Watching Michael Vick play quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons used to be a pleasure. I emphasize used "to be" because now when I think of Michael Vick, I think of everything that is wrong with famous athletes today. Who knows how Michael Vick's indictment (charges of operating a dogfighting ring) will end up? But at least one good thing has happened. The public has increased its awareness of animal cruelty. Canine death matches are barbaric, inhumane and illegal.
55 pit bulls were taken from NFL quarterback Michael Vick's property. It is estimated that there are thousands of canine death matches held each year in the United States.
Humane Societies, animal control agencies and police have all cooperated in raids on dogfighting. Seized dogs inevitably are euthanized. Carcases of dogs, bloody walls and flooring are common place at such matches. Dogs that lose their fight often are shot, electrocuted, or burned.
55 pit bulls were taken from NFL quarterback Michael Vick's property. It is estimated that there are thousands of canine death matches held each year in the United States.
Humane Societies, animal control agencies and police have all cooperated in raids on dogfighting. Seized dogs inevitably are euthanized. Carcases of dogs, bloody walls and flooring are common place at such matches. Dogs that lose their fight often are shot, electrocuted, or burned.
It is not uncommon for these raids to confiscate drugs, weapons and gambling money. Sgt. David Hunt of the Franklin County (Ohio) Sheriff's Office says, "There's only been one where we didn't find drugs."(Hunt testified before Congress last year.) Dogfighting is a federal felony. Vick has been indicted in Richmond, Va., in federal district court and is charged with transporting fighting dogs across state lines and engaging in dogfighting. Vick, if convicted, could be sentenced to six-years in prison and a $350,000 fine.
Vick is innocent until proven guilty. But even before his trial, I have destroyed any of his memorabilia that I owned and hopefully, I am not alone.
Update 7-20-07: Nike apparently agrees. They have apparently suspended the release of Vick's most recent signature shoe. Let's keep the protest rolling...
Why stick with Vick? In April, Vick failed to appear on Capitol Hill to lobby for increased funding for after-school programs as scheduled. Vick's publicist blamed it on playing in teammate Warrick Dunn's charity golf tournament, then missing a connecting flight. AirTran has an endorsement deal with Vick. AirTran admitted that the flight from Florida was late getting into Atlanta, causing him to miss his 8:35 p.m. connection, but Vick was booked on a 10:50 p.m. flight and he failed to show.
Vick had a chance to be Superman. He should have been the Michael Jordan of Football. Instead, he will forever in many minds be associated with animal cruelty.
Update 7-20-07: Nike apparently agrees. They have apparently suspended the release of Vick's most recent signature shoe. Let's keep the protest rolling...
Why stick with Vick? In April, Vick failed to appear on Capitol Hill to lobby for increased funding for after-school programs as scheduled. Vick's publicist blamed it on playing in teammate Warrick Dunn's charity golf tournament, then missing a connecting flight. AirTran has an endorsement deal with Vick. AirTran admitted that the flight from Florida was late getting into Atlanta, causing him to miss his 8:35 p.m. connection, but Vick was booked on a 10:50 p.m. flight and he failed to show.
Vick had a chance to be Superman. He should have been the Michael Jordan of Football. Instead, he will forever in many minds be associated with animal cruelty.
Update 8-14-09: Vick having served his time in jail has been given a second chance by the NFL. Vick has signed to play for the Philadelphia Eagles for 1.6 million dollars this year. Next year he will receive in excess of 5 million dollars. Perhaps crime does not pay: but the NFL sure does!
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18 comments:
Ok, Pubmeister, I am with Legal Pub. I will burn my #7 jersey this weekend. Probably only appropriate since I burned my bra many years ago!
Shell
Iron Mike said...
Mike Vick has ruined whatever good will he had built up over the years.
Animal cruelty is disgusting. Betting on it even worse. If you want fights, go to UFC where men fight voluntarily.
Iron Mike
Dogfighting is morally questionable on its own. However, Vick's involvement in killing animals is downright evil. Allegedly, Vick and his posse would torture these animals to death when they were past their prime or useless to their hobby (e.g. clubbing them over the head, drowning them, etc.).
Just plain evil
Serious question: What is wrong with dog fighting?
Is it not better than people fighting?
Is it not what these dogs have been bread to do?
Jeremy
Jeremy you are either a cruel bast**D
or you are an idiot or both.
Animal cruelty has even been linked to serial killing. Get a clue.
Brenda
There is an interview with Michael Vick's dog on The PhatPhree:
http://www.thephatphree.com/features.asp?StoryID=3901&SectionID=13&LayoutType=1
for anyone who might be interested. The language gets harsh but then, hey, it is a pitbull!
Whether you support dogfighting or not, you can't deny that one of the biggest problems is that many of these animals seem to escape and attack people, especially children. It's not the dogs; it's oftentimes that a bad ass dog attracts an owner who thinks he's a badass.
