I read an article today on ESPN by Nils Lofgren about how he is "so disheartened" that the media are embracing Michael Vick back with open arms. He states that Vick's reprehensible behavior (referring to his dog fighting days) should have warranted a permanent suspension from the NFL, that his past behavior should never allow him to win an MVP award or sign a lucrative contract. Nils, I've got news for you, Vick will receive one of those, maybe both, and you know what? He deserves them.
People commonly misunderstand the reason Vick went to jail. Vick was sentenced to federal prison not for his dog fighting ring, but for bankrolling the gambling operation over state lines. Had the dog fighting taken place only in one state, Vick would NOT have gone to federal prison. Yes, he did some terrible things but those things alone do not warrant the punishment he received.
Lofgren says Vick should not have the opportunity to reap the benefits the NFL is likely to give him because he was cruel and sadistic to dogs. Let's take a look back shall we?
Ray Lewis, the All-Pro linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, was arrested for murder in 2000. I repeat, he was arrested and indicted for the killing of another HUMAN not a dog. What punishment did the league hand down for this? Nothing, the NFL did not punish Lewis and he was given probation and a $250,000 fine by the court. He was accused of killing another person, reached an undisclosed settlement with the family and received no penalty for his actions that night. What happened the very next year? O yea, he was name MVP of Super Bowl XXXV.
In 2009, Donte Stallworth was involved in a DUI hit-and-run and his victim died. He was driving his car while drunk, struck a man, and killed him. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and suspended without pay for the entirety of the 2009 season. He was later reinstated after Super Bowl XLV.
Let me get that straight. Stallworth killed a man with his car, while drunk and was suspended for only one year, meanwhile Lofgren is asking for Vick, who never killed a person, to be suspended indefinitely?
I understand that there are people out there who love their animals more than themselves but that does not suddenly mean the punishment for harming dogs should be higher than killing another human being.
Michael Vick killed dogs and bankrolled the entire dog fighting operation. For this he was sentenced to 2 years in prison, a real federal prison, not one of those Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton "prisons". Vick served hard time and lost hundreds of millions of dollars because of his actions. He received the same punishment you or I would receive. Why shouldn't he have the ability to get back into the work force and make the best of his opportunity?
We don't usually see football as work. We watch it as a game and we treat it as a game, however, these athletes use this game as an occupation and they count on it to make a living. Is Lofgren now saying that he is in favor of disallowing all convicted felons to make a living doing what they do best?
Vick's job is to play football. He made a terrible mistake and paid a significant price for it but now he is out and trying to make a living. Don't forget that there was a doubt about him even receiving an offer from an NFL team when he got out of prison. The Eagles took a chance on him as a back-up quarterback. If Kevin Kolb doesn't go down with a concussion in Week 1, we may not even be talking about Vick right now.
He got his chance and he made the best of it, an opportunity we would all like to be afforded if we were in the same situation. Get over the fact that he is a convicted felon and just marvel at the way he has turned his life, and this league upside down.
MVP stands for Most Valuable PLAYER, not Most Valuable PERSON. Vick may not be the best person in the world but he is playing like the best football player and he should be rewarded for that.
Not to mention the fact that he is doing everything in his power off the field to rectify his actions and has been highly commended by animal rights organizations for his efforts.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me that Nils Lofgren had nothing else to write. It boggles the mind that writers can take the position of indignation yet turn a blind-eye to misbehavior in other areas that are substantially more grievous. "Hey Nils, take a look at the the NBA players." That will keep him busy for months.
ReplyDeleteVick deserves comeback player of the year, but MVP so far is Tom Brady. Even with a defense that is basically last in every statistical category his team is still 10-2.... but Vick is obviously still in contention and has earned the right to be back in the NFL.
ReplyDeleteMichael Vick is an ANIMAL!!! I say lets put HIM in the ring with one of those dogs and see who comes out alive!!
ReplyDeleteThe difference in Vick's case is two-fold. Number one, the victims were defenseless animals. If you truly want to know how a person treats others, look at how he treats animals.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, while I agree he has done his time, he still committed a horrific act that is not easily forgotten by the fans. I never liked the argument "well what he did was worse, so it's okay." No everyone is saying Lewis or Stallworth should have been honored either.
Because professional sports are only viable due to the support of the fans, these athletes must be held to higher standard than the rest of us shlubs. And in return, they are paid millions of dollars. In my opinion, that means what they do off the field is every bit as important as what they do on it. Unfortunately, organizations like ESPN and others glorify the worst elements of that society and that badly damages the relationship between the supporters of the games and the athletes. It's a vicious cycle that I fear will only get worse.