As we mentioned earlier today, we think that ESPN’s report regarding a Thursday or Friday meeting between Mike Vick and Commissioner Roger Goodell is right on the money.
Indeed, we suspect that Chris Mortensen knows a lot more than he’s letting on, in order to protect sources who could get in deep doo-doo if they are compromised.
Still, whether Vick gets back in comes down to the manner in which he performs in his meeting with Goodell. If he’s remorseful and contrite and honest, he’ll be conditionally reinstated for training camp and the preseason, with a final verdict to come later. And if he’s arrogant and/or defiant and/or dishonest, he’s not getting back in.
For more, here’s a new PFTV segment.
Now ESPN is suddenly “right on the money”?
So, trying to pull back a little from all your haughty condemnations yesterday, huh?
What happened? Did ESPN send hired goons to your house to threaten you?
Did Stuart Scott look at you funny, then threaten to smother you with the other, cooler side of the pillow?
Did Berman tell you he’d come over to fix your TV, then he. could. go. all. the. way?
Did Greeney threaten to style your hair, or slap at you with his fluttering wrists?
Maybe Kornholer threatened to talk to you about Favre and Rodgers?
I just think it’s funny how you are constantly measuring yourself against/critiquing a Disney-owned juggernaut like ESPN–it’d be like me complaining the performance of the weather.
Technically his legal troubles are not behind him, he’s still on 3 years probation for state dog fighting charges. We all know what this means if he messes up even the least bit he will be right back in the slammer.
he’s not that much of an idiot, of corse he’ll be remorseful!!! he’ll be reinstated & any team that has a questionable QB situation will get him!!! I think SF is a logical choice cus they have NO QB’s that perform!!!
I have talked to numerous people about this and after reading what most people say here I feel like I need to voice my opinion.
Michael Vick should be allowed to resume his career.
First off let me say that 23 months in prison is more time than Stallworth ever did (24 days), and he killed a man. I don’t care how remorseful you are or how cooperative you are, if you kill a man while intoxicated, you should be incarcerated for a long period of time. His “monetary” settlement with the family of the victim got him a “get out of jail quickly” card. Vick was remoresful when he was convicted, and he had a lot of money as well, yet he still did the time he was given. And for that, I respect him more than Stallworth.
Here’s another point I’d like to bring to your attention: have we all forgotten about guys like Ray Lewis and Pacman Jones? Lewis was accused of killing a man, and Pacman is, well, if I have to reiterate his criminal behavior than you must not be up to date on your football. They are both playing (or in Pacman’s case, have played) in the league.
This is not to say that dogs are not living beings and an exception to our moral code. I am a dog lover and have a wonderful black lab named Riggins (hail!). She is a great addition to my family. I am not justifying what Vick did; it was cruel and wrong on all accounts, but he has repented and has done all he can to resume his career.
And that leads to my next point, if Vick cannot return to his previous life, what is the point of rehabilitation? If you kill a man or a woman, you should be locked up for a long time, and in most cases you should remain incarcerated because you are not fit to remain amongst society. But people have committed other crimes such as abuse or drug trafficking, and have been rehabilitated so they may return to the world and continue to live their lives. If a man who has done his time and learned from his mistakes cannot be allowed to resume his career, then what does that say about our legal system, as well as our society?
Overall, Michael Vick made a terrible mistake which undoubtedly tarnished his image, and could potentially ruin his life. However, I believe in second chances and giving somebody the ability to reacclimate himself once again into society. Let the man return to the occupation he was born to do. Let him continue to repent for his crime, and work with our society to make it a safer environment.
I am aware people might be enraged with my comments, and you all deserve to fire back at me. But let me remind you that since the beginning I was on your side. I wanted him to go away for a long time. I was disgusted in what he did. But with 2 years to think about it, I have come to the conclusion that people who take responsibilty for their actions and reflect on their crimes should be given a second chance.
Remorse is a noun, remorseful is an adjective. Gee, with all that NBC dough rolling in, you’d think you could have paid some college kid $100 a week in beer money for him to actually proofread the garbage you spew out. That is, ofcourse, if you’re actually interested in gaining any journalistic credability.
