NFL will allow Vick to play, report says

[RamboLiberal]

For the time being, the NFL intends to let indicted Falcons quarterback Michael Vick continue to play, the Associated Press reported Thursday.

However, Vick will miss the first practice of the preseason because of a court appearance the same day on dog-fighting charges. And he could face additional local charges, according to a newspaper in Virginia. Local prosecution is "more than likely," Surry County, Va., prosecutor Gerald Poindexter said in a report in the Virginian-Pilot.

The AP report said that, after consulting with the Falcons, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and top league officials agreed to let the legal process determine the facts.

A person with knowledge of the meeting, who requested anonymity so the case would not be influenced, said the NFL would stick to that position for the foreseeable future, despite its new personal conduct policy, the report said.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2007/07/19/0719vickap.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

I think fans should just boo the crap out of this guy any time he's on the field.

[rudy23]

1. I knew Vick would get Scootered

That's okay, we'll just get to embarass him on the field two more times this season. Maybe we can get him to flip off the fans in the Georgia Dome again!

[DefenseLawyer]

3. Scootered?

Scooter was convicted, Vick has been charged; not sure I see the similarity between commuting the sentence of a convicted felon and maintaining the presumption of innocence for the accused.

[rudy23]

37. I kid, I kid. But you know Goodell is not going to come down on one of his biggest stars

He'll go after the Pac Mans and Chris Henry's to show he's a disciplinarian, but you know Michael Vick is going to get better treatment.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

2. i think fans should just NOT SHOW to games

where he could be allowed on the field and stop buying any of the stuff with his number/name on it...that would make a very loud statement. Once you hit the owners in the wallet, they generally make a move...

sP

[DefenseLawyer]

5. Are you boycotting the Duke lacrosse program too?

How's that working out for you?

[ProdigalJunkMail]

18. always have, always will

but not because of the rape allegations. When and if Vick comes out with some plausible defense, I will retract...which the Duke players did in about 1 week...

sP

OnEdit : the feds don't bring a case without reason/evidence like Nifong did...the feds have about a 96% conviction rate...

[BlackVelvet04]

23. Legally he doesn't have to prove himself innocent......

the prosecutor has to prove him guilty.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

25. really, i never knew that :sarcasm:

in the court of public opinion, he most certainly does for some people...and for a charge like this, he does for me and for a lot of others I would wager (of course, that would be illegal in this state)

sP

[DefenseLawyer]

35. Wow, you live in a different country than I do

Alberto's justice department shouldn't be questioned and defendants should publicly prove their innocence when they are charged? Just so you know, the feds bring conspiracy cases based solely on the 5K1 proffered testimony of an informant all the time. The conviction rate in federal court has a lot more to do with guideline sentencing and mandatory minimums than flawless prosecutions. But hey, your righteous indignation is more important than due process in this world, so there is no need for you to "retract".

[ProdigalJunkMail]

39. ok...i won't...but will you when this comes to fruition?

did you read the indictment? There is more than an informant here...but hey, believe what YOU will...and my righteous indignation won't convict him, a jury will...

sP

[taterguy]

6. Attendance makes up a tiny portion of NFL revenue

It's mostly TV money

[ProdigalJunkMail]

true, that

but you CAN get the message across...maybe do what everyone else here likes to do, contact and boycott the advertisers...

sP

[RB TexLa]

4. Why wouldn't they? He hasn't been convicted of anything.

[Goblinmonger]

7. So the only time players have been disciplined by the NFL

is when they have been convicted of something? Really?

[RB TexLa]

8. Not when one of their franchisees are paying the amount of money Vick is getting

[RobofSWVA]

11. even if the nfl has jumped the gun in the past

doesn't mean they should continue to do so. Innocence needs to be maintained until the state can prove guilt and the NFL should not act unless that occurs. This is so basic it shouldn't even need to be brought up on a progressive board like DU.

