In his infinite wisdom, Stephon Marbury has decided that Mike Vick is being treated unfairly.
“We don’t say anything about people shooting deers and shooting other animals, you know what I mean?” Marbury said in an interview that was aired by Capital 9 News in Albany. “From what I hear, dogfighting is a sport. It’s just behind closed doors and I think it’s tough that we build Michael Vick up and then we break him down … I think he fell into a bad situation.”
Let me address his statements one by one…
“We don’t say anything about people shooting deers and shooting other animals, you know what I mean?”
Yes, I think I know what you mean, and you’re wrong. A lot of people around the country are against hunting. But that’s not the point. You’re comparing something that is illegal everywhere (dogfighting) to something that is legal in many states. Society has spoken, and breeding dogs to fight and maime is not acceptable behavior.
“From what I hear, dogfighting is a sport. It’s just behind closed doors…”
So since you hear that dogfighting is a sport behind closed doors, that makes it OK? Does that make Fight Club OK? (Oops, I wasn’t supposed to talk about Fight Club.)
“I think it’s tough that we build Michael Vick up and then we break him down…”
I hear this kind of arugment a lot when the media is all over celebrities or athletes who run into trouble. Sometimes it’s fair, sometimes it’s not. This is one of those cases where it’s not. Vick’s decisions have come back to haunt him. He broke himself down.
“I think he fell into a bad situation.”
So he decided to fund and actively participate in an extensive dogfighting ring because of peer pressure? He didn’t want to hang, electrocute or shoot those dogs – his buddies made him do it.
Stephon, what color is the sky in your world?
As a hunter – this bugged me.
When VIck and his buddies sit down and eat the dogs they kill, I’ll consider it. I have nothing against people around the world who view dogs as food animals. That’s just the way it is sometimes.
Deer hunters in my home state donated over 300,000 pounds of meat to food pantries last year alone and brought millions of dollars of license fees into the state.
The deer herd in my home state is healthier now than it was twenty years ago because of solid management practices. The does have more multiple births, and those fawn survive at much higher rates.
Ever try to stalk and kill a whitetail deer? It’s not the easiest thing you’ve ever tried. Do I need to explain the difference between fair chase and slaughtering a captive animal for nothing more than the amusement factor of killing something?
I practice throughout the year and maintain my equipment meticulously so that when the time comes, I can kill quickly and percisely with a minimum of suffering on the part of the animal. I won’t say it always goes as planned, but it is never my intent to cause pain or torment the animals.
Well said, Jeff. I wish Marbury put that much care and thought into his words.
I think comments like Starbury’s must have Stern – and even Goodell for that matter – very concerned about the likely possibility other prominent athletes are into dog fighting. This might just be a case of one athlete protecting another, but there’s strong indications that dog fighting doesn’t start and end at one Michael Dewayne Vick…
I have little doubt that dogfighting is a regular happening in certain venues – I sincerely hope that Vick’s high profile case gets some more attention focused on this. I imagine it’s a lot like a drug ring. From a law enforcement point of view, you never just bust a dope outfit – you’re busting up a criminal enterprise which usually involves gangs, theft, robberies, the sex trade, extortion, illegal weapons and even murder for hire.
Pulling this into the clear light of day is like raking out a corner of your yard you’ve ignored for a while. You just never know what you’re gonna find in there. This is pretty far afield for a sports blog, but I think you’re correct AS. There’s more here than meets the eye, and I think that scares some folks.
Good point about what cops target Jeff – you’re right, they’re not just after some dope, but they hope to uncover something much bigger.
I wonder if some journal with the resources will try to exploit the undercover world of dog fighting in sports. Although from what I hear, it’s damn near impossible to catch dogfights when they happen because those involved go to great lengths to keep it a secret society. It’s why Vick went six-plus years without anyone (seemingly) having a clue what he was up to…
I think there are a LOT of professional athletes hoping Vick doesn’t do to them what Vick’s friends did to him. Marbury may be one of them.