Vick accepts plea agreement

[Silverback51]

From CNN

ATLANTA -- Nearly one month ago, hundreds of African-American supporters of Michael Vick rallied outside the Georgia Dome.

Now, after Vick accepted a plea deal on dogfighting charges, some of those supporters said Monday that Vick let them down.

“I shed a tear,” said Gerald Rose, head of the civil rights group New Order. “I’m sad right now.”


Rose organized the pro-Vick demonstration. He, like many black Vick fans, still stand behind the Falcons superstar, despite expectations that he’ll be going to prison.

Rose said Monday that Vick now has to regain the public’s trust.

"What he needs to do when he comes out is to call a press conference and explain where a young man making 130 million dollars would get caught up in something like that,” Rose said.

Fans at Playmakers Barber Shop in Midtown said they still support Vick, because they feel he is innocent, and that he is a victim of a racist judicial system.

"It's bad. I don't condone it at all, but the punishment is too severe, (they’re ruining) a man's career," said barber Dontrell Mapp.

Black civil rights leaders said Vick should be given one more chance.

"This is what we look for, for people to take a stand for what is right and admit they made a mistake," said Charles Steele, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Vick supporters will rally again Monday night, before the Atlanta Falcons’ preseason game with the Cincinnati Bengals.

More than half of the team's season ticket holders are African-American.

[Cobrabill]

Originally Posted by bomelia

If the NFL wants to continue to be a reality, they had better watch out for the soccer moms. In the home, the first line of defense is mom...(least wise in ours it is). What can and cannot be watched is largely up to her. The NFL needs to have a "role model" clause... a standard. If players do not live up to the standard...they are out. Period. Vick should never come back. He has a right to earn a living...but not in the NFL. Too bad, too sad. My kids will not be exposed to a$$holes like him. Same goes for all the other sports. The "bad boy" era should be over. Do drugs? You are out. Zero Tolerance. Steal a pizza? You are out. Rape a girl? Out. Gamble? Out. DUI? Out. Punch a fan? Out. Steroids? OUT. Zero tolerance will end it all. Our kids have to deal with zero tolerance at school every day. These freaking primadonas should have to also. I deal with zero tolerance at work...and so do most of you.

Mike

Mike-agree with your sentiment but for that to happen all rapes charges would have to be legit(they're not)
All DUI charges would have to be(the laws are skewed to revenue people-not get drunks off the road)
Gamble?Please who gives a $hit?The gambling clause in pro sports came about as a result of the 1919 Black Sox.This situation simply can not happen.Pete Rose is proof of this gambling rule being bull$hit.
Steroids,Pot?Again who gives a crap?
Lastly,professional athletes ARE NOT role models-so why the hell should we ask them to behave like such?

[Sharroll Celby]

I can imagine the defensive linemen of Atlanta's opposing teams trash-talking the Falcon's offensive linemen: "Are you REALLY protecting that savage dog-killer and dog-abuser?"

[bomelia]

Originally Posted by Cobrabill

Mike-agree with your sentiment but for that to happen all rapes charges would have to be legit(they're not)
All DUI charges would have to be(the laws are skewed to revenue people-not get drunks off the road)
Gamble?Please who gives a $hit?The gambling clause in pro sports came about as a result of the 1919 Black Sox.This situation simply can not happen.Pete Rose is proof of this gambling rule being bull$hit.
Steroids,Pot?Again who gives a crap?
Lastly,professional athletes ARE NOT role models-so why the hell should we ask them to behave like such?

They absolutely ARE role models!! Ask Nike, Adidas, et al. As such, they should be held to a standard. And as one who helps pay their bloated salaries, I get to expect as much. Or I stop watching. And paying.

Don't make excuses for rape, drug use, gambling, and DUIers. I give a $hit. That's who. And if you know me via my posts, I am being very consistent on this.

Mike

[Cobrabill]

Originally Posted by bomelia

(1)They absolutely ARE role models!! (6)Ask Nike, Adidas, et al. (2)As such, they should be held to a standard. And as one who helps pay their bloated salaries, (3)I get to expect as much. Or I stop watching. And paying.

(4)Don't make excuses for rape, drug use, gambling, and DUIers. (5) I give a $hit. That's who. And if you know me via my posts, I am being very consistent on this.

