NFL Benches Michael Vick

Quarterback Ordered To Stay Out Of Training Camp Until League Reviews Dogfighting Charges Against Him

(AP)  Michael Vick was ordered by commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday to stay away from the Atlanta Falcons' training camp until the league reviews the dog fighting charges against him.

"While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the National Football League to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the Personal Conduct Policy," Goodell said in a letter to the quarterback.

The NFL said Vick would still get his preseason pay and Goodell told the Falcons to withhold any disciplinary action of their own until the league's review was completed.

Goodell told Vick the league would complete its review as quickly as possible and that he expected full cooperation. The review is expected to involve conversations with federal law enforcement officials so the NFL can determine the strength of the case against Vick.

The Falcons open camp on Thursday, the same day Vick is scheduled to be arraigned in Richmond, Va., on charges of sponsoring a dog fighting operation.

The team declined comment other than to say a news conference was scheduled Tuesday at owner Arthur Blank's office in Atlanta.

Vick, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft, last season became the first quarterback ever to rush for more than 1,000 yards.

After his indictment last week, the NFL's position was that it would monitor developments and allow the legal process to "determine the facts."

Since then, pressure has been mounting on the league and the Falcons, particularly from animal-rights groups.

PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, demonstrated at Falcons' headquarters in Flowery Branch, Ga., on Monday and did the same outside NFL offices in New York last week. At the same time, Goodell was meeting with officials from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The league and the ASPCA are working on a program to educate players about the proper treatment of animals.

Activists also put pressure on companies that have endorsements deals with Vick to sever their ties. Nike said it would not release a fifth signature shoe, the Air Zoom Vick V, this summer. Nike spokesman Dean Stoyer said the four shoe products and three shirts that currently bear Vick's name will remain in stores.

Goodell's order came down after lengthy discussions involving the league office, the Falcons and the NFL Players' Association. Gene Upshaw, the NFLPA's executive director, was one of the first to side with Goodell when he instituted the strong Personal Conduct Policy after a season of repeated misdeeds by players.

Disciplining players has turned out to be Goodell's main focus since taking over last Sept. 1 for the retired Paul Tagliabue.

Since the end of last season, he has used the new policy to suspend Adam "Pacman" Jones of the Tennessee Titans for the entire 2007 season; and Chris Henry of Cincinnati and former Chicago Bear Tank Johnson for eight games each.

Those calling for Vick's suspension have noted that Jones, who faces charges of coercion in Las Vegas stemming from a shooting that left a man paralyzed, wasn't convicted when he was suspended.

However, league officials said there were mitigating circumstances in the Jones case.

In January, he accepted a plea agreement to dismiss public intoxication and disorderly conduct charges in Tennessee if he behaved himself for six months. League officials say that the charges in Las Vegas voided that agreement and were a major factor in his suspension.

The indictment of Vick alleges that about eight young dogs were put to death at his Surry County home after they were found not ready to fight. They were killed "by hanging, drowning and/or slamming at least one dog's body to the ground."

Purses for the fights ranged from hundreds of dollars to the thousands, and participants and spectators often placed side bets on the outcome, according to the indictment

If convicted, Vick and three others charged with him could face up to six years in prison, and $350,000 in fines.

[jimmyjg]

should we as peoples show more our animals than other peoples everyday we here about some person beening attack by a pitbull no one protect young peoples being killer everyday by drive by shooting no protect a young man were beating down at six flag over ga. no protect but when something happen to pitbull even peoples at the white house has there say so now is the time the peoples to make the law work for us the law say vick can be charged for what go at his so a da should be able to go after the owner when someone rent a house or apartment and sell drugs and other do other things that are wrong in our community so as the peoples let stated protect for our right ilove my dog but our kids should come first jg

[kailumego1]

Don't castigate the white posters while overlooking his alleged criminal act.

Certainly there are a lot of eager beaver white folks waiting with baited breath to pounce on the first or any black person who commits a criminal or amoral offense, but don't unable or dismiss his lecherous behavior, because of race, or you%u2019ll become no better than those you charge with racism.

[kailumego1]

Although I detest killing animals for sport, comparing sport killing to what he did is like contrasting %u201Capples to oranges%u201D.

And don[t] stop at Bush previous presidents have been responsible for the senseless murder of millions, but that doesn%u2019t excuse Vick%u2019s behavior.

Evil is Evil, whether it is Hitler, Stalin, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Bush, CIA, FBI, other government officials, ordinary citizens, Michael Vick, etc., degeneracy breeds degeneracy.

What Michael Vick has manage to prove poverty isn%u2019t the only factor ailing inner-cities , but apathetic psychosis, because if eliminating poverty was the panacea then he[Vick] should have made a 360 degree change.

He has proven no matter how much money or opportunity one has, if one is psychologically diseased to begin with, wealth and prosperity doesn%u2019t matter he will eventually revert back to his degenerate behavior..

I detest black folks rationalizing and enabling other blacks%u2019 degenerate, criminal, and lecherous behavior just as much as white folks making excuses or denying racism exist.

I%u2019m a dog owner, and I%u2019m appalled at his behavior, likewise, I%u2019m sickened at anyone that violates the rights of humans and animals.