[Goblinmonger]

13. It was not about "innocence" in the past

it was about the image of the NFL. They made that very clear when they suspended Jones. If Vick isn't hurting the image of the NFL as much as Jones, I would like to know how not.

[RobofSWVA]

16. just because they did it in the past doesn't make it right.

I didn't like how they jumped the gun before packman was convicted and if they do the same to Vick I still won't like it. The policy needs to change. Now is as good a time as any.

[Goblinmonger]

19. They didn't "jump the gun." That's the point

They didn't say Pacman was guilty so he is suspended. They said he was acting like a shithead off the field and they weren't going to put up with that bullshit anymore. Seemed like a good point to me.

[eyesroll]

15. Well, right now there's a legal presumption Vick is innocent.

In many states, it's illegal to suspend or fire someone because of an arrest -- ANY arrest. In other states, it's only legal to suspend someone for an arrest that's relevant to the job (i.e. you don't have to let someone awaiting trial for selling narcotics to work as a pharmacist).

Hell, in Wisconsin, you can't even get fired/suspended for a *conviction* that's not related to your job.

Now, I don't know what Vick's contract says -- it very well say that he can be disciplined for an arrest, or that he's got to maintain an image and doing anything (legal or not) that messes with that image is grounds for discipline. In that case, the contract generally trumps employment law. Anyhow.

[Goblinmonger]

17. They suspended Pacman Jones for a year

and he has been convicted of nothing. So it seems pretty clear the NFL has the ability to do that. They made a big bunch of noise about how they were going to work on the image of the NFL as put forth by the players. I thought it was a good move. Apparently Vick sells enough merchandise that he is immune to that whole "image" thing.

Vick is getting special treatment by the NFL. I am not making comments as to his guilt or innocence, but, from what I have read, he is in some deep shit.

[RB TexLa]

20. violating probation and being charged with a crime are a bit different

legally speaking

[Goblinmonger]

22. Jones didn't violate probation

that was Tank that got suspended for that.

[RB TexLa]

26. State of West Va says he did

[Goblinmonger]

28. Are you talking about the 2005 deal?

Where he didn't contact his parole officer and they gave him 90 more days of probation? Because that has nothing to do with his NFL suspension that came down in April (OK, maybe a little bit because it was part of the long list, but it wasn't the reason like it was for Tank who was in jail for breaking his probation).

[RB TexLa]

29. The NFL can use whatever it wants. These things are completely arbitrary

Except they are going to protect the investment of their teams as they are doing with Vick. Really not a good comparison of a CB/return specialist vs. a QB.

[Goblinmonger]

33. I know they can do whatever they want.

Doesn't mean that I can't be kinda pissed off about their arbitrary nature to protect some overrated dogfighter.

[eyesroll]

24. True...football is a business, first and foremost.

I think it works the same way with pretty much any employer who has the discretion to do so -- keep 'em if they're worth it, money-wise, dump 'em if they're not.

As for special treatment -- I wonder what the respective contracts said. Perhaps Vick's agent negotiated him a "better" deal, and Jones had the boilerplate "image" clause in his contract.

Note: I'm not defending either of them morally, and perhaps if enough people scream, holler and take their money and viewership elsewhere, the NFL will rethink its position on retaining accused dogfighters.

[Goblinmonger]

30. Maybe he did get a better contract

and I have nothing to offer in that regard either way.

I haven't liked Vick from the start. I think he is highly overrated and not as talented as he thinks he is. Now I think he's an ass for whatever role he had in this dog fighting business. I think Jones is a prick, too. I was glad the NFL was making an effort to crack down on the assholes they employ. Now it looks like it just the same old crap.

[Poiuyt]

21. Every NFL contract has a morals clause

Something like a players contract can be terminated if it is reasonably determined by the club to reflect adversely on the club.

[BulletproofLandshark]

9. Pacman Jones hasn't yet been convicted of anything

And Goodell gave him a 1-year suspension. It seems to me like the NFL is OK with a double standard as long as one of the players they dedicate so much of their marketing to stays on the field.

