Vick, da Prick, IMO is Done- Goodell's letter is the dagger

[Bretsky]

http://assets.espn.go.com/media/pdf/070824/michaelvickletter.pdf

This is an interesting read. I think Goodell effectively worded this to send a strong message, and announce the forewarning that the NFL is done with Michael Vick, permanently.

Earlier in the letter, the commiss notes Vick lied to players, his team, his owner, and the commissioner personally. Then he goes on.

LOOK AT THE VERBIAGE; VERY CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED LEGAL TALK

""Your plea agreement and the plea agreements of your co-defendants also demonstrate your significant involvement in illegal gambling.

EVEN if you did not personally place bets, as you contend

your actions in funding the betting, and your association with illegal gambling both violate the terms of your NFL player contract, and expose you to corrupt influences in derogation of one of the most fundamental responsibilities of an NFL player


Maybe I'm too dam bored so I'm reading too much into this.

But I think Vick da Prick's NFL career is over; this letter sets that tone well.
He's history.

[GrnBay007]

Now that's a pink slip!!!

[retailguy]

Look, I'm not saying Vick doesn't deserve this, but if you were Vick, wouldn't you be comparing your life to the life of Mary Winkler?

She shot her husband in the chest, took off with the kiddies, and got caught in Orange Beach Alabama. Got convicted of manslaughter and did 67 days in a mental hospital....

Vick killed 8 dogs and gambled illegally.

That's life in the USA. I just wish there was more of an outrage directed at Mary Winkler.... He might have abused her, and he might not, we don't know, but he was a human and she killed him instead of seeking help.

Shouldn't that be worse?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20296389/

[Oscar]

Yep R.G. thats life in the U.S.A. No one truly knows what goes on behing closed doors. Abuse or not.. I'd say Mr. Vick felt that since he was/is an NFL star he is/was above the law..Just my 2cents...

[Scott Campbell]

That's life in the USA. I just wish there was more of an outrage directed at Mary Winkler.... He might have abused her, and he might not, we don't know, but he was a human and she killed him instead of seeking help.

Shouldn't that be worse?

Irrelevent, and has nothing to do with the Vick situation.

[Rastak]

Look, I'm not saying Vick doesn't deserve this, but if you were Vick, wouldn't you be comparing your life to the life of Mary Winkler?

She shot her husband in the chest, took off with the kiddies, and got caught in Orange Beach Alabama. Got convicted of manslaughter and did 67 days in a mental hospital....

Vick killed 8 dogs and gambled illegally.

That's life in the USA. I just wish there was more of an outrage directed at Mary Winkler.... He might have abused her, and he might not, we don't know, but he was a human and she killed him instead of seeking help.

Shouldn't that be worse?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20296389/

Not if he was abusing her, then I say jolly good show lass......by the way, I know why I'm not as outraged....WHO THE HELL IS MARY WINKLER?

[CaliforniaCheez]

The coward who can't come clean

By Jeff Schultz
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 08/25/07

A coward to the end.

He won't directly say he killed dogs. He will admit to heading a group of degenerates when dogs were killed. Does somebody award points for semantics? "Ookie" tells "T" or "Q" or "P-Funk" to "Drown the dog," but he keeps his hands in his pockets. Is this the Vito Corleone defense?

A coward to the end.

He won't admit to gambling on dogfights. But he'll admit to funding an illegal business enterprise that gambles. Well, that should appease NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Because I'm sure if "Bad Newz Kennels" ever accumulated significant gambling debts, a bookie would pressure "T" or "Q" or "P Funk" —- not the NFL player with the $130 million contract who gave the money to "T" or "Q" or "P-Funk."

How does this happen? How can somebody we admired for his courage on the field turn into such an invertebrate off it?

He runs in games. Did he have to run in the real world? Is it that difficult to admit guilt and say, "It's my fault. Everything."

We are, by nature, forgiving. We embrace the comeback. We want people to overcome obstacles, shed their baggage, become whole again.

This we shouldn't forgive. First, we need to see remorse. Michael Vick hides behind attorneys like an offensive line. If only he had hid that well as a Falcons quarterback, he never would've been sacked.

He doesn't care about the truth. He cares about exact wording in legal PDFs.

He doesn't care about accepting responsibility. He cares about limiting blame.

If he feels anything, he doesn't show it. It's only obvious that he's sorry he got caught. That doesn't count. That's pathetic. He's pathetic. Vick doesn't need a 12-step program for healing. He needs a conscience.

When will he realize that he did something wrong? When he's lying in a cell, wide awake at 2 a.m.? When he's scrubbing a floor or washing dishes for 12 cents an hour? Maybe while he's under house arrest, walking around with an ankle bracelet?

