Just saw on ESPNEWS, I know Vick is like-"Damm I can't out run Roger Goodell"


LOL-LOL

GOOD!!! I predicted it wouldn't be long before the PETA people got involved, and they were picketing the Falcon's training facility today.

LMAO I knew that was going to happen. I wonder what Atlanta 's going to do now? lol

LMAO I knew that was going to happen. I wonder what Atlanta 's going to do now? lol
start mr.joey harrington! lol

Someone should get a "rape stand" like the one Vick the Sick had on his property for the female dogs, and tie him up to it and let Vick have it BUTT GOOD.

LMAO I knew that was going to happen. I wonder what Atlanta 's going to do now? lol


Who is Atlanta's Backup QB? Rondo Nael?-lol

start mr.joey harrington! lol
LMAO And if he doesn't work out they can get Culpepper maybe...It'll be Miami all over again only in reverse. lol

Who is Atlanta's Backup QB? Rondo Nael?-lol
Joey Harrington......lol

I haven't been able to read ANY news stories about this because I can't read animal abuse stories. Enough has gotten by me that I know this jerk makes me sick. I can't read any abuse details, so please don't post them in quotes to me. Is this guy getting tossed out of football? Is PETA involved?

I haven't been able to read ANY news stories about this because I can't read animal abuse stories. Enough has gotten by me that I know this jerk makes me sick. I can't read any abuse details, so please don't post them in quotes to me. Is this guy getting tossed out of football? Is PETA involved?
Nobody knows yet what the NFL is going to do but PETA is already calling for his suspension.

I haven't been able to read ANY news stories about this because I can't read animal abuse stories. Enough has gotten by me that I know this jerk makes me sick. I can't read any abuse details, so please don't post them in quotes to me. Is this guy getting tossed out of football? Is PETA involved?
Oh yes! They were picketing the Falcons' training facility with signs and everything. Good for them!! :clap

Thanks Sonny and Monika. Gotta love PETA. I'm curious, why would a guy with all this money do this sort of thing? For kicks? Please no abuse details. I'm serious when I say I won't sleep tonight if I get an image in my mind.

I also heard today that Vick got a big time lawyer...the same one who represented Monica Lewinsky and her mother.

Thanks Sonny and Monika. Gotta love PETA. I'm curious, why would a guy with all this money do this sort of thing? For kicks? Please no abuse details. I'm serious when I say I won't sleep tonight if I get an image in my mind.
I don't know. I used to like Vick too....it seems like you can't trust anybody knowadays. He claims he's innocent but I find that hard to believe.

Vick will never survive this. There are too many animal lovers in the world. He'll get booed off every field. I can imagine the signs in the stadiums now.

I don't know. I used to like Vick too....it seems like you can't trust anybody knowadays. He claims he's innocent but I find that hard to believe.
Same here...who knows why ANYONE would do anything like that. Just sickening. :mad: :mumble: :angryfire

Vick will never survive this. There are too many animal lovers in the world. He'll get booed off every field. I can imagine the signs in the stadiums now.
Yea that's what I think...even if he avoids jail time and manages to stay in the NFL , he's going to be hated from stadium to stadium.

Yea that's what I think...even if he avoids jail time and manages to stay in the NFL , he's going to be hated from stadium to stadium.
If he gets booed every place he goes now...he deserves it!!

If he gets booed every place he goes now...he deserves it!!
I'll be one of the people booing him. What he and his buddies did was sickening. :mad:

I'm bowing out. I can't expect members to carry on an edited conversation about this because I can't handle it. Thanks Sonny and Monika. :wave:

I'm bowing out. I can't expect members to carry on an edited conversation about this because I can't handle it. Thanks Sonny and Monika. :wave:
You're welcome. :)

I just watched Drew Carey on Letterman and he said that if Vick plays in the NFL this year then he's not watching any games and the audience all cheered. That should tell Vick something.

Vick will never survive this. There are too many animal lovers in the world. He'll get booed off every field. I can imagine the signs in the stadiums now.

Nope he could just about do anything else, serve some time and be given a chance as a "reformed" person. There is no forgiveness in people for hurting defensless animals or children. His life will never be the same and nor should it be

I'm bowing out. I can't expect members to carry on an edited conversation about this because I can't handle it. Thanks Sonny and Monika. :wave:
No problem, Janice. :wave:

Here's the story on the Falcons' owner's press conference, held earlier today:

Falcons owner says "disappointed" in Vick By Matthew Bigg

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said on Tuesday he was "disappointed" in his star quarterback Michael Vick, who was indicted last week on charges of operating an illegal dog-fighting ring.

"In my heart right now for him personally I am sad. I feel badly that he potentially has put himself in a set of circumstances that are going to be very difficult for him to deal with," said Blank.

"This is not the young man I have got to know in the last six years so I am disappointed," he said at a news conference at the home of his foundation in Atlanta.

National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday asked Vick, 27, not to report to the Falcons' training camp while the indictment was reviewed. Vick is still drawing his salary.

Blank said the Falcons had wanted a stronger sanction against Vick but accepted Goodell's decision.

Vick, a three-time Pro Bowl selection with breakaway running speed and a powerful passing arm who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft, was indicted last week by a federal grand jury. He is to be arraigned in Richmond, Virginia on Thursday.

Blank, the billionaire founder of home-improvement retailer Home Depot, bought the Falcons in February 2002 and said he had known Vick since 2001.