I think he%u2019s a piece of SH[I]T%u2026

[coolcam75]

Not to let Michael Vick off the hook, he certainly should have used better judgment, but if you guys are going to judge him as a monster you better use that same brush to paint Siegfried & Roy (Tiger abusers) the Circus, Sea World, The Bass Pro Shop who earns millions selling animal and people killing equipment mainly to white men for good ol boy yee-haw hunting and killing fun, and the scores of other billion dollar enterprises that profit off of the abuse and slaughter of innocent animals. Why is it acceptable to hunt animals for sport, take a photo with the carcass, have it stuffed and hung on the wall in your den? Why? Why

Oh, I forgot to put Bush in there also who kills people for sport (1 million and counting) or shall I say exclusive oil contracts that have yet to be signed by the Iraqis who refuse to give up their oil to multination U.S corporations. People please put your stupidity and your hate aside and use your brain. What 's wrong is wrong across the board. There is no humane way to abuse an animal. You people have been doing it for years but as soon as a rich talented athlete who happens to be black engages in your abuse you want to hang him from a tree. Examine your own savage ways before you call someone else a savage......savage!!!!

[coolcam75]

I'm certainly NOT a supporter of dog fighting but to slam and convict Vick for these allegations before a trial is a typical prejudice move by an "majority". Can you expl ain to me what is the difference between dog fighting, deer hunting, fishing (for sport), the circus, Sea World, Quail hunting (hello Shootem in the face Cheney) etc. It's all the same thing, humans sacrificing animals for the purpose of pleasure and entertainment. What's the real difference between a dog and a deer....300lbs? One you are allowed to shoot for fun or sport while the other you're not. Unfortunately for the animal the outcome is the same, a badly wounded or dead animal.

[jdubs63]

As hamdsome as Michael Vick is...HE is beginning to look like a PIT BULL

[agnim]

I know that a lot of you envious bigots are happy to see INNOCENT Vick benched by that equally envious and racist nazis commissioner.

Your racist behinds just can't stand the sight of a Black who is far more capable and far wealthier than your drugged mind can ever imagine.

By the time some of you bigots wake up, if ever, that wimpy and narrow minded and bigoted nazis commissioner will destroy a real American sport for real men.

And that concentration camp guard will destroy the NFL with the help of the pussified bigots who do not know when to b!tch and moan about something of importance, and when to shut the **** up over a stupid dog fight!

[theusa1st]

it is time to get the thugs and criminals out of the NFL...I don't care how good a player he is...he is a very sick person...his brother isn't too smart and neither are some of his teamates...time for a flushing...sick overpayed goons.

[vancouverboo]

Rich Black Trash.

And don't say to wait until he's proven guilty to toss stones. If we had to wait for every rich person with rich lawyers to be found guilty we'd be waiting until hell freezes over.

[nycnurse]

Way to go NFL. Vick needed to be suspended. It is crazy for anyone to think it is ok to treat another living being in the way he was treating those animals, especially someone who might be considered an example to children who wanted to be like him. It is terrible what he did.

[kstrisha]

Quote:

I wonder what Clinton Portice is thinking right about now? After all that giggling he did on national tv saying, Hey it's his dogs, He can do what he wants with them. nice!
Posted by slim1h2o at 10:41 AM : Jul 24, 2007

=====

Good point. For those who didn't hear what he said, read this.

======

In an interview with a Virginia television station Friday, Portis and a teammate, offensive tackle Chris Samuels, defended Vick. Portis said that if Vick is charged and convicted of dogfighting, "then you're putting him behind bars for no reason."

"I don't know if he was fighting dogs or not, but it's his property. It's his dog. If that's what he wants to do, do it," Portis told WAVY-TV in Norfolk.

Samuels laughed as Portis spoke and said it wasn't fair that people were rushing to conclusions about Vick's involvement. "You can't accuse this man of something and throw the book at him right now," Samuels said.

=========

Based on these statments, they all know it was going on and support it. I bet this is a just the tip of the iceberg.

[slim1h2o]

I wonder what Clinton Portice is thinking right about now? After all that giggling he did on national tv saying, Hey it's his dogs, He can do what he wants with them. nice!

[joyce1505]

Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Thug, maybe, but who are you to judge?

[kstrisha]

Quote:

The indictment of Vick alleges that about eight young dogs were put to death at his Surry County home after they were found not ready to fight. They were killed "by hanging, drowning and/or slamming at least one dog's body to the ground."

====

These dogs didn't kill each other, they were tortured in the most cruel of ways because they would NOT fight. I agree, boycott NIKE and the NFL...

What a sicko.

[drummer94]

Outta the game. Period. Fighting dogs is pure evil. It is in no way,shape,or form, a "sport".

[rafterman1]

===Dogs naturally fight more than humans.===

Two dogs meeting in nature and fighting naturally is one thing. Humans forcing these dogs to fight by torturing them is barbaric and you are a chickensh1t coward.

[zootallures2]

Dog fighting? What about all the world governments, businesses, propaganda media, and religious nuts, who engage in human fighting?

[lawandorder7]

At least we don't have GUNOWNERDAN shooting his big mouth off about this

[formrusmcsgt]

Vick, whether criminally involved in the enterprise or not, has shown himself to be the stupidest pro athelete since Bonds.

Bonds, according to indepent estimates, loses out on about 30 million a year in endorsements because of his involvement with steroid dispensers and an arrogant anti-fan attitude.

Vick, by just being involved with sadistics who enjoy training animals to rip opponents to pieces has just cost himself a fortune.

Not that he hasn't already made one but, as stupid as he has shown himself to be, I wouldn't be surprised to see him declaring bankruptcy in the near future.

[opedanderson]

Put this so-called tough guy in the pit with a couple of his beasts. I would pay to see him cry in pain......