Try avoiding the rush with that, big guy. There's your new Michael Vick Experience.

This is not how people with character defects should begin rehabilitation. This is not how to repair an image or damaged career aspirations.

Come clean on everything. Express sorrow, contrition —- then we'll talk.

Vick did what cowards do. He not only hid behind some legalese, he agreed to cooperate with the government in turning in others. Maybe you view that as being a team player. But there's another view: There goes the street cred.

Page 5 of the plea agreement reads: "The defendant agrees to cooperate fully and truthfully with the United States, and provide all information known to the defendant regarding any criminal activity as requested by the government." It states this includes testimony at grand juries and trials. Vick also must submit to a polygraph test at the whim of the government.

Nobody agrees to such mandates unless they're backed to the edge of a cliff, with the cavalry approaching. So why not just come completely clean? At least he would look like he cared.

I can't imagine the hundreds of thousands of dollars Vick will have paid attorneys when this is over. I hope the verbiage was worth it.

We knew he struggled to read defenses. Turns out he can't read an offense, either. The story broke in April in Surry County, Va. Vick's reaction: "I'm never at the house. I left the house with my family members and my cousin. They just haven't been doing the right thing. ... It's unfortunate I have to take the heat behind it."

He thought it would go away, of course, like a disappearing water bottle incident. He goofed. Had he settled things with Virginia authorities, maybe the "United States vs. Michael Vick, a/k/a 'Ookie' " never happens.

Then officials dug up the yard at 1915 Moonlight Road. They found dog corpses. Vick still thought, "I can't be tied to this." The lying continued. Vick's fan base screamed racism or warnings about the Duke case revisited.

Then it fell apart. "T" and "Q" and "P-Funk" rolled on him. Suddenly, Vick was the last man standing. The last coward standing.

Maybe one day he'll step to a microphone and express remorse. But we're past the point of trust. Repentance needs to be wired to a polygraph.

**********************************************

He never had the guts to stay in the pocket and do his job for his team.

He never admitted to spreading herpes without concern for others.

He got his lawyers to cover up the marijuana at the airport.

One of his entourage stole a watch at the airport metal detectors.

He gave the "dirty bird" to paying customers of the NFL.

After all this time in the NFL he was 31st of 32 starting QB's in passer rating.

Missing work for appearances in Criminal Court and prison.

Model Employee eh?

He would get fired anywhere else, why not the NFL??

[Rastak]

The coward who can't come clean

By Jeff Schultz
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 08/25/07

A coward to the end.

He won't directly say he killed dogs. He will admit to heading a group of degenerates when dogs were killed. Does somebody award points for semantics? "Ookie" tells "T" or "Q" or "P-Funk" to "Drown the dog," but he keeps his hands in his pockets. Is this the Vito Corleone defense?

A coward to the end.

He won't admit to gambling on dogfights. But he'll admit to funding an illegal business enterprise that gambles. Well, that should appease NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Because I'm sure if "Bad Newz Kennels" ever accumulated significant gambling debts, a bookie would pressure "T" or "Q" or "P Funk" —- not the NFL player with the $130 million contract who gave the money to "T" or "Q" or "P-Funk."

How does this happen? How can somebody we admired for his courage on the field turn into such an invertebrate off it?

He runs in games. Did he have to run in the real world? Is it that difficult to admit guilt and say, "It's my fault. Everything."

We are, by nature, forgiving. We embrace the comeback. We want people to overcome obstacles, shed their baggage, become whole again.

This we shouldn't forgive. First, we need to see remorse. Michael Vick hides behind attorneys like an offensive line. If only he had hid that well as a Falcons quarterback, he never would've been sacked.

He doesn't care about the truth. He cares about exact wording in legal PDFs.

He doesn't care about accepting responsibility. He cares about limiting blame.

If he feels anything, he doesn't show it. It's only obvious that he's sorry he got caught. That doesn't count. That's pathetic. He's pathetic. Vick doesn't need a 12-step program for healing. He needs a conscience.

When will he realize that he did something wrong? When he's lying in a cell, wide awake at 2 a.m.? When he's scrubbing a floor or washing dishes for 12 cents an hour? Maybe while he's under house arrest, walking around with an ankle bracelet?

Try avoiding the rush with that, big guy. There's your new Michael Vick Experience.

This is not how people with character defects should begin rehabilitation. This is not how to repair an image or damaged career aspirations.

Come clean on everything. Express sorrow, contrition —- then we'll talk.

Vick did what cowards do. He not only hid behind some legalese, he agreed to cooperate with the government in turning in others. Maybe you view that as being a team player. But there's another view: There goes the street cred.

Page 5 of the plea agreement reads: "The defendant agrees to cooperate fully and truthfully with the United States, and provide all information known to the defendant regarding any criminal activity as requested by the government." It states this includes testimony at grand juries and trials. Vick also must submit to a polygraph test at the whim of the government.