"We had no indications, no signs, no whispers of any of this kind of behavior," he said in reference to the charges, the details of which he described as "repulsive."

A handful of animal rights protesters demonstrated outside the news conference.

The indictment said dogs sometimes fought to the death on Vick's property and that some losing dogs had been shot to death, drowned, hung or electrocuted. It also charged that Vick and his associates shot dogs that did not pass muster after tests of their fighting ability.

Vick has denied direct involvement in the pit bull fights that the indictment said took place on his property in Virginia.

Vick faces up to six years in prison and $350,000 in fines if convicted on all of the charges.

I hope people shun him and make his life hell just like what OJ Simpson goes through.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f302/faithatwar/VICKCHASED.jpg

Even if Vick's found not guilty - and the indictment's pretty damning - he's already been convicted in the court of public opinion. He's doomed.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f302/faithatwar/VICKCHASED.jpg
I like that. :lol:

Here's the story on the Falcons' owner's press conference, held earlier today:

Falcons owner says "disappointed" in Vick By Matthew Bigg

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said on Tuesday he was "disappointed" in his star quarterback Michael Vick, who was indicted last week on charges of operating an illegal dog-fighting ring.

"In my heart right now for him personally I am sad. I feel badly that he potentially has put himself in a set of circumstances that are going to be very difficult for him to deal with," said Blank.

"This is not the young man I have got to know in the last six years so I am disappointed," he said at a news conference at the home of his foundation in Atlanta.

National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday asked Vick, 27, not to report to the Falcons' training camp while the indictment was reviewed. Vick is still drawing his salary.

Blank said the Falcons had wanted a stronger sanction against Vick but accepted Goodell's decision.

Vick, a three-time Pro Bowl selection with breakaway running speed and a powerful passing arm who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft, was indicted last week by a federal grand jury. He is to be arraigned in Richmond, Virginia on Thursday.

Blank, the billionaire founder of home-improvement retailer Home Depot, bought the Falcons in February 2002 and said he had known Vick since 2001.

"We had no indications, no signs, no whispers of any of this kind of behavior," he said in reference to the charges, the details of which he described as "repulsive."

A handful of animal rights protesters demonstrated outside the news conference.

The indictment said dogs sometimes fought to the death on Vick's property and that some losing dogs had been shot to death, drowned, hung or electrocuted. It also charged that Vick and his associates shot dogs that did not pass muster after tests of their fighting ability.

Vick has denied direct involvement in the pit bull fights that the indictment said took place on his property in Virginia.

Vick faces up to six years in prison and $350,000 in fines if convicted on all of the charges.
Everybody thinks he's done with the Falcons regardless. The owner did not look happy.

I saw on ESPNEWS that it's very likely that Vick will be suspended for the 2007 season

If you're Vick and you've got Sharpton going against you, your goose is cooked. :lol:


http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/07/19/rev-al-sharpton-to-roger-goodell-and-arthur-blank-dogfightin/3

Rev. Al Sharpton to Roger Goodell and Arthur Blank: 'Dog Fighting is Unacceptable'

When NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank arrived at work yesterday, they each had a letter waiting for them (http://www.peta.org/MC/NewsItem.asp?id=10032).

The return address read "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals," but they weren't the only contributors to this envelope.


"The recent media spotlight on dogfighting reminds us of society's callous disregard for the suffering of animals and disrespect for sentient beings," the letter read "We hope that Mr. Vick is not a product of this insensitivity that runs through our society."

"It does us little good to prosecute just those who are famous and allow people across the country to continue to commit these hideous crimes. We are hopeful that authorities will take the appropriate action against anyone found guilty of an atrocity as serious as dogfighting."

"Today, we sound a clarion call to all people: Stand up for what is right, and speak out against what is wrong. Dogfighting is unacceptable. Hurting animals for human pleasure or gain is despicable. Cruelty is just plain wrong."
Signed: Ingrid Newkirk, president of PETA; Russell Simmons, RUSH communications and the Al Sharpton, the Reverend.

This statement served a purpose and its timing was not a coincidence. As details continue to emerge surround the Michael Vick (http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/tag/%selectedClean%/) controversy, so to do they about the despicable world of underground dog fighting (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19836601/site/newsweek/) and concern is beginning to be shown.

This will no doubt be the first of many letters sent by PETA and Al Sharpton. And I think it'd be safe to assume that this will not be the last we've heard from them when it comes to Michael Vick and his current indictment (http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/07/17/breaking-news-falcons-michael-vick-indicted-by-grand-jury/). What approach they'll take moving forward remains a mystery, but they'll certainly play significant roles as this saga unfolds.

http://www.nbcaugusta.com/news/local/8711562.html (http://www.nbcaugusta.com/news/local/8711562.html)

Retailers Say Michael Vick Merchandise Not Selling

http://media.nbcaugusta.com/designimages/video_icon_low2.gif (http://www.nbcaugusta.com/news/local/8711562.html?video=YLO)http://media.nbcaugusta.com/designimages/video_icon_hi2.gif (http://www.nbcaugusta.com/news/local/8711562.html?video=YHI)

http://media.nbcaugusta.com/images/vick.bmp

Thousands of dollars in Michael Vick jersey's hang in limbo at a North Augusta sports store. A container with dozens more, still waiting for customers.

"We don't know what we're going to do. We know we can't sell it for anything close to retail. We're either going to give it away at $10.00 or 80% off or just throw it away," SMS Sportsworld manager Bobby Sheridan said.