@ Broman17:
I can respect your stance, and I am with you that he should be allowed to play…if the meeting goes well. One sticking point, however, is that you say he was remorseful when convicted. I remember him thinking it wasn’t a big deal right up until they told him what his sentence was. Then I remember a few months back him telling a judge that he would make $10 mil once he re-entered the league (as if THAT was/is a given). These indicators tell me that he has either never been remorseful or aware of the seriousness of his actions or has only recently become remorseful and aware. That is what this meeting is about. Let’s see how you feel about it now Michael. If he truly has had the epiphanies he should have had, then Goodell will figure that out, and allow him to play. If he has not, then I really think it’s time to tell him to find another line of work.
I am all for second chances, but I think they should be realistic chances, not just another go at screwing up.
Great post, though.
What exactly did Vick do to take responsibility for his actions? If he hadn’t gotten caught he’d still be doing it, I guarantee you that. The only thing he’s done is exactly what he needs to do to start earning again.
His “remorse” is due to the fact that he got caught, not for what he actually was caught DOING, his “contrition” will be an act, and his “honesty” no doubt will come from “he is honestly needing that NFL gig that Don Goodell and his capos promised him.”
As I’ve stated numerous times, the Goodell regime will ruin this sport forever.
Also, your website “Login” and “Remember Me” functions suck. By all indications, I am logged in, and when I hit submit, I get an error. Get a real webmaster, why don’tcha.
# godfather says: July 22, 2009 11:30 AM
Remorse is a noun, remorseful is an adjective. Gee, with all that NBC dough rolling in, you’d think you could have paid some college kid $100 a week in beer money for him to actually proofread the garbage you spew out. That is, ofcourse, if you’re actually interested in gaining any journalistic credability.
====================================
Actually Mr. Webster’s, he is using the adjective correctly describing he (Vick).
And it’s credibility, numbnuts.
@broman17
I see you pulled the big violin out. How can you, as a dog lover and owner, ever condone the return of a man who mutilated, murdered, and tortured those poor animals. Not to mention the fact that he personally hung, electrocuted, or slit the throats of the “non-performing” dogs.
Listen, I believe in second chances too. But someone who exhibits sociopathic behavior linked to the same kind of pattern behavior demonstrated by most serial killers, should NEVER be allowed the privalege of donning an NFL uniform ever again.
Now Stallworth made a mistake, but he was not COMPLETELY in the wrong (waiting for the backlash of comments here)… because it was found that Reyes was not properly obeying traffic patterns by not walking in the crosswalk. Does that excuse what Stallworth did? No. Did Stallworth accept responsibility, stay at the scene, and fully cooperate with investigators? Yes. Did he forfeit exhorbitant sums of money in reparations to the family? Yes. Does he deserve a second chance… all day over a murderer like Michael Vick.
Chances are, he’ll get another slap on the wrist from Goodell – 8 game suspension (maybe even a year)… but he most certainly deserves a lifetime ban.
Someone should ask JoeBro how you “repay” a debt.
He’s going to get 4 games on top of whatever Goodell gives him for the dog fighting for the failed pot test. It could be more if he was already in the program.
Personally, I never want to see him in an NFL uniform again.
Let him get a real job. His 2nd chance is his freedom and I don’t think he can show remorse or be remorseful for something that he’s been involved with for so long(over a decade) and around since he was an 8 year old boy.
I’d compare it to a husband or wife that has a decade long affair as opposed to the one that had a one night stand. The one that cheated once can be remorseful for his/her actions, but the one involved in a decade long affair, I find it impossible for them to be remorseful about anything other than getting busted, losing half the money in a divorce, and the embarrassment of the events.
Screw him…..
Why did you post the Big Ben story on the Vick post?
I think Goodell should ban Vick for at least another year. Letting Vick back in would hurt the NFL, the entire year would be about the felon Vick returning to the field. Also, I wouldn’t be sure that Goodell wouldn’t ban him for another year or perhaps 10 games, which would in essence keep him out for another year. Recall, Vick looked Goodell in the face when this story first broke and lied his @$$ off. I don’t think Goodell will take kindly to that.
Thank you RaidersSavior!
Perfectly stated!
I’ve read a lot of crap on the subject. Rarely does an opinion come out that matches with my own.
Refreshing.
“A mistake”
Let me string up this dog…
Electrocute this one…
Drown this one…
Slam this one to the ground…
“Whoops, pardon me, my mistake”
You know…after the whole “I’m going to clear my good name deal.