Years ago, when my oldest nephew was four, we were down on the beach, along with hundreds of other people. A guy was walking his pitbull in the sand. (It is illegal to have a dog on the beach during the day in Chicago; but rules aren't for "badasses" like this guy!) His dog got one look at my nephew and went nuts. He barked and growled and pulled on the leash. The guy could barely restrain him. The dog then kept trying to rip the leash out of the man's grip with his mouth.
A few friends and me prepared in case the dog got loose. We readied a volleyball net to throw over him and drag him into the water, where we would stab him with volleyball stakes and attempt to drown him. A few others prepared to handle the guy if he interferred. Thankfully, it didn't come to that.
The sad thing, again, is that if the dog had attacked, it would not have been his fault; it's the lack of training from the owner. I've stayed with people who had Rotweiler attack dogs that were the nicest dogs in the world, only going crazy on the attack commands. That being said, we could hardly do anything else to stop the dog; there was no way he was getting my nephew in his teeth, owner's fault or not. For this reason alone, dogfighting should be illegal, let alone the debate of animal cruelty.
I mean, what kind of guy brings a dog like that down to a beach filled with people and children? A guy with a bad attitude who is attracted to owning a bad dog, irresponsibly. Come to think of it, the guy walking the dog was wearing the number 7...
Jeremy - People have a choice to fight or not. People are able to enjoy their winnings - buy cars, houses, whatever. When they fight, people are protected by regulations, referees, and protective gear. They don't fight to the death. People are able to walk away from the fight they chose to be in, and then fight another time; or leave the fighting life, when they're too old or too batterred.
Dogs have no choice. They get no rewards. They sometimes fight to the death. When they're too old or too battered to fight, they're the 'training dummies' for younger, stronger dogs. (countless other animals are also sacrifed as training dummies.)
It's cruel, evil, and barbaric. It's a betrayal of trust to the loyalty and love that dogs have given humans for thousands of years.
I do not like Michael Vick.
I do not like pitbulls.
Pubmeister, next story, PLEASE!
Although we did learn about Shell's undergarments in this one, so maybe the story was not that bad.
And DYSTT, your story sounds like you are describing North Avenue beach, or was it Oak Street beach by chance?
Collency, Iron Mike,Brenda, all great comments. Jeremy, you enjoy freedom of speech here and are welcome to your opinion.
As to Ian, I heard a different version of the story. It goes like this. So this comedian is on the beach playing volleyball. Along comes this ugly man. Someone says to the guy walking the dog, hey buddy, if I had a dog that looked as ugly as you I would shave its butt and make it walk backwards.
The man, thinking it not a bad idea to help in his quest for girls starts to walk backwards as he contemplates whether he should use a blade or an electric. The dog becomes embarrassed by its owner and becomes enraged.
Ian saves the day by giving the man a copy of his book God is a Woman- Dating Disasters. The man speed reads the book, cleans up his act, the dog becomes content and women all over the beach rejoice because there is one more enlightened man.
Legal Pub,
he COULDA been the Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods of football, instead he's just "pondscum".
Ms. C. is right! Michael Vick is another example supporting my contention that men are pigs!
Now, I like pigs, but only in the form of bacon.
Shell
C'mon, Shell - not all men are pigs! I'm certain that many of the investigators, attornies, and law enforcement folk who shut this operation down, are men.
Colleency,
My view is all men have pig tendencies. Decent men are those who suppress such genetic tendencies.
Decent men accomplish much in this world. Unfortunately, the hooter and hollers and such detract from the decent men who contribute.
Michael Vick is an example of a waste of humanity. He is the worst kind. He had so much, but despite having so much, he still breaks the law (marijuana at airport) (gambling on dog fighting) and (agreed contractual appearances) that I have no respect remaining for the man.
And why does society raise male athletes on such pedestals? Society does not pay female athletes on a similar scale. Why the disparity? Yet, men will pay big money for women like me to mow a lawn in a bikini. Only one answer: pig genetics.
Shell
Animal cruelty and abuse is all over. It affects too many people. Today CNN did a story on "Hogdogging." This is a spectator sport where the dog chases down and hurts the hog.
In Alameda, CO, police have apparently located the owner of three pit bulls that allegedly attacked a man and his son in Garin Regional Park on July 14.
Shauna Clark, a 50-year-old, was reportedly walking her five pit bulls near the entrance to the park when three of the animals broke loose. Luis Diaz, was able to partially protect his 3-year-old son Jose by holding him above his shoulders. Both father and son sustained moderate injuries to their legs and lower backs.
A park ranger heard Diaz and radioed for police. Both father and son were treated at Children's Hospital.
Vick has become an animal. Just like his brother, he is headed in the wrong direction.
I hope Vick learns a new trade in prison and gives up football.
I am sure Vick is working out in the yard!
Update 8-14-09: Vick having served his time in jail has been given a second chance by the NFL. Vick has signed to play for the Philadelphia Eagles for 1.6 million dollars this year. Next year he will receive in excess of 5 million dollars. Perhaps crime does not pay: but the NFL sure does!
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