Vick's Footballs on display, but no takers. Boxes of Vick's new football cleats, still taped up. SMS Sports World, sending back the leather. "No one is interested at all," Sheridan said.

Since the allegations first surfaced against Vick, stores say they feel like they've been sacked and 'Vick'timized.

"We probably have $10,000 in Vick product between the cleats, jersey, footballs and yeah that money is lost," Sheridan said.

Hometown Sports is also taking a hit.

"We just had some gifts and we canceled our cleats," owner Karen Rigdon said.

Hundreds of dollars in Vick goods, pulled off Karen Rigdon's shelves. "If I can't send it back, I'll just eat it. I'll just keep it and not worry about it or destroy it," she said.

Rigdon isn't waiting for a verdict, she's already made up her mind. "I've got two dogs, one of them was rescued about a year and a half ago and I just don't see how somebody could do that to an animal," she said.

Innocent until proven guilty, but costly accusations for retailers.

THOUSANDS TO PROTEST MICHAEL VICK? by Michael David Smith

According to the Associated Press, thousands of protesters are expected in downtown Richmond tomorrow for Falcons quarterback Michael Vick's arraignment on federal conspiracy charges related to the dog fighting ring that allegedly ran on his Virginia property.

If the protesters truly number in the thousands, can there be any question that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made the right call in telling Vick he's not welcome at the Falcons' training camp? If so many people feel so passionately about the charges against Vick that thousands will turn out at Vick's arraignment, there presumably would have been thousands of protesters ready to jeer Vick at the Falcons' training camp, too.

NFL training camps are a great experience, one of the few opportunities fans have to see their favorite players for free. Turning the experience into a massive protest would have been a nightmare for the team and the league.

The Richmond Police Department is apparently bracing for a major protest as well. The city will close some streets downtown this evening in preparation for Vick's appearance in Richmond tomorrow.

THOUSANDS TO PROTEST MICHAEL VICK? by Michael David Smith

According to the Associated Press, thousands of protesters are expected in downtown Richmond tomorrow for Falcons quarterback Michael Vick's arraignment on federal conspiracy charges related to the dog fighting ring that allegedly ran on his Virginia property.

If the protesters truly number in the thousands, can there be any question that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made the right call in telling Vick he's not welcome at the Falcons' training camp? If so many people feel so passionately about the charges against Vick that thousands will turn out at Vick's arraignment, there presumably would have been thousands of protesters ready to jeer Vick at the Falcons' training camp, too.

NFL training camps are a great experience, one of the few opportunities fans have to see their favorite players for free. Turning the experience into a massive protest would have been a nightmare for the team and the league.

The Richmond Police Department is apparently bracing for a major protest as well. The city will close some streets downtown this evening in preparation for Vick's appearance in Richmond tomorrow.

:lol:

http://boortz.com/images/funny/072307_vick_trouble.jpg

http://boortz.com/nuze/200707/07232007.html

MICHAEL VICK
by Neal Boortz

At this point I'm sure that I don't have to do to much to bring you up to speed on Michael Vick and his latest troubles. A federal grand jury has indicted Vick on charges related to dog fighting. That may be just the beginning. The State of Virginia has yet to be heard from, and as I understand it mere ownership of property on which dog fights are held is a felony under Virginia law. Just one felony conviction and Vick is through with professional football in this country.

Let's put this "innocent until proven guilty" nonsense to rest right here at the beginning. When you kill someone you are a killer. If you do so in violation of the law; if it is not in self defense, for instance, you are a murderer. A person who kills a girlfriend because she merely wants out of the relationship is a murderer as soon as his victim's heart stops beating .. you don't have to wait for a jury to come in with a verdict.

So, where does this "innocent until proven guilty" stuff come in? The presumption of innocence is, in my view, a limitation that is primarily place on government. Generally speaking, only government can use force – deadly force – to deprive you of your property, your liberty or your life. If the government is going to do so as punishment for the commission of a crime, then the government must afford you your constitutional rights and prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. It is the government, then, that must consider you to be innocent until otherwise proven. After the act, the rapist is only innocent in the eyes of government. The victim views him quite differently.

O.J. Simpson is a murderer. There is not one rational-thinking American familiar with knowledge of the facts of his case who honestly believes otherwise. A renegade jury failed to convict him however, so the government cannot punish him for his butchery. If O.J. objects to my characterization of him as a murderer he has civil remedies he can pursue. I, however, am powerless to punish him for the slaughter of his wife and Ron Goldman.

Now .. back to Vick. Personally, I have no doubt that he knew of and was a willing and eager participant in this blood "sport" of dog fighting. I'm an animal lover. I particularly love dogs. I would have no problem whatsoever seeing him serve some time in jail for his crime. I believe that people can be judged by how they treat animals. If what they allege about Michael Vick is true then he is completely lacking any sense of morality and human decency. Jail might be too good for him. Better to baste him in steak sauce and throw him into a cage full of the very dogs he so loved to brutalize.

What should the Falcons do with Vick? Totally their choice. They have a contract with this thug that would allow them to fire him on the spot. I'm not Arthur Blank and I have no idea what it would feel like to invest tens of millions of dollars in someone only to have them turn out to be such a miserable person and a complete embarrassment to the entire organization off-field. How do you explain to Vick's teammates that their season is about to be negatively affected because of these indictments? What do you say when they cry "He hasn't been convicted yet!" Perhaps if Blank and the Falcons had not invested so much time, effort and money into protecting Michael Vick from his own persona over the years things might not have come to this. But Vick was a jock .. a hero .. a prized gladiator.