“I’d compare it to a husband or wife that has a decade long affair as opposed to the one that had a one night stand. The one that cheated once can be remorseful for his/her actions, but the one involved in a decade long affair, I find it impossible for them to be remorseful about anything other than getting busted, losing half the money in a divorce, and the embarrassment of the events”.
—————
This is bang on!
@ Broman17
“Vick was remoresful when he was convicted”
Yea, remorseful he got caught. Remorseful of his crime? No. He showed it with his lies and how he’s acted ever since. In my little city known as Bad News, Va., the local ghetto culture grows up thinking there is nothing wrong with dog fighting and running organized crime rings. You ca ntell plain as day that Vick still feels the same way. His only remorse, is that he got caught and had to pend time in jail.
“have we all forgotten about guys like Ray Lewis and Pacman Jones?”
No we haven’t, but they have nothing to do with this. Bring them or anyone else into this is just a waist of time. since you did, take note that Pac-Man got a year suspension for a far lesser crime and Lewis was reviewed by a different commissioner wit ha different set of rules.
“23 months in prison is more time than Stallworth”
We know how to do math too. Once again, he is not Vick, so his case doesn’t pertain to him. Stallworth is on an indefinite suspension, so everyone needs to stop crying over it in Vick articles. I think we all agree the judge let him off easy.
“Vick cannot return to his previous life, what is the point of rehabilitation?”
This is by fat the dumbest thing I have read in a long time.
Felons aren’t entitled to just go “Back to their previous life”. Vick is getting his second chance at freedom. this second chance means he has a chance ot make a living by any means possible. It doesn’t mean he automatically deserves the privilege of playing in professional sports and living a high end lifestyle. If he gets that chance so be it, but if he doesn’t, it doesn’t mean he’s not getting a second chance.
The point of “rehabilitation” is to hopefully teach the criminal or felon that what they did was wrong, and hopefully they won’t ever get involved with said crimes again.
“Michael Vick made a terrible mistake which undoubtedly tarnished his image”
A mistake!! Oh no, it wasn’t a “mistake” as you call it. It was the premeditated and voluntary involvement in a criminal organization the went on for a period of several years. That just can’t be written off as a “mistake”. It was far from a “mistake”.
“I believe in second chances and giving somebody the ability to reacclimate himself once again into society”
Yes, correct, and he is getting that chance right now. Once again, playing in the NFL is not a stipulation of whether he’s getting a second chance or not.
“If a man who has done his time and learned from his mistakes cannot be allowed to resume his career, then what does that say about our legal system, as well as our society?”
Our legal system is a joke these days. no lesson is ever learned, because we let our courts get away with slapping criminals on the wrist and letting them go.
Vick is a felon, and most all felons fail to regain their career status. What makes Vick so special that he should be treated any different than anyone else?
“Let the man return to the occupation he was born to do. Let him continue to repent for his crime, and work with our society to make it a safer environment.”
…so what was it Vick was “born to do”. Nobody is “born” to play football.
Also, if he is busy playing in the NFL, he won’t have time to truly work with society and help make it a safer environment. Repent for his crime? You mean repent for getting caught.
Right now the children in Vick’s home town think he did no wrong, that dog fighting is OK, and will laud him as a hero if he plays in the NFL again. That is completely opposite from helping make the world a safer place.
“I have come to the conclusion that people who take responsibilty for their actions and reflect on their crimes should be given a second chance.”
Well good then. I guess we agree that Vick should face a one year suspension from the NFL to give him more time to reflect on his wrong doings, because his actions have been far from remorseful thus far. All he is doing is walking the walk and talking the talk for the PC crowd in hopes he can go back to champagne wishes and caviar dreams.
I’ve mentioned this elsewhere, but lets not forget that more than dogs get hurt when it comes to organized gambling wrings. People get hurt as do their families. To think that Bad News Kennels was any different than the other scum bag riddled dog fighting rings in my area, is to be an idiot. These are very bad people who do very bad things to other people. Vick funded these thugs, and that makes him one of them.
@TNCM -
Thanks for the heads up – I find myself in the minority surrounding most topics, which is a shame, because I always feel I’m on the right side of the argument.
@Raiders757
Go silver & black… now that that’s out of the way..
great points all around – he needs to have a lifetime ban.
Do you think the DAWG POUND would root for him or chew him up like a milkbone???