Nobody agrees to such mandates unless they're backed to the edge of a cliff, with the cavalry approaching. So why not just come completely clean? At least he would look like he cared.

I can't imagine the hundreds of thousands of dollars Vick will have paid attorneys when this is over. I hope the verbiage was worth it.

We knew he struggled to read defenses. Turns out he can't read an offense, either. The story broke in April in Surry County, Va. Vick's reaction: "I'm never at the house. I left the house with my family members and my cousin. They just haven't been doing the right thing. ... It's unfortunate I have to take the heat behind it."

He thought it would go away, of course, like a disappearing water bottle incident. He goofed. Had he settled things with Virginia authorities, maybe the "United States vs. Michael Vick, a/k/a 'Ookie' " never happens.

Then officials dug up the yard at 1915 Moonlight Road. They found dog corpses. Vick still thought, "I can't be tied to this." The lying continued. Vick's fan base screamed racism or warnings about the Duke case revisited.

Then it fell apart. "T" and "Q" and "P-Funk" rolled on him. Suddenly, Vick was the last man standing. The last coward standing.

Maybe one day he'll step to a microphone and express remorse. But we're past the point of trust. Repentance needs to be wired to a polygraph.

**********************************************

He never had the guts to stay in the pocket and do his job for his team.

He never admitted to spreading herpes without concern for others.

He got his lawyers to cover up the marijuana at the airport.

One of his entourage stole a watch at the airport metal detectors.

He gave the "dirty bird" to paying customers of the NFL.

After all this time in the NFL he was 31st of 32 starting QB's in passer rating.

Missing work for appearances in Criminal Court and prison.

Model Employee eh?

He would get fired anywhere else, why not the NFL??

Already posted in the main Vick thread.....and I agree with the guy...

[Patler]

Look, I'm not saying Vick doesn't deserve this, but if you were Vick, wouldn't you be comparing your life to the life of Mary Winkler?

She shot her husband in the chest, took off with the kiddies, and got caught in Orange Beach Alabama. Got convicted of manslaughter and did 67 days in a mental hospital....

Vick killed 8 dogs and gambled illegally.

That's life in the USA. I just wish there was more of an outrage directed at Mary Winkler.... He might have abused her, and he might not, we don't know, but he was a human and she killed him instead of seeking help.

Shouldn't that be worse?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20296389/

There is also a difference between a person who "cracks" and commits a single heinous act, and one who continually over a period of years plans and carries out an ongoing activity that society finds revolting.

[LEWCWA]

blah, blah, blah. Anyone want to make George Washington into a villain. He was into fighting animals....This shit is getting way outta hand. Next thing ya know we will be facing charges if we hit a squirrel....

[Rastak]

blah, blah, blah. Anyone want to make George Washington into a villain. He was into fighting animals....This shit is getting way outta hand. Next thing ya know we will be facing charges if we hit a squirrel....

\

Out of curiousity, are you some sort of unfeeling asshole?

[LEWCWA]

No not really. I think what was done was wrong, but not the end of the world. Many people in this world consider this type of behavior just fine. Cock fighting is very popular around the world, Bull fighting is very popular in places as well. This stuff has been around for centuries and to act like you are just appalled by it when an NFL player is involved is hypocritical. Where was all your outrage a year ago!

[LEWCWA]

Ya know, being from the deep south it wouldn't suprise me one bit to find out everyone's hero has been to a cock fight or two in his days. Not that he would ever admit it, but it sure wouldn't suprise me much.

[Patler]

No not really. I think what was done was wrong, but not the end of the world. Many people in this world consider this type of behavior just fine. Cock fighting is very popular around the world, Bull fighting is very popular in places as well. This stuff has been around for centuries and to act like you are just appalled by it when an NFL player is involved is hypocritical. Where was all your outrage a year ago!

For me it isn't so much the dog fights, although I think they are mindless, sick and repulsive. It isn't even the killing of an animal that doesn't fit your purpose any longer. Farmers do it all the time. Breeders of all sorts do it with young animals at times. What bothers me in this whole story is the senseless torture of the animals while killing them, seemingly done for entertainment value. Reminds me of the "entertainment" centuries ago at the Roman coliseum.

As far as where we were a year ago, have you forgotten the discussion and my complaints about bullfighting and the way the bulls are tortured? I believe it was last summer that we had that discussion.

[LEWCWA]

Bravo to you Patler, if you voiced an outrage to something b4 you had a soapbox to stand on. Be careful about assuming that the killing was done for entertainment. That is you opinion, nobody knows why they did it how they did it. Maybe they were looking for the easiest ways. Who knows....