He generated massive amounts of revenue, not only for the team, but for the league ... and was thus entitled to treatment that would insulate him from his own repugnant actions. If someone in a position of authority had smacked him down a few years ago, the team might not be going through this today.

As I said, the Falcons can do with Vick as they please. If he's convicted of a felony we should expect the NFL to follow the rules they've set and send him packing. We'll see. But I, as a fan, have my own choices to make, and my choice will be to have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the Falcons as long as this thug is wearing their uniform. As long as Michael Vick is part of the organization, the organization, for me, ceases to exist. My wife is from Jacksonville, so I'm now officially a Jaguars fan.

Now ... let's address the race angle. I've been reading some of the blogs out there, and I did have a chance to listen to some sports talk radio over the weekend. What I've read and heard is entirely predictable. Everyone is out to get Michael Vick because he's black. The whole investigation is racially based.

This isn't about race. It's about culture. Black urban culture, to be more precise. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that organized dogfighting has increased by well over 300% since 1992. In many cases the dogfighting takes place in conjunction with drug dealing. The director of the Capital Area Humane Society in Ohio told the Cincinnati Inquirer ""Dogfighting is a family event, often held in a large warehouse. Children watch and there can be concession stands at one end, gambling somewhere else, and over in this corner they'll be selling cocaine and crack."

I'm sure it will come as no surprise to you that dogfighting has been glorified in rap music. DMX and Snoop Dog have promoted the practice in their "music" videos.

Eileen Lou-Harrist wrote "In recent years, pit bull terriers have become a macho accessory in urban culture, where kids are attracted to the animals' reputation as inherently mean dogs. Add the hard-edged glamour of the dogfight—the gambling, drugs and weapons; the illegality; the 'fight 'til you die' credo—and dogfighting flourishes in places where cultivating a tough reputation is often paramount to survival." Now is Lou-Harrist describing any sort of a racial characteristic with those words? Hardly.

She's describing a culture; urban street culture. Gangsta culture. So for all of you out there who will try to make this whole Michael Vick affair into a racial issue, put a sock in it. We're talking culture here, not race; a violent, immoral and cruel culture that promotes violence and disrespect for common decency and the law; a culture now vividly represented by Michael Vick.

I'm told that if you visit animal rescue shelters in many urban areas you'll find that over 60% of the dogs there are pit bulls or some variation. Slam a few of these people in jail for some extended sentences and let's see how quickly that changes.


NOW ... ABOUT THAT ROLEX WATCH

Alan Judd of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote a great article detailing the privileged live of Michael Vick. In that article Judd relates the story of a Rolex watch pilfered by one of Vick's "crew" at the Atlanta airport. I don't want to re-tell the entire Rolex watch episode here so click here to read the story for yourself. (http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2007/07/21/0722vickbio.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab)Reader's Digest version, one of Vick's hangers-on stole a watch during the security screening process at Hartsfield. The story says the Rolex belonged to a security screener. It was later recovered and returned, along with a bit of cash.

That's not the way I heard it.

I've been aware of the Rolex episode for some time now, but had been asked not to say anything. I've received permission from my airport source to go ahead and relate the story.

If you've read Judd's version, there are a few corrections and additions. First, the Rolex swiped from the x-ray conveyor belt did not belong to a screener. I heard that it belonged to an Atlanta businessman. Why, after all, would a screener (a) have a Rolex in the first place; and (b) take it off to send it through the x-ray machine?

At any rate, the businessman raised holy hell as soon as his Rolex turned up missing. Finally Atlanta police decided to look at the video. The video clearly showed a member of Vick's posse picking up the watch and putting it in his pocket. A call was made to the airlines serving Hartsfield to see where Vick and his gang were heading. When Vick and his entourage arrived at their destination the cops were waiting for them when they deplaned. A police officer told Vick what had happened. Vick turned to his "crew" and asked who had the Rolex. One of his friends pulled it out of his pocket and handed it over to Vick who gave it to the police. Oddly, the police then returned the Rolex to Vick on a promise that he would hand it over to Falcon's officials who would then return it to the rightful owner.

Judd's story says that the person who took the Rolex did so because he thought it was Vick's. Yeah ... right. That being the case, why didn't he hand it to Vick as soon as they were through security? "Hey, Michael! Here's your watch! See how I'm looking out for you bro?"

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=jc-vickleave072407&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Wall of resistance

How Michael Vick reacts to the mandate from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to skip training camp could have an impact well beyond whether the embattled quarterback plays during the upcoming season.

Until Monday, when Goodell ordered Vick to stay away from the team's training camp while the league reviews the federal dogfighting charges against him, at least one person close to Vick felt he didn't fully grasp the ramifications of his circumstances.

"I wouldn't say he's delusional about the problem, but I don't think he sees it as being as big a deal as everybody else," the associate said. "He thinks it's going to blow over eventually … He doesn't know how deep this goes."

That's why Vick had been resisting attempts from the Falcons to accept a leave of absence to deal with his case, according to multiple sources. Vick will be arraigned Thursday and is expected to spend months fighting the charges. Serious preparation for that began Monday when Vick hired high-profile attorney Billy Martin.

Martin could play a key role in the aftermath of Goodell's punishment. "Hopefully (Martin) can convince (Vick) that playing right now isn't a good idea," the associate said. "If Michael is with the team, it's going to be a circus every day."

