Vick facing day of reckoning
The Michael Vick saga unfolded so dramatically and so decisively that today's sentencing seems almost anticlimactic. We should know in an hour or so how long he'll spend in prison.
What is sort of interesting, I think, is how quickly this happened. It's been only about eight months since the investigation opened with a search of the Surry County, Va., property by law enforcement. For a short time, it appeared plausible that Vick was simply the absentee landlord of a property that others were using for illegal activities.
But such notions unraveled quickly and when federal investigators got involved, the handwriting was on the wall. Vick also faces a state prosecution in Virginia. His attorneys are fighting that on grounds that he can't be prosecuted twice for the same crimes
Vick's fall from pop culture grace is the most sudden of any active sports figure I can think of when you consider how much Vick has forfeited in his enormous contract with the Falcons, his endorsement deals and the total loss of his good name. Mike Tyson's career also fell apart fairly quickly but with the boxer it happened incrementally. Even "Shoeless" Joe Jackson played one more full season after the 1919 World Series fix (actually, one of his best ever) before he was drummed out of baseball.
In the Vick case, today's sentencing is certainly closure of some sort. For many folks, it will be justice served, end of story. But for Vick himself, the best he can hope for is that today is the bottom of the deep hole he created for himself and that tomorrow represents the first step to the redemption he promised his fans.
Comments
I'm happy to see him serving jail time, which sends a strong message to anybody considering becoming involved in this cruel 'sport.' I hope our legislators work extra hard to crack down on other less famous criminals who are involved with dog fighting as well as cock-fighting. I'm glad to see Vick admit that what he did was wrong and promise to make amends. I hope he was sincere. Maybe when he gets out of prison he can work to educate people about staying away from dog fighting.
Posted by: Andrea | December 10, 2007 12:14 PM
I am very happy that Michael Vick will be spending 23 months in jail! My heart goes out to those poor dogs that had and still have to endure the cruelty of dog fighting! If the NFL decides to ever take him back, my days of watching football are over. As much as I love the sport, I could never condone an organization that promotes a horrible man like Vick. People need to know that this type of behavior only leads to more horrible abuse towards human beings. The animals are innocent creatures in this whole thing and now their lives are virtually over. I hope he gets some justice in jail!
Posted by: Danielle Sydorenko | December 10, 2007 12:40 PM
I suppose now we're going to send people to prison for not having their dog wear clothes. Where does the insanity end?
Posted by: Mike | December 10, 2007 12:49 PM
mike vick kills dogs and goes to jail, george bush kills people and nothing is said. GOD bless america
Posted by: cell | December 10, 2007 1:47 PM
Mike that Posted by: Mike | December 10, 2007 12:49 PM.
Come on……… I am a Mike Vick fan and I fell the punishment fits the crime. We have a dog for a family pet and I can never dream of anyone hurting any animal.
I wish him the best………….
Posted by: Bob | December 10, 2007 2:01 PM
I'm happy to see him serving jail time, which sends a strong message to anybody considering becoming involved in this cruel 'sport.'
WTH ,are you serious , we should be worried about murders , child molesters , rapist , and other low life members of society . Vick didn't do any worse than a hunter that goes hunting and traps and kills deer and other animals . How about you go to jail !!!
Posted by: mervice | December 10, 2007 2:02 PM
Mike Vick committed a crime, and for that crime he is being punished. However, I wonder if he was white, and not a NFL star, would the end result be the same? He has no priors and he is going to spend 2 years in jail for dog fighting....???? Does that make sense? Yes he should be punished, but does the punishment fit the crime?
Posted by: Whatever! | December 10, 2007 2:48 PM
I am so damn sick and tired of hearing people compare dog fighting to hunting. It doesn't come close. Regardless about one being legal and the other illegal. Some people still eat the meat from what they kill. Those that don't, they are actually helping keep the animal population from populating too much. According to the last figures I saw. Hunters are not keeping up with the animal population. Its growing too much.
Posted by: Captain Jack | December 12, 2007 10:12 AM