Mike

1-Bull$hit
2-agreed-But they are still not role models.
3-you expect too much
4-don't put words in my mouth-I said if there is going to be a zero tolerance Policy( which is horse$hit to begin with)then ALL CHARGES must be legitimate.And they're not.
Are you advocating taking away a mans lively-hood based on trumped-up/bogus accusations along the lines of the Duke LaCrosse Team?
5-The only people making noise about pot & steroids is the government.That should be a big enough clue alone.
6-those companies would say they(the althletes) are company spokesmen.As spokesmen they would have a responsibilty to the company to act according ly.But role models-Sorry Bubba-no sale.

[Jamo]

The mofo is pure white trash.

[imagine2frolic]

Role models, or not these guys are an influece, and that is why they get thier name stuck on tennis shoes. The NFL passed the rule on personal conduct. Now they need to stick to it.

I don't see the comparison in the La Crosse players, and Vick. Vick is pleading guilty within weeks of the accussations. The prosecuter against the La Crosse players was the one keeping the charges going. It was not the evidence that kept the charges alive.

[Cobrabill]

i wasn't comparing Vick to Duke.The Duke players were railroaded on bogus,trumped up charges.I was using the Duke incident to show that "zero tolerance"policies are designed to make the auther look good and resultant consequences be damned.

[Wayne Maybury]

Bill

You say that pro athletes are not roll models, I disagree. Ask some teen age boys who they consider to be roll models and they almost certainly will include the names of pro athletes. Isn't a roll model someone that younger people hold in high esteem and want to be like?

As far as supporting pro athletes, I am very proud to say that I have not put one cent in the pocket of a professional athlete in many years. I don't even watch pro sports on TV any more.

Wayne

[4RE KLR]

Mike I agree,

Stick to your guns buddy! I am with you, ONE screw up they are OUT, for good! What is all this three strikes and your out crap. "Let's go hold up a store and kill someone Bubba, we have two more strikes" WTF?

These guys need to straighten up, shut up or get the Helll out of the public eye. Like you my wife keeps a lid on what our kids can watch on TV, read on the web and listen to on the radio.

These morons are as Jamo said "trash" and should not be allowed into our homes. It is because we let them in that our children act like them.

What I want to know is what in the hell happened to Dad's being the major role model in our sons lives. I know "for one" I take that responsibility very seriously. Listen folks we only get one chance to raise our kids, (as most of you know) if we screw that up, NOTHING we accomplish in life will be worth a damn!

Plain and simple, It's called parenting!

[bomelia]

It amazes me that people will appologize for these a$$holes. Not me. Am sticking by my guns. Of course an abitration board or a hearing in court comes first. Always innocent before being proved guilty. EVERYBODY in the Duke case acted incorrectly. The kids were in a dangerous place (had they not been, this never would have happened). The DA turned out to be a DA (dumb a$$). The public got it wrong. But upon the final decision, if they are guilty, they are out. Too bad, too sad.

If the NBA, NFL, and so on wants my money, they will get to zero tolerance.

Absolutely, if we dads acted more like heros and role models, our kids would not look to thugs like Vick (and I suspect most guys in here do just that)

Mike

[Cobrabill]

Originally Posted by Wayne Maybury

Bill
You say that pro athletes are not roll models, I disagree. Ask some teen age boys who they consider to be roll models and they almost certainly will include the names of pro athletes. Isn't a roll model someone that younger people hold in high esteem and want to be like?

As far as supporting pro athletes, I am very proud to say that I have not put one cent in the pocket of a professional athlete in many years. I don't even watch pro sports on TV any more.Wayne

Wayne-you just hit on the problem-WE(the parents) decide who the role model(s)are.Kids don't get to(shouldn't) decide that.

Back in the day i was a huge Alice Cooper fan.( i still am)But i knew he wasn't a role model.I knew it was his JOB!The fact that parents are letting kids diecide who is a role model and who isn't is mind blowing.

Mike- i am not "apologizing" for anyone.
And the Duke players did NOTHING wrong.And to say that if they hadn't been there this wouldn't have happened is insane.That's like saying if the Archduke Ferdinands driver didn't take a wrong turn,WWI wouldn't have happened.

Screw the final decision.Go read up on "Fatty Arbuckle".
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ___________________


4RE KLR
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Neverland, TX
Mike I agree,

Stick to your guns buddy! I am with you, ONE screw up they are OUT, for good! What is all this three strikes and your out crap. "Let's go hold up a store and kill someone Bubba, we have two more strikes" WTF?

These guys need to straighten up, shut up or get the Helll out of the public eye. Like you my wife keeps a lid on what our kids can watch on TV, read on the web and listen to on the radio.

These morons are as Jamo said "trash" and should not be allowed into our homes. It is because we let them in that our children act like them.