Or as an NFL Players Association source said, the media will consistently raise the questions: "How is Vick playing? Is he distracted? Did he meet with his lawyers? What do his teammate think? Are people protesting?"

Moreover, what will potential jurors think?

The idea that Vick can play this season if the trial is going on simultaneously is difficult enough to comprehend. But if jurors get the idea that Vick doesn't take his predicament seriously, the perception could be even worse.

"It's almost like he'd be thumbing his nose at the whole process," the NFLPA source said. "This is serious stuff. He's fighting for his freedom."

The NFLPA hopes Vick decides to stay away on his own because it will prevent a potentially sticky situation.

Goodell has stopped short of suspending Vick so far under the guidelines of the personal conduct policy because Vick is a first-time offender under those guidelines. While Vick has had his share of embarrassments in his career (the water bottle incident at Miami International Airport this offseason, flipping off the fans last season and the "Ron Mexico"/herpes situation), he doesn't have any convictions or arrests on his record.

According to a source, that means Goodell will have trouble making a suspension stick. Worse, it could put the union in the position of having to fight the league on Vick's behalf, a potential public relations nightmare.

Beyond that, any battle over the personal conduct policy could eventually impact the suspensions already given to Adam "Pacman" Jones, Chris Henry and Tank Johnson.

Bottom line, the entire Vick issue has numerous far-reaching tentacles.

"Everything about this case has to be carefully considered because of all the ramifications," an NFL source said. "The league has to be careful because we don't know that what we do will be part of the federal investigation. Every step has to be analyzed."

Of course, Vick could solve the problem by stepping away.

Such a decision also would save Falcons owner Arthur Blank a public relations disaster. At this stage, he faces criticism from all sides. On Monday, approximately 50 people from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals protested in front of team headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga. PETA also picketed the NFL offices on Friday.

Yet, Blank acknowledged in a statement last week that "we must consider all of our customers in making any decisions," conceding that at least some ticket holders would prefer to see Vick play.

The NFL had patiently tried to convince Vick and/or Blank to take action since the indictment was announced July 17.

"Exasperated? Yeah, that's a pretty good way to describe how (the league) feels right now," said another league source. "I would say that (Goodell) is doing everything he can not to lose his cool, but his patience is running out right now. I think everybody with any common sense agrees that Vick can't be around the league right now and this thing can't keep going on much longer."

Or as a second league source said: "The commissioner has been waiting for the Falcons and Vick to do something. He's not waiting much longer."
That's why Goodell issued a release Monday night. The terms of the banishment were indefinite and it's obvious the league will have to strengthen the action to make it stick. That was implicit in a letter Goodell wrote to Vick.

"While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the National Football League to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the Personal Conduct Policy," Goodell wrote.

Jason Cole is a national NFL writer for Yahoo! Sports. Send Jason a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.

That guy is so done. Even if he plays again, he is going to be hated in every stadium he goes to.

If you're Vick and you've got Sharpton going against you, your goose is cooked. :lol:


http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/07/19/rev-al-sharpton-to-roger-goodell-and-arthur-blank-dogfightin/3

Rev. Al Sharpton to Roger Goodell and Arthur Blank: 'Dog Fighting is Unacceptable'

When NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank arrived at work yesterday, they each had a letter waiting for them (http://www.peta.org/MC/NewsItem.asp?id=10032).

The return address read "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals," but they weren't the only contributors to this envelope.


"The recent media spotlight on dogfighting reminds us of society's callous disregard for the suffering of animals and disrespect for sentient beings," the letter read "We hope that Mr. Vick is not a product of this insensitivity that runs through our society."

"It does us little good to prosecute just those who are famous and allow people across the country to continue to commit these hideous crimes. We are hopeful that authorities will take the appropriate action against anyone found guilty of an atrocity as serious as dogfighting."

"Today, we sound a clarion call to all people: Stand up for what is right, and speak out against what is wrong. Dogfighting is unacceptable. Hurting animals for human pleasure or gain is despicable. Cruelty is just plain wrong."
Signed: Ingrid Newkirk, president of PETA; Russell Simmons, RUSH communications and the Al Sharpton, the Reverend.

This statement served a purpose and its timing was not a coincidence. As details continue to emerge surround the Michael Vick (http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/tag/%selectedClean%/) controversy, so to do they about the despicable world of underground dog fighting (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19836601/site/newsweek/) and concern is beginning to be shown.

This will no doubt be the first of many letters sent by PETA and Al Sharpton. And I think it'd be safe to assume that this will not be the last we've heard from them when it comes to Michael Vick and his current indictment (http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/07/17/breaking-news-falcons-michael-vick-indicted-by-grand-jury/). What approach they'll take moving forward remains a mystery, but they'll certainly play significant roles as this saga unfolds.
It's nice to see Sharpton actually stick his nose when it involves a person who is black and IN TROUBLE BIG TIME. However, I wonder if this is just a reason for him to get some more needed "publicity"? It seems he is there to defend and speak up for black people when some sort of "injustice" has been done against them, but you almost never see him or hear him defend a person who happens to be "white" when an injustice has been done against them by a black person. Let's just hope that publicity is not the reason for him putting his two cents into this matter.

