Keep Michael Vick off the Field

I briefly posted my feelings on the Michael Vick indictment a few days ago, when the news first broke. I was succinct at the time for two reasons: I was in a hurry to get to work (haha), and I wanted a few days to collect my thoughts. Well, consider the time taken and my thoughts gathered. Michael Vick still disgusts me, and he deserves an indefinite suspension from the NFL for his alleged actions in his dog fighting ring.

Dogfighting

First off, the real victims here are the dogs that are bred and killed for sport and money. I’m an animal lover myself – my wife and I have adopted 5 dogs and as many cats from the humane society throughout the years. For me, it’s personal. These dogs were starved to make them more aggressive. They were put in front of another starving dog and made to fight to the death. If they were too weak, they were killed:

[Page 17 of Indictment]: In or about April 2007, PEACE, PHILLIPS, and VICK executed approximately 8 dogs that did not perform well in “testing” situations at 1915 Moonlight Road by various methods, including hanging, drowning, and slamming at least one dog’s body to the ground.

There are also reports in the indictment of earlier dog executions by a .22 caliber pistol shot, and electrocution.

Now, from the Player Conduct Policy released by Roger Goodell in April:

Engaging in violent and/or criminal activity is unacceptable and constitutes conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the National Football League. …

According to the indictment, Vick is guilty of this. Violently killing dogs because they weren’t strong enough to fight definitely falls under “violent and/or criminal activity.” And while this violence wasn’t against a “person or persons,” as the policy goes on to say, it was against animals, and Roger Goodell would be walking dangerous ground politically to say that doesn’t apply to dogs.

Lying and Gambling

There’s a reason there isn’t an NFL team in Las Vegas – the National Football League wants no part in gambling. In any shape, illegal gambling is taken extremely serious because of the slippery slope that follows. And this dogfighting ring was all about gambling – tens of thousands of dollars were changing hands during these fights, and even Vick himself was placing bets on his own dogs.

Second, we all know that Vick met with Commissioner Goodell right around the time of the draft in April. It’s likely that Vick was not completely honest with the Commissioner – hell, it’s likely he lied to Goodell’s face. Now that the indictment has come out, it’s obvious that Vick was more involved than he initially let on, and for these reasons alone he deserves to be suspended from the league.

What if he’s Innocent?

Some people are giving him the benefit of the doubt, and others are calling for due process to take its course before we rush to judgement. But I’ve read through the indictment, and I’m convinced there is more to these stories than the four testimonies – there is corroborating evidence that allowed this indictment to become a reality.

But for the sake of thoroughness, let’s say that Vick is innocent. I’ll play the devil’s advocate and go along, just until I make my point. Let’s say he really was away from the Virginia house and had little knowledge of the goings on. Consider this passage from the indictment:

[Page 5]: Beginning in 2002 and continuing at least through 2005… [those indicted] continued to develop the 1915 Moonlight Road Property for the ongoing dogfighting venture, including building: a fence to shield the rear portion of the compound from public view; multiple sheds used at various times to house training equipment, injured dogs, and organized fights; a house to be occupied by the defendants and others associated with maintaining the propery; and kennels and buried car axles with chains for the pit bulls. The buried car axles allow the chains to pivot, allowing the pit bulls to avoid getting tangled in the chains.

OK… I’m done playing devil’s advocate… you really want me to believe that Vick had no knowledge of any of this?! This is a hugely expensive financial operation, with some of these “sheds” being two stories tall! And who else would have that kind of money but Michael Vick out of this group. He backed up these endeavors with all the money they needed, and it’s highly implausible that he had no knowledge of what was going on when he wrote out the third check, and the fourth, and… well, you get the idea.

The Punishment Fits the Crime

Michael Vick could go to jail for six years with up to $350,000 in fines. Some have suggested letting him go on a paid leave of absence… and I can’t believe the idea is catching on! With the indictment hanging over his head, he deserves an indefinite suspension from the league, without pay, until he is proven innocent. It is no better than what happens in others’ workplaces every day – for big businesses, it is common to see this kind of thing result in leave without pay while the employee sorts his legal issues out. Why should Michael Vick, the face of an entire freaking city, and one of the most recognizable faces in all of sports, be treated any different?

Vick has done enough off the field to justify him staying there – without pay.