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whatevergirl
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Yes, sadly, I realize it’s all about money.
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Kardinal
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Well, interestingly, if Vick had bet on Football, I would support him being banned for life, because he has shown that he does not have the character to be a football player. That’s what happens when a doctor abuses his position and makes medical decisions accordingly. Or when a lawyer abuses their position in making legal decisions. Likewise betting on football compromises the industry, the game, itself.
However, in this case his crime was unrelated to football.
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whatevergirl
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*Yeah, it was worse.
So someone shouldn’t be given a second chance to play for the team, for betting against his football team, say…but, killing dogs cruelly, and making money doing it, deserves a second chance? This makes my point. 
Why shouldn’t someone be given a second chance for betting against his team? If someone can be given a second chance for what he did to play again in the NFL–then why not if the person was sorry, and betted and vowed to never do it again? That is puzzling. 
It’s not for me to judge him…
I pray that he learned something from the experience, at any rate. I would personally love to see him speak out on tv about what he learned, and that he vows to clean up his life…remember, much of today’s youth look up to people like him…it would be good to see something like that. *
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whatevergirl
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And Karindal, you make a great point–about upholding the integrity of being a football player. My son played the sport…so did my husband. It takes more than athletic ability…it’s how you conduct yourself off the field as well as on. Personally, I think the NFL should have in their contracts the following–if you are convicted of a felony, your pro football career is over. Now, if you were caught doing drugs or had a dui, I think that those things are less offensive, however, with a dui, you could end up killing someone. But, that to me sends a message that in order to be a profootball player, your behavior off the field is just as important as it is on. That is what we taught our son, and it’s something obviously, that isn’t being upheld in the NFL. Does it mean he is not forgiven? No…it simply means that if you want to represent the NFL, you need to not commit a felony. I think it would be a reasonable rule. Just my ramblings…
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stringbeanduck
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What bothers me is the message this sends to the younger generations.Yeah, it was worse.
It’s not for me to judge him…
I pray that he learned something from the experience, at any rate. I would personally love to see him speak out on tv about what he learned, and that he vows to clean up his life…remember, much of today’s youth look up to people like him…it would be good to see something like that.
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Kardinal
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What message? That if you abuse dogs we’ll send you to jail? That seems a good message to me.
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Middleman
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exactly. Why should animal cruelty be such a capital crime? Meanwhile abortion doctors get paid to kill.
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Matt33
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hahahahahahah Obviousely spoken by someone who has never played the game. I played college ball and your off the field stuff matters just as much as on the field. I can’t tell you how many guys I played with were cut, suspended, dismissed from the team, benched, or sat out maybe a bowl game because of “violation of team rules” A DUI? Gone, Selling dope? Gone. Heck, just missing curfew by a half an hour can be grounds for never playing again in college, and if you don’t play in college, then you can kiss the NFL goodbye. THe militarry which has MANY similaritities to football would NEVER let this guy back in. He was a QB, A general. If his “job” was a ranking US marine he would have been gone forever. Kaput, end of career. Forgivness requires repentantce, and not just repentance on the end of a million dollar carrot. Repentance gets you our of jail, rehabilitation gets you shift manager at the local choke and puke. But not for the famous and rich.
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Kardinal
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And he was suspended, too.
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Matt33
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*I don’t believe you would have been prosecuted, and I certainly don’t believe you would have served 2 years in prison for his offence.
He has to disclose is status as a convicted felon, there are many, many companies willing to see beyond a felony conviction (thank God, or there would be no possibility of rehabilitation!).
Well, values like “innocent until proven guilty”, and “everybody deserves a second chance” seem to be doing fine.
I know one person who got 8 years for car theft, another who is serving 3 for 3 DUIs, 5 for shoplifting just 300.00. ( I know I have worked with and known some interesting people in the past. I used to work at a grocery store we hired directly from the work release center).
We made a check kiting thief a manager and YUP she and her mom took us for 10,000.Considering that over 50 percent of the population is incarcerated at some time, some for lesser crimes than Vick did, I think anyone would have gone to prison and probably did more time.