That guy is so done. Even if he plays again, he is going to be hated in every stadium he goes to.
Unfortunately after he serves his sentence (god let there be justice), some team will sign him and he will make millions again

It's nice to see Sharpton actually stick his nose when it involves a person who is black and IN TROUBLE BIG TIME. However, I wonder if this is just a reason for him to get some more needed "publicity"? It seems he is there to defend and speak up for black people when some sort of "injustice" has been done against them, but you almost never see him or hear him defend a person who happens to be "white" when an injustice has been done against them by a black person. Let's just hope that publicity is not the reason for him putting his two cents into this matter.
I think with Sharpton it will ALWAYS be about publicity. How did he and Jesse Jackson get to be ministers, anyway?? :mad: They make a mockery of the profession.

I think with Sharpton it will ALWAYS be about publicity. How did he and Jesse Jackson get to be ministers, anyway?? :mad: They make a mockery of the profession.
How did they ever become the "voice" of Black America?:rolleyes:

How did they ever become the "voice" of Black America?:rolleyes:
I don't know, but I wish they'd SHUT UP ALREADY!! :mad:

If Michael Vick ever plays in Cleveland Browns Stadium, our "Dawgs" in the Dawg Pound will take care of him. After all, how can anyone forget this?? -

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2001/12/16/jaguars_browns_ap/

He'd just be lucky that the stadium doesn't sell beverages in bottles anymore. :lol:

it sounds like Atlant is letting Michael Vick go

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2940312 (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2940312)

Legal odds against Vick just got much longer
By Lester Munson
ESPN.com

As Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick prepares for his first court appearance next Thursday to face criminal charges from his involvement in a dogfighting operation in Virginia, questions continue to arise about the kennel, his role with it and the evidence against him.

Here are some of the questions and answers.

Of all the allegations made against Vick, what is the biggest surprise?

The biggest surprise in the federal charges against Vick is the extent of his alleged participation in a scheme that, according to the indictment, began in 2001 and continued until three months ago, which is when Vick and his cohorts are charged with the execution of eight dogs. Vick, the indictment says, was involved in every aspect of the business for more than six years. He was involved, in fact, up until a few days before the first raid on his property in late April of this year.

The government charges that he purchased dogs, that he helped train dogs, that he sponsored and hosted dogfights, that he tested dogs for their fighting ability, and that he was present when dogs that did not measure up to the group's standards were killed. Vick has insisted that he knew very little about what went on at the house he owned, but the indictment provides a picture of a man who financed and participated in every aspect of the dogfighting operation.

Vick's operation was known as "Bad Newz Kennels." Was it a successful dogfighting organization before police and federal agents began their raids?

The charges in the indictment describe 15 fights involving dogs owned by Bad Newz Kennels. In terms of wins and losses, Vick and the crew did well, winning 10 of the fights. But in terms of the purses and the bets on the fights, they were less successful. They lost a total of $37,500, according to the indictment, in their five losses. In their 10 victories, they won only $22,600. That gave them a net loss of $14,900. In a doubleheader in March of 2003, against dogs owned by someone apparently now poised to testify against Vick, they lost $23,000. Vick paid the winning owner with $23,000 in cash that Vick brought to the fights in a book bag.

There probably were other fights not specified in the charges in the indictment. There were at least 10 additional events sponsored by Vick and Bad Newz Kennels in 2003 and 2004, but we don't know which dogs won and we don't know how much money was won and lost. Overall, it does not appear to have been a profitable organization. On top of the money lost in purses and bets, Vick apparently financed the entire operation, including the construction of the sheds, the fences and the house.

In addition to the charges in the indictment, the government wants Vick to "forfeit" any proceeds "obtained" from the dogfighting operation. What do they want from him?

See the answer to the previous question. In contrast to corporate scams or crime syndicate gambling or loan sharking schemes, Vick's operation appears to have lost money. If he and his cohorts had somehow turned Bad Newz Kennels into a profit machine, then the government would be demanding forfeiture of all the profits. Vick spent large sums on the kennel and is now in the process of selling the property. It seems likely that he will sell the property for less than he spent on it, so he probably need not worry about any significant legal forfeiture.

If he is convicted, he might face a large fine -- the total possible fine according to law is $350,000. But if Vick somehow manages to preserve his football career, that fine wouldn't hurt too much.

The charges already filed against Vick are nasty and brutal enough. But is it possible that even more charges could be added as the case progresses?

It's possible, yes. Officials in Surry County, Va., insist they are continuing with their own investigation of what happened on Vick's property. They claim they may file their own charges in addition to the federal charges already filed. Commonwealth Attorney Gerald Poindexter says he will rely on a Virginia law that makes abuse of animals a felony, but it is unlikely the local authorities will act at this point. When the federal government steps in, the local authorities generally step out. Poindexter's statements might be an attempt to save face after the feds came into his county and took over the situation.

But there is the possibility of additional federal charges. Significant sums of money changed hands in Vick's dogfighting operation, according to the indictment. What was the origin, for example, of that $23,000 in cash in a book bag that Vick handed over when his dogs lost a doubleheader? The IRS will be checking. If it finds tax violations, they would be added to the indictment.

What do these federal charges mean for Vick?

Vick is in real trouble. He is up against the might and majesty of the U.S. government with all of its agents, all of its investigative techniques and all of its skilled prosecutors. If he has any doubts about the power and skill of the forces arrayed against him, he can call Scooter Libby, former chief of staff to vice president Dick Cheney, or he can call Lord Conrad Black, the disgraced media mogul facing time in a federal penitentiary. If he still isn't convinced, he can call Jeff Skilling, the zillionaire former Enron CEO who is residing in a federal pen. All three of them hired brilliant (and expensive) lawyers. All three thought they could explain their way out from under federal charges. And all three were convicted. Vick can, and probably will, hire some of America's best defense lawyers, but they will face a serious battle.

