Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 1384 of 1503)

Lets cut through the crap: Michael Vick new what went on at that house. He didn’t just buy his cousin the home, turned around and never went back. Anyone with ¼ a brain would have questioned what all the kennels, equipment and dogs were for, or at the very least, would have taken more responsibility for who was allowed on the property. If Vick doesn’t wind up in jail or suspended, nothing short of a Ray Lewis-type miracle is going to save Vick’s image.

With that said, the Falcons should cut ties. Are there major cap ramifications with an outright release? Absolutely, around $6 million-plus this year and $15 mil next year. So what? At least the cap figures are larger now thanks to the CBA deal signed last year. The Chargers cut Ryan Leaf and eventally wound up with LaDainian Tomlinson. The Bengals cut Akili Smith and still nabbed Carson Palmer. New prospects and “face of the franchise” players come out every year, but you fail to do the right thing and it can haunt you. The Atlanta Falcons are bigger than Michael Vick and now it’s finally time for them to show it.

Don’t forget the Falcons just put together a nice draft and next year have an extra second round pick from the Matt Schaub trade. Even if they were handicapped in free agency, they’d still have the opportunity to play the youngsters, develop them under Bobby Petrino and have a nice core heading into 2009. Maybe the Falcons lose big next year without Vick, but what if Brian Brohm falls into their laps because of it?

More importantly than the on field stuff, however, the Falcons should think about their integrity above all else, including winning and selling tickets. Worried about people not showing up to the Georgia Dome? Start D.J. Shockley and watch UGA fans pack the place. Otherwise, there are more important things in life than winning football games and making money. Your franchise is hemorrhaging from within and the problem can be pinpointed. At the very least, the Falcons should usher Vick to the side until the legal matters take flight, then decide if a full release is the best move. But eventually, I think the outcome is still going to result in an ugly ending to Vick’s days in Atlanta, so why wait?

The NFL has decided to hold off on suspending Michael Vick until the legal process determines the facts. None of this means that Vick won’t be suspended next month, tomorrow, in an hour – it just means that commissioner Roger Goodell is holding off for the time being.

This decision, at least at this point, doesn’t surprise me. If the league doesn’t release an immediate statement either way, it will be vilified for not taking action. If it acts too quickly, then it might get hammered for having a knee-jerk reaction. So staying status quo for the time being at least allows Goodell and the NFL to catch their breath and get their footing before moving on with a possible suspension.

If I was a betting man – and damn it, I am – I’d say a suspension is still forthcoming in the near future. As I’ve stated in previous blogs, Goodell already has enough to hand out a punishment.

As noted in a previous blog, I wanted to highlight the dilemma NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell now faces in light of Michael Vick being indicted for dog fighting crimes.

Many people believe Goodell should wait for the courts to decide whether or not Vick is guilty and then hand out a suspension, but quite frankly, Goodell doesn’t have to wait for anything. The NFL isn’t the U.S. court system in that a due process is required – Vick doesn’t have to be proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt before Goodell can take action. If Goodell feels that Vick has tarnished the reputation of his league, he has all he needs to hand out a suspension.

The problem, however, is what if Vick is eventually found innocent and Goodell already handed out a suspension? It’s not like you can take it back. I think in the end, if Goodell wants to suspend him immediately, he’s going to have to do it on the grounds of Vick embarrassing the league and tarnishing its image. What a suspension like that would entail I don’t know, but if Pacman Jones got 17 games for essentially hiding one of his charges from the league, what should a guy who watched dogs kill each other for entertainment get?

I’m not going to reset the story or even rehash what’s new, because by now everybody has heard the latest in the Michael Vick saga. He was indicted yesterday, and you can read about it here, here, here, or if you choose, even here. I take it if you’re currently reading this blog you generally want, or have at least stumbled upon, my opinion.

My opinion is that if he is guilty, he’s unhuman and forget suspension, his ass should go to jail. This guy is drafted #1 overall and is immediately embraced by the city of Atlanta and their fans, and what does he go out and do? Possibly fund a sick dog fighting operation in which defenseless animals were hanged, shot, drop kicked and electrocuted. If he’s guilty, he let down his family, teammates, fans and the entire NFL. And for what, to watch two dogs rip each other to pieces? It’s pathetic.

Vick may still turn up innocent in all of this, but I wouldn’t bet on it. It’s not like the feds go about their business like Barney Fife or Chief Wiggum – the information they found on Vick and his cronies was detailed, precise and freighting. I’ve preached all along to wait until all the facts come out, so maybe I should heed my own warnings, but things certainly don’t look good for one Ronald Mexico.