an above average QB, a 7/10.
Fan_of_Four - Hey if you know when the Antique Roadshow is on, you probably shouldnt be watching football in the first place.
As for PETA, they simply take advantage of the sensationalistic media and abuse their influence to force people to make decision which are not always logical. I hope the 10's millions of steak eating football fans tell PETA to suck it!
I get so tired of hearing the Stallworth vs. Vick comparison.
Despite what many, like myself, feel is a too light sentence for Stallworth, what he did was an accident. He used extremely poor judgement and showed immaturity and stupidity. But his intent was not to kill anyone, and his behavior after the accident was exemplary. He has taken full responsibility and has been remorseful, by all accounts, from the time of the accident. These were all taken into account upon his sentencing.
Michael Vick, on the other hand, engaged in intentionally inhumane and illegal behavior for years. He denied culpability again and again and used legal maneuevers to deny responsibility until he realized he was going to go away for a long time unless he admitted what he was doing. Only then did he show remorse. It still remains to be seen whether he is truly rehabilitated.
You truly have to be a moron to not see the difference in these two cases.
Rutgers, you are a pile of vomit on society. YOu dont accidentially get into a car drunk and possibly high on pot.
You are the scum that cause societies to crumble. You make excuses for drunks and care more about an dog then you do a human being. Sorry, hate to tell you while Vick was wrong and disgusting, his behavior was far less wrong then someone killing someone by their own actions.
Did you realize that millions of animals die everyday so that we may eat.
Oh by the way, how many animals die to make footballs for the NFL and its supporting leagues?
Stupid hypocrite, with has no clue or reason, you should be placed into a ring and made to fight other morons like Vox.
Before reinstatement, the league should require Vick to perform in a halftime steel cage match against a few pitbulls.
Thanks RutgersFan & Fan_of_Four, my sentiments exactly! And as for KingJoe, you are an idiot! Vick will have paid his dues when he is wet-down & electrocuted like he did to the dogs...
First of all, anyone who listens to PETA is an idiot. That is one of the most evil and corrupt organizations in this country.
They have directly funded domestic terrorism.
People just jump on board with them because...hey...PETA likes animals...and so do I!
There are millions of PETA members...people who send them donations, etc.
How many of those people have pets? PETA is completely against having pets.
I don't understand why someone hasn't brought that organization down yet.
sportsfan says:
July 20, 2009 10:31 AM
Before reinstatement, the league should require Vick to perform in a halftime steel cage match against a few pitbulls.
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Isn't that also animal cruelty? Seems like a lot of people love to support PETA, but don't like to pay attention to any of PETA's real beliefs....
aSiSoiD:
You have perfectly explained why PETA will be an issue. I am not saying it is right, but that it is a fact. Once that organization zeros in on a franchise that accepts Vick, they will use all of their methods to focus on their agenda.
Vick shouldn't get a second chance, and the only string that we should be referencing is one that goes around his neck so that he can be hung like the dogs he massacred...
please excuse KingJoe for his braindead comments..he's never had a drop to drink...because everyone knows that the reason it's illegal to drive with too much alcohol in your system is because your judgement is impaired...which means you aren't thinking clearly.
As far as Vick, keep that scumbag out of the NFL. And Florio, if you were a respectable writer, you might've known that some of those teams you mentioned maybe having an interest in that loser have already gone on the record as saying they had no interest. The Bills even went so far as to laugh at the reporters that asked about any possible interest.