Would Vick be sent to jail if he is convicted?

Yes. It's hard to imagine any other outcome. The charges are serious, and the evidence against Vick presented at trial will be nasty. The government's case includes evidence that Vick and his cohorts "tested" pit bulls for ferocity. If the dogs failed the test, the indictment charges, they were executed by hanging or drowning. In one case, with Vick present, the indictment says a dog was slammed to the ground until it was dead. In another incident, a dog was soaked with a hose and then electrocuted. Those aren't the sort of transgressions that lead to probation and community service. It's the kind of behavior that results in punishment, and the punishment will be jail time.

What is the next step for Vick?

Vick will watch to see which of his three co-defendants will be the first to make a deal with federal prosecutors. Each of them will think seriously about turning on Vick and offering testimony against him in return for less time in jail. Vick is obviously the prime target of the government effort. Prosecutors and agents will be willing to talk with his co-defendants about a deal if they are willing to help prove the case against Vick. The government indictment discloses four witnesses who have already agreed to testify against him. If all three of his co-defendants join these four witnesses against Vick, he and his lawyers might suggest that he, too, should talk to the government about a deal that would minimize his time in jail.

Vick is charged with "conspiracy" and violations of the "Travel Act." What does that mean?

The conspiracy charge will make things extra difficult for Vick and his lawyers. Under federal laws, the conspiracy charge allows federal prosecutors to link Vick to things that occurred even if he was not present. If the prosecutors can connect the four defendants, crimes committed by one of them can be used to add to the evidence against the others. It's a tricky legal procedure that prosecutors love and defense lawyers detest. The Travel Act is a device invented by Robert F. Kennedy when he was U.S. Attorney General in the early '60s. It was designed for use against organized crime and made it easier to prove cases against hoodlums. In the sports world, it was used most recently in the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics bribery scandal. Federal prosecutors charged the Utah organizers under the Travel Act and proved millions of dollars in bribes. Vick, however, can take some hope from the fact that U.S. District Judge David Sam found the organizers not guilty of violating the Travel Act even though there was powerful evidence of bribery.

What was Vick's role in the dogfighting conspiracy described in the indictment?

According to the indictment, Vick was in the middle of everything from beginning to end. He purchased a vacant piece of property for $34,000, the indictment says. He then had sheds built for training dogs and staging fights and a fence erected to shield the operation from view. And finally, the indictment says, he had a two-story frame house with a basketball court put up as a residence for the people taking care of the dogs. If you believe the indictment, the Vick property had everything anyone could want in a dogfighting operation.

When would Vick's trial begin?

The federal courthouse in Richmond, Va., is the home of the nationally recognized "rocket docket." Cases move quickly in Richmond, more quickly than in any other courthouse in the federal system. Vick's lawyers will be looking for delays and for time to prepare a defense, but the trial would likely begin in a matter of four to six months.

Are the federal authorities in Richmond tough on crime?

Ask Ralph Sampson, the former NBA star. He fell behind in child support payments to seven children he had with four women, the kind of thing that is ordinarily worked out in a settlement. But instead of a settlement, Sampson found himself charged with felonies in federal court. Then, very quickly, he found himself in jail for two months on a child support charge. Yes, they're tough on crime in Richmond, and they might be particularly tough on crimes involving the torture and killing of dogs.

ESPN.com's Lester Munson is a Chicago lawyer and journalist who has been reporting on investigative and legal issues in the sports industry for 18 years.

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Janice, those cartoons are hysterical!! :rofl: Thanks for sharing them with us.

:rolleyes: What do you expect? For him to enter a guilty plea????:rolleyes:



By HANK KURZ Jr.,AP
Posted: 2007-07-26 17:10:57
Filed Under: Sports News
RICHMOND, Va. (July 26) - Michael Vick pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal dogfighting charges and was released without bond until a Nov. 26 trial. The Atlanta Falcons quarterback then apologized to his mother and asked that judgment be withheld.

Vick was jeered by a crowd as he went into court. He and three others entered their pleas in U.S. District Court to conspiracy charges involving competitive dogfighting, procuring and training pit bulls for fighting, and conducting the enterprise across state lines. Federal prosecutors say the operation - known as Bad Newz Kennels - was run on Vick's property in Surry County.

"I take these charges very seriously and look forward to clearing my good name," Vick said in a statement read outside court by Billy Martin, his lawyer.

"Why you shouldn't even bother drafting Vick in fantasy leagues this year..."
»Sign Up, it's FREE!"I respectfully ask all of you to hold your judgment until all of the facts are shown. Above all, I would like to say to my mom I'm sorry for what she has had to go through in this most trying of times. It has caused pain to my family and I apologize to my family."

Among the conditions set for all the defendants is that they surrender their passports, that they not travel outside their immediate area without court approval, and that they do not sell or possess any dog. In addition, Vick was ordered to surrender any animal breeder or kennel license.

The co-defendants made their pleas before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.

"He asserted in a loud and clear voice that he is not guilty of these allegations," Martin said.

"This is going to be a hard-fought trial."

Vick arrived at the courthouse at 3 p.m. in a black sport utility vehicle and was booed by a crowd of hundreds as he emerged. Wearing a dark suit and blue shirt, the quarterback looked straight ahead as he walked up the ramp to the courthouse. He did not respond to reporters.

