Posted: Friday, May 22, 2009, 11:22 AM | 18 comments |
 

Who Let The QB Out? Woof, Woof, Woof
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Michael Vick went to court to visit with his probation officer on Friday, and one of the first things those guys always ask is if you are looking for employment.

Until mid-July, Vick is just looking to get this damn monitoring device off his ankle, the one that will make sure he remains home under the home-confinement portion of his federal sentence for animal cruelty and lying about it and all sorts of unsavory things.

There is a certain irony to Vick being fitted for what is essentially a collar-like device, and then being penned up, but we'll leave that where it is.

As for the employment question, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has a thorny one there. We live in a country that believes people who break the law and serve their time are then allowed the opportunity to rebuild their lives.

In the case of Vick, that means playing football, and if he is prevented from doing so, there is the possibility he could bring action against the NFL for denying him the chance to resume his career. On the other hand, the NFL probably isn't all that interested in having a dog-beater out on the field. Wife-beaters? Thugs? Accused accomplices to murder? Sure, sure, sure, but not dog-beaters.

Goodell could probably make a short suspension stick, for bringing disrepute to the game or something, but until he suspends the entire Cincinnati Bengals franchise, it seems he'll have no choice but to let Vick back in the kennel. If some team will hire him, that is. If the phone rings and it's Al Davis, Michael, make sure to answer it.

Your thoughts? Should he be allowed to play?
Posted by Bob Ford @ 11:22 AM  Permalink | 18 comments
18
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:22 PM, 05/22/2009
    Ya he did his time, he has essentially been "suspended" since he went to jail, since he obviously couldn't play football from there. It just seems kind of stupid to suspend him after that.
    — johnnysanz3
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:45 PM, 05/22/2009
    He has served his time. Let him come back immediately. No further suspension is necessary. Hasn't he had a few meetings with PETA? If that isn't further punishment enough, I don't know what is.
    — borntosuffer
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:25 PM, 05/22/2009
    Couldn't agree with you more. Let the man play- I'm interested to see how many steps he's lost.
    — terb
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:25 PM, 05/22/2009
    I believe he served the longest sentence in the history of this country for that crime, as sickening as it truly was. Yes, he definitely deserves the chance to play again.
    — billt
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:25 PM, 05/22/2009
    He needs to turn his notoriety into a possitive. Make public service announcement: "Hello, I'm Michael Vick. I've mistreated animals and funded the killing of dogs. I'm asking you to be the eyes and ears of PETA and the SPCA and report those who are treating animals with cruelty. I am providing a portion of my salary as an NFL player to rescue and treat animals that are being brualized by their owners".
    — ItalianSausage
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:26 PM, 05/22/2009
    Of course the monster should be allowed to play; he served his time. However, Goodell will suspend him for four games for not being truthful with Arthur Blank (that's the Falcons owner, yes?). Bob? dogbeating? really?
    — Warhound
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:43 PM, 05/22/2009
    Blackacre is 100% correct. Whatever he says now is only a falsefront so he can get back into the league. Unfortunately, he has the right to make a living and the Jerry Jones' and Al Davis' of the league will make sure he gets it. Brutality to animals is a step above baby shaking in my mind. Both depend on man for care, not abuse. My only hope is that Vick is one day seen running down the sidelines during a game, but only because he is carrying a hamburger football and he's trying to stay ahead of a Doberman.
    — tpizza
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:39 PM, 05/22/2009
    Thank you Bob for not saying that Mike Vick made a "mistake". The point is not that Mike Vick should not be allowed to seek employment or play football again. Clearly he is not legally forbidden from doing either. The question is whether he should be allowed to do either of these things under the auspices of the NFL. I'm not a labor attorney but I can't imagine Roger Goodell has any legal obligation to reinstate him. My hope is that the Commissioner grants him as much humility as he has displayed in engineering his deviant lifestyle instead of providing him with the means to earning the celebrity, wealth and privelege to which he feels he is entitled.
    — vanburenboys
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:43 PM, 05/22/2009
    This is America. He did his time...he should play. However, PETA ought to be suspended for all the knucklehead things they do. There is a very small percentage of well intentioned people in PETA and then there are the other 99% of nut jobs giving that organization a bad name. Goodell is a smart, calculating business man. Unlike Selig, he'll do what's best for the sport and the business. Selig is just a plain, ordinary moron in comparison. Goodell will let Vick play. It would be amusing to see what Selig would decide if he were in the same spot.
    — RichieAllen64
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:14 AM, 05/23/2009
    Life is long - let's see how he acts, what he says, who he chooses as his friends, etc. History is full of men/women who have made poor choices and learned from them. I hope the best for him and if he wants to play football, then let him play. He will reap the trouble he deserves for lieing and those people will likely avoid any contact with him - that's their choice. The only one who can change Vick is Vick - if he has come to his senses...wish him the best and move on.
    — ziggy
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:07 AM, 05/23/2009
    Normally Bob, I usually respect your writing. But I'm not sure what is worse - reading this stupid story or some of the moronic posts associated with it. First of all (and I'm a dog-owner but not a PETA idiot), what Vick did was reprehensible. He INTENTIONALLY AND FOR HIDOUS REASONS killed defenseless animals. At least a drunk driver doesn't take the wheel to INTENTIONALLY kill or injure anyone. In addition, the NFL has antitrust laws and is not a normal corporation. Playing in the NFL is LEGALLY a priviledge - NOT A RIGHT. So, Vick could be banned. Finally, Michael Vick was KNOWN as a bad guy from day one (as is his brother) but it was swept under the rug. He also stinks; million dollar talent with a twelve cent head. However, I am not against his reinstatement - if he was smart he would say the following: "I messed up, did my time, lost alot, and want to move on in a pmore positive way".
    — bbrodyblue
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:22 AM, 05/23/2009
    Instead of $10.00 an hour as a construction worker he should have had to work at a humane society cleaning out kennels etc. Goodell will have a tough decision to make. Most NFL camps will already have been started / most rosters will already be set by the time he gets fully released. His best bet may be to take a suspension willingly for this season and prepare himself to play for a team closer to the free agency period / draft next year. At this point he is still under contract with Atlanta so he can't just go anywhere yet.
    — Flyers37
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:56 PM, 05/23/2009
    Brody, the NFL also has a CBA though and Vick still has a contract with the Falcons so he DOES have certain rights related to whether he can play or not. There are certain rules that have to be followed as far as suspending a player or barring them from team facilities. Bob, I really wonder what you do all day...because following sports certainly isn't one of those things. This is totally a non-issue. Goodell has already said on multiple occasions that, in all likelihood, he isn't inclined to inflict an additional punishment on somebody like Vick who has already served his time in a federal prison. Vick is coming back...if Vick wants to come back. He may get a short suspension but even that is doubtful.
    — JimG
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:51 PM, 05/23/2009
    Vick is actually partnering with the Humane Society of the United States, according to a press release they issues this week. He was in talks with PETA, but that never panned out. And that's a good thing, since PETA advocates for banning (and essentially, killing) all Pit Bulls. In my opinion, that's no better than what Vick did to those dogs.
    — doggiemama


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About Bob Ford
Bob Ford has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 1981, and is still trying to figure it all out. A former beat writer covering the Phillies and the 76ers, Ford became a general sports columnist for the Inquirer in 2003, following in and occasionally falling in the deep footsteps of Bill Lyon, Frank Dolson and many distinguished others. He comes to the Philly.com blogosphere after award-winning success as designer/editor of the fabulous Pen & Pencil Club softball blog. Likes: Palestra, inside-the-park home runs, sunny days. Dislikes: phony people, cloudy days, rewrites.
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