What I want to know is what in the hell happened to Dad's being the major role model in our sons lives. I know "for one" I take that responsibility very seriously. Listen folks we only get one chance to raise our kids, (as most of you know) if we screw that up, NOTHING we accomplish in life will be worth a damn!

Plain and simple, It's called parenting!

Steve-agree completely.Like i said above-KIDS SHOULD NOT get to decide who is a role model!!!And parents that let them are the problem

Mike-you and i are basically on the same page.But you want to come in with a chaingun and cut everyone down and then if someone who got hit-shouldn't have,you'll apologize to the family.This is where we split.I also agree with your(and others)assessment of the current "pro-athlete" situation and further agree,something needs to be done.

[Wayne Maybury]

Bill

I think that you have really got it right about children not receiving enough guidence from their parents. Social values change and I think that our society has swung way too far to the "everything is OK" scenario. I have been saying for quite a few years that one of the major problems that society faces today is a total lack of responsibility and accountability. It is always somone else's fault.

I was quite strict with my kids and sometimes my wife would get upset with me (never in front of the kids). My girls are all grown up now and they have thanked me many times for keeping them on the straight and narrow when they wanted to stray. Today many parents want to be "friends" with their children instead of being a parent first, and a friend second.

Wayne

[Ron61]

Wayne,

Social values have changed in the 900 years since I was young, but I still think right is right and wrong is wrong no matter who it is. And I am living proof that getting whipped when you are a kid doesn't make you into a killer or any other kind of criminal. My Father wore out more razor straps on my butt than they did in the barber shop. But I never received a whipping that I didn't deserve and have never held any ill feelings about it. I had some roll models, but that don't mean I turned out like them. Stan Musial was one of mine. Barry Bonds isn't. Darn, I know what I want to say but can't seem to get it together. Should have gone to law school I guess.

Ron

[4RE KLR]

I think we all agree on this we just have a different way of trying to get across what we really mean.

I think we are all tired of the BS and excuses we have been hearing for so many years. Do you think for a second Vince Lombardi would have put up with Vick for the time it took to tell the story on TV the first night. I think not. He would have been out on his backside in the rain.

yes, being a role model is a difficult task for any parent, but so is parenting. No one ever told any of us it would be easy. It is our responsibility to raise our children, not the courts and penitentiaries OR the TV sets.

[terry251]

Hey Vick..."Who let them dogs out?" Bon appetite terriers!

[bomelia]

The Duke players did something (perhaps) many of have done. But in todays world, it was stupid. It put them in a precarious position.

Me? I would just like to watch the games and not have them obscured by who is the biggest jerk on the team.

BTW, the NCAACP has chimed in (good call Kristen). They want Vick to be able to come back. Yeah, like Imus should be given another chance...and Rush too! If you commit a crime, and you are black, then you should be given another chance. If you are non-black...rot in hell.

[GlynMeek]

I saw that about the NAACP chiming in today as well. Once again, they turn this into a black vs. white thing when IT ISN'T...I am a complete and utter dog lover, preferring any dogs to most people, and Vick is just an immoral human being who should be punished harshly and at length, and then shunned completely by any sentient citizen and utterly ostracized by society! I couldn't care less about race, color, creed differences, I judge people by what they say and do, not by some arbitrary happenstance of what color they are! Dear god, are we not beyond THAT yet?

There are NO excuses, none whatsoever...no explanations, no justifications, no "poorly treated childhood" stories, no "the man made me do it" reasoning...nothing! No way at all that such a depraved being should be permitted to EVER rejoin society.

oooh...wow, I am on a rant, I shall step down carefully from the lofty moral pedestal!!!!

[Buzz]

I really shouldn't allow myself to be goaded into a response, Mikey - but we all know how it works and it's all in fun, right? So here goes. The NAACP like any other special interest group is narrow minded in focus and often - from the outside looking in - full of $hit in its stance on issues with broader social ramifications, including this one. HLC implied (in a "smartass" way she sez and I guess I believe her) that the NAACP was responsible for allowing morons to advance through college sports and into the pros. Regardless of my opinion about the (non) merits of the NAACP's position on this issue, I maintain that her implication is incorrect and I stand by my subsequent response.

[Jamo]

Well screw it then, I stand by my initial comment that the NCAA has failed in it's mission.

I serve up our own Fresno State as a prime example. We seem to have criminal cases going on almost continuely involving current and past sports players...brutal street crap like drugs, assaults, rapes etc. to point shaving allegations. He!!, Tark's problems here (even after Vegas) seem minor.

The next dorm built here may be part of the state penal system.