The allegations detailed in a graphic, 18-page indictment sparked protests by animal rights groups at the headquarters of the NFL and the Falcons. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has barred Vick from training camp while the league investigates.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank said the team wanted to suspend Vick for four games, the maximum penalty a team can assess a player, but the NFL asked him to wait. Instead, Blank has told the player to concentrate on his legal problems, not football.

Thursday, the Falcons opened their first camp under coach Bobby Petrino.

The case began April 25 when investigators conducting a drug search at the home found 66 dogs, including 55 pit bulls, and equipment typically used in dogfighting. They included a "rape stand" that holds aggressive dogs in place for mating and a "breakstick" used to pry open a dog's mouth.

Vick contended he knew nothing about a dogfighting operation at the home, where one of his cousins lived, and said he rarely visited. He has since declined comment, citing his lawyer's advice.

Attorney Lawrence Woodward, who has also represented Allen Iverson and Vick's younger brother, Marcus, has not returned several phone messages.

Charged along with Vick are Purnell A. Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach; Quanis L. Phillips, 28, of Atlanta; and Tony Taylor, 34, of Hampton. They all face up to six years in prison, $350,000 in fines and restitution if convicted.

Animal rights organizations have seized on the case as an opportunity to raise awareness of the largely underground and always gruesome world of dogfighting, where two dogs are trained to fight to the death - sometimes for hours - until the end.

Early Thursday, activists, supporters of the athlete and the media gathered outside the federal courthouse. Some members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals dressed in dog costumes and carried signs, including one with the image of a battered pit bull and the words "Dogfighting Victim." Some people brought their dogs.

According to the indictment filed July 17, dogs not killed in the fighting pit were often shot, hanged, drowned or, in one case, slammed to the ground. The document says Vick was consulted before one losing dog was wet down and electrocuted.

It alleges that the dogfighting operation began in 2001, not long after Vick parlayed a dazzling two-year run as the quarterback at Virginia Tech into being the first overall selection in the NFL draft. His first contract was for $62 million. In 2004, he signed a 10-year, $130 million deal, then the richest in league history.

The indictment says the fights offered purses as high as $26,000, and that Vick once paid $23,000 to the owner of two pit bulls that had beaten Bad Newz Kennels dogs. That owner is one of four cooperating witnesses cited in the document.

Associated Press Writers Dionne Walker, Larry O'Dell and Michael Felberbaum contributed to this report.

Janice, those cartoons are hysterical!! :rofl: Thanks for sharing them with us.
You're welcome. I finally bit the bullet and read the story in its entirety. Since the story broke, my husband was X-ing out the gory details in the newspaper before I read them. I figured that it's hypocritical to be outraged over something without knowing all the facts. Makes me sick to my stomach.

I love those cartoons. :rofl:

I love those cartoons. :rofl:
I love the Canine horror stories one the best. The looks on their faces, lol.

I love the Canine horror stories one the best. The looks on their faces, lol.
The poor little dogs...I don't blame them one bit. lol

I was watching The NFL Network and They said that Michael Vick Trial will start The Monday after Thanksgiving.

That 18-page indictment is so damning. They've got witnesses, and it would be a miracle if one of his three co-defendants doesn't flip on him. Unless someone else was running a dog fighting ring out of Vick's home, without his knowledge, he's toast. I think he'll cop a plea. Two years instead of six, something like that.

if you dont mine me asking where did you get The 18 page Dictment from

if you dont mine me asking where did you get The 18 page Dictment from
Here you go Aaron. :)

http://www.wvec.com/news/downloads/Vick_Indictment.pdf

thanks my friend

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:rofl:

:rofl:
Look at the window of the dog bar. It's called, The Hydrant. :lol:

Look at the window of the dog bar. It's called, The Hydrant. :lol:
:lol: Vick is turning into a laughing stock. :lol:

128162

:lol: Vick is turning into a laughing stock. :lol:
I'm waiting for Letterman's Top 10. :lol: Vick must be going nuts with all this bad press. I haven't heard his teammates comment. I feel bad for them, and their fans.

I love the joke Jay Leno said last week (spoofing the Marion Barry scandal). "Did you hear Michael Vick's defense? The b@#%h set me up!" :rofl:

I love the joke Jay Leno said last week (spoofing the Marion Barry scandal). "Did you hear Michael Vick's defense? The b@#%h set me up!" :rofl:
Jay Leno, just now.''''

"Things are not looking good for Michael Vick, in the court of public opinion. Just last night, Michael went to a restaurant and OJ Simpson walked out."

I belive where I heard where Atlant already has a new Quckerback

Shirts from http://www.vickletthedogsout.com/neuter-vick.html

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-62822552116569_1960_59913

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-62822552116569_1960_310517

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-62822552116569_1960_189316

They should make a T-shirt that says "Take a Bite Out of Vick". :lol: I'm sure McGruff would be very proud. *evil laugh*

They should make a T-shirt that says "Take a Bite Out of Vick". :lol: I'm sure McGruff would be very proud. *evil laugh*
:brent


I have many things that rhyme with Vick...but can't post it here without a lot of ***********. :lol:

:brent


I have many things that rhyme with Vick...but can't post it here without a lot of ***********. :lol:
I know. That's why I just call him Michael SICK.

Unfortunately I doubt these shirts will last long, I am sure his lawyers or perhaps even the NFL will stop him from using Vicks image.

I am particularly fond of the hat Vick is wearing in the last photo