Values like if you can throw a ball you get millions of dollars and what your character is doesn’t matter. these guys are held to a different standard. I mean how many of us can say millions of people cheer for us and yell for us and scream for us in our jobs.
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Matt33
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That is to be determined, Is that an attempt at sarcasm? It might be over my head. Once I was suspended for 3 days for my checkstand being $20 OVER! LOL and I’ll bet my 3 days of no pay was a bigger hit to my livelyhood than Vicks If he comes back.
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Matt33
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Of course I think he will play again but the question should be SHOULD he play again. I don’t expect the NFL (or any sport for that matter) to all of the sudden have standards equivalent to the Church or even say a teachers union. (though t would be nice) But, wouldn’t it be nice if he were actually cut, benched, and generally didn’t do well? In the NFL there is a small window of opportunity, the only player that has done well after doing a prison stint was Burt Reynolds. Well I guess Sandler did it too.
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stringbeanduck
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No. That doesn’t bother me at all. It’s allowing him back in the NFL that does.
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mark_a
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Oh. I guess I need to get out more.
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igator99
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I agree with you a 100%. Athletes and celebrities get a pass because they have MONEY! You are I would be ruined. It is not fair but that is just the way it is. We pay these people millions a year while our soldiers, teachers and others have to scrap by. I think the days of the super paid athletes are coming to and end. I love the Saints but to take my family of four to a game with decent seats would set me back $500 and there is no way I can afford that. 20 years ago it was doable at about $120. The NFL is pricing themselves out the general public.
The person in question is Michael Vick. I’m a dog lover. I own three and take excellent care of them because I love them. I find dog fighting sickening. He served his time and hopefully made peace with God. He should be allowed to pursue a career. I’ve done terrible things in my life but through the Lord I’ve risen above them and have made admins. I still struggle with some sins. Wouldn’t be wonderful for Vick to have a great career and give millions to help neglected and abused animals? That’s what I would do if I was him.
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whatevergirl
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*Yes, perhaps the great hope out of this, would be that Vick learned from the experience, and is repentant…and might choose to use the experience as a teachable moment for others. It’s funny you say that about being given another chance when you have sinned, I think so, too, about myself…the chances I have been given again to ‘get it right.’ That is what I hope for him–that he learned something. I’m not saying we should ignore the debt he paid, the jail sentence he served. I just feel that the NFL should be concerned with what its players are doing off of the field, as well as on. We’ll see. *
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Kardinal
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No, you have it wrong. It’s becuase they have the potential and capability to MAKE money for OTHER PEOPLE because they are in demand. People pay to see celebrities and athletes, thus they have market value.
We would not. Not if our skills were as marketable as Vick’s.
Because there are many more people who are qualified to be soldiers and teachers than NFL quarterbacks. This is capitalism. Would you like to change to another form of economy?
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whatevergirl
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*But teachers are paid horribly low in the U.S. especially and the cuts in education continue to happen …so it goes to show, that being a soldier or a teacher doesn’t ‘rank’ as high as throwing a ball…our priorities are truly mixed up in our society. It’s not really capitalism…it’s greed, and a mix up of priorities, at the helm. *
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Matt33
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I actually agree that our priorities are mixed up. But there is one point here. Teachers and soldiers, firemen and such are paid by the government… Wages Decided by polititians and government agencies local and federal that you and I supposedly put there.
But other wages are decided by the free market (kind of) so there is the money in the NFL to pay out these saleries and that pool of money is generated by the free market, tickets, merchandise contracts public support millionaire’s pockets. The point is, teachers saleries are decided by money the government TAKES from the people and allocates as it sees fit. A footabll players money is GIVEN freely by many sources some of which is the fans.Is a football player worth millions of dollars.? Absolutely, because that is what market value is. That is what they are getting paid. the minimum salary is more than the presidents pay. Unfair, perhaps… immoral. Definately but it is what it is.
Now there are exeptions like tax breaks or stadium bonds that the taxpayers have to deal with but they ultimately bring more money to the community than take away.
Beanie babies can go for thousands of dollars as can a collectible penney. Or a work of art can go for millions. It is what market value is.
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bacon_man
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Thats a biased blanket statement. Teaching isn’t even an all year job. Not to mention the tenure.
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