This afternoon’s mention of my family’s loss of a beloved pet today, causes this article from Forbes (AP) [1]to be even more painful:
As part of his plea agreement, Phillips signed a statement that said Vick joined in executing at least eight dogs that didn’t do well in test fights by various methods, including hanging and drowning.
“Phillips agrees and stipulates that these dogs all died as a result of the collective efforts of Peace, Phillips, and Vick,” the statement said.
These charges, in my view, take the dog fighting situation to a whole new level of disturbing.
At some point, some point very soon, the NFL is going to need to step up to this, if they want to come out of this with any credibility at all. Similarly, Mr. Blank and the entirety of the Atlanta Falcons organization is going to have to step up to this as well. If they don’t, they will find themselves in a situation where Michael Vick will be getting in the way of football, all season.
A sample of the recent press conferences with Roger Goodell are exemplary, and the most recent one [2]in the camp of the Detroit Lions was downright painful to watch. The questions about the dogfighting affair, kept coming up like a triphammer, there. The fever surrounding these events, given the nature of the offenses, is understandable. It is even more understandable, given the impression that the league is leaving us with ; that they just as soon not talk about it,a nd that they’re trying to get Vick off of the more serious charges.
Mr. Goodell is on record as saying that he wants the legal process to run its course before he rules on Vick, and his future in the league. Frankly, this is among the thinnest dodges I’ve ever heard. Since when is the NFL commissioner not ruling his own roost?
Goodell is seemingly more concerned about the legal aspects of all of this, rather than the moral aspects. In short, “what can the league get away with?”
If Goodell doesn’t act soon to separate Michael Vick from the NFL, the amount of fan dissatisfaction is going to cost him dearly. I wonder, if his logic has brought him that far? I ask, because in his actions thus far, I honestly don’t think it has.
There also seems to be unanswered questions surrounding the police in Virginia. How is it, that Vick managed to get his operation going to the extent that he did, in as high profile manner as he did, without some reaction on their part? I’m curious as to what it was that finally started their investigation into the matter.