[bicentennial_baby]

10. Bingo

[Goblinmonger]

12. That was my point up in #7.

It makes me sick. Vick is so fucking over-rated anyway. And now it is clear they will suspend some players for shit they do off field, but not others based, I guess, on visibility and jersey sales.

[bleedingheart]

14. and this doesn't suprise me....

[RubyDuby in GA]

27. I would never pay to go inside one of the games because I would never willing give Arthur Blank my $

but I will gladly stand outside with signs every week telling him exactly what I think of his despicable QB and him for letting him play.

I'm actually looking forward to football season now!!!!!

[bdamomma]

31. justice means nothing anymore.

again, Scooter did not pay for his crimes, now everyone will have that attitude.

[genie_weenie]

32. Talent trumps all in sports. Pros and Cons...

This is nothing new

http://www.amazon.com/Pros-Cons-Criminals-Who-Play/dp/0446524034

When the authors checked a sample consisting of a third of the players on National Football League teams during the 1996/97 season, they discovered that 21 percent had been arrested or indicted for serious crimes ranging from fraud to homicide.

[Strawman]

34. He'll have a criminal trial, but he has no right to keep his high profile job

At minimum, he is associated with a sick and rotten enterprise. I wouldn't want someone like that to be the public face of my franchise. And I'll be damned if I'll support a business that does. There is little doubt that dog fighting and animal torture went on at this place. The only thing yet to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt is the extent of his association with this enterprise.

Now Vick is contrite about what went on there because it's bad publicity for his team. He didn't seem to give two shits when he was proudly wearing apparel for his "Bad Newz Kennels." What a hollow bit of contrition.

The NFL has a conduct policy and most of these contracts have a morals clause. Best case scenario, I'd say he's violated both by mere association and financial support of this business. Worst case scenario, he was there when they tortured animals and will go to jail.

Save the defense attorney crap. Nobody is saying he shouldn't get a criminal trial. This is about a million dollar high profile job that he is not entitled to by any "right." I'd love to see this shitbag made an example of.

[JacquesMolay]

36. But they can no longer play 'Who Let the Dogs Out!" over the sound system ....

...n/t

[rudy23]

38. I'm so glad the Falcon's didn't keep Schaub. I want Vick to stay on the team, I think he's a cancer

I was always more scared of Schaub than Vick. Vick used to scare me, but I think he's been pretty well figured out. Unless he's developed a lazer sharp arm in the offseason, I want him out on that field.

[Goblinmonger]

40. You Saints fans.

Always looking for the angle.

Though it's the same reason I want Favre to keep playing for the Packers. Not that the Vikings are going to be great this year.

[rudy23]

42. When it comes to the Falcons, I'll take it any way I can get it.

I still want to beat Vick on the field, though. I don't pull for this kind of stuff to happen. I pull for games like the one last year, where we turned the Atlanta fans against Vick, and Vick against the fans (though that was a long time coming). You can't beat that for satisfaction.

Adrian Peterson has got to be exciting to you guys up there. I never feel safe against the Vikings. They've pwned us over the years. We've made Daunte Culpepper look like a Hall of Fame QB.

Though if Brees stays healthy, this is our year! Greatest Show on turf pt 2!

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

41. That Shows Monumentally Bad Judgment On Their Part. I'm In Awe.

I understand he hasn't gone through the legal process yet, but that shouldn't be the sole determining factor used in the decision either. The fact is, if you read all of the information available at this time, that the police have TONS of evidence linking him to what he's charged with and there is more than ample reason to find it likely that he was in fact involved. That doesn't make him legally 'guilty', but it should carry enough weight for the NFL to determine that since the charges are not only serious, but that there is substantial circumstancial evidence already available for him to not be allowed to play. This just makes the NFL look really bad.

And as far as vick goes, I hope he suffers the same fate in prison as the dogs had to in theirs.