This article is not about Nevada County real estate or Nevada County. I just felt I had to write about Michael Vick going back into football and the NFL. Michael Vick, former quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons and once the highest paid player in football, was convicted in August 2007 of conspiracy and running a dog fighting operation.
He did not just bank roll the operation; he was part of it, hanging dogs, electrocuting and drowning them. He served 23 months in prison and house arrest. He was banned indefinitely from the NFL, well, that is until he got off house arrest in June of this year. On June 20th, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell conditionally lifted Vick’s suspension, allowing him to sign with a team.
So now the Philadelphia Eagles have given Vick a one year contract with an option for a second year. The first year’s deal is for $1.6 million with the second year option worth $5.2 million. If he’s a good boy, he can also earn an additional $3 million in incentives over the two years.
He laid his soul bare on “60 Minutes” putting up a great act on how sorry he was, how his childhood created the demon in him. I’m sorry, but you either feel or have empathy for living creatures or you don’t. I don’t believe that a person should be further punished once they have served their sentence, but I don’t think that someone who treated animals so cruelly should be placed in a position as a role model for children. It’s kind of like asking a sexual predator to give talks to school children on morals.
Quoting from ESPN: “Asked if he was more concerned about his playing career or the dogs he hurt, Vick replied, “Football don’t even matter.” (Yah, I don’t care if I make millions or not)
The animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, wasted no time reminding people exactly what Vick had done. “PETA and millions of decent football fans around the world are disappointed that the Eagles decided to sign a guy who hung dogs from trees. He electrocuted them with jumper cables and held them under water,”
PETA spokesman Dan Shannon told The Associated Press. “You have to wonder what sort of message this sends to young fans who care about animals and don’t want them to be harmed.” (I can’t agree more.)
Can someone learn empathy in federal prison? I don’t know. I know that I can’t even watch TV’s “The Most Dangerous Catch” because I feel sorry for the crabs caught in the crab traps and being tossed into the ships hole. Is empathy born into you or does your upbringing stop you from developing empathy for life and all of its living creatures?
We’ll see how Vick does with the rest of his life. At least he’ll think twice before he electrocutes another dog. I’m sure not going to pay to see Michael Vick play, that’s about the only way you can show your disgust for Vick as a role model for children.
Is it right to let a man who delibritly harmed and abused animals be brought back to the NFL and earn millons of dollars after what he has done.I can’t belive that Roger Goodwell commissioner of the NFL is going to let Vick play. And I don’t know what 23 months in jail does to a person but I know after doing somthing like that, Vick should not under any cercomstances be brought back into the NFL. I’m twelve years old and after hearing that the NFL would let Michael Vick come back I thought what kind of level is Americia sinking to,when we let dog abuser play in major league football.
We, the fans of football, have an opportunity to send a message to the NFL brass. Boycott the Eagles games, in person or on television. Yes, we’ll have to sacrifice another team that we might like to see, but, hitting them in their overstuffed wallet is obviously what they understand. When the Eagles realize that their fan base has suffered as a result of their greedy decision to sign Vick, maybe they won’t pick him up again next season. Let’s do it for the dogs who suffered in so much pain, very deliberate pain, at his hands. Picture someone torturing your own dog in that way, that’s right people, we need to GET MAD and refuse to support Vick and the team who hired him.