Vick Fix? NFL Launches Ad Campaign

The Skinny: Football Barons Will Use Players Calling Their Moms To Counter Dogfighting Scandal

(CBS)  The Skinny is Keach Hagey's take on the top news of the day and the best of the Internet.

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It might seem improbable that anything positive could come from the Michael Vick dogfighting scandal, but today's papers bring word that it's been good for business for at least three (albeit somewhat less than beloved) groups: PETA, politicians and advertising executives.

The NFL called in Madison Avenue in an attempt to "protect the strength of our brand," as one senior NFL VP put it, after a year in which "news coverage of professional football has read more like a police blotter," according to the New York Times.

The antidote to reports of star quarterbacks hosting animal torture tournaments and pleading guilty to felonies? Or leaving the scene of the accident after crashing their Lamborghini?

You might think it would be images of players volunteering at the Humane Society or working in a soup kitchen - but you'd be wrong. The televison and online ad campaign that begins today will take up a quarter of the league's consumer advertising budget for the year. It shows images of player performing such acts of heroism as reading to their children and - brace yourselves - calling their mothers.

Dogfighting Busts, Bills Are Also Up

Meanwhile, USA Today reports the Vick case has raised awareness of the blood sport to such a degree tips to PETA and the Humane Society have doubled since mid-July, prompting a surge in dogfighting busts. Police pursued at least 42 new dogfighting cases in July and August, up from 17 in those two months last year, according to the Humane Society.

The new, Vick-inspired public outrage over dogfighting has also given politicians a no-brianer of a bill to introduce this summer. Dogfighting is illegal nationwide, but already lawmakers in half a dozen states have urged stiffer penalties for the sport.

Hsu, Me?

The story of Hillary Clinton's fugitive bundler Norman Hsu -- which the Wall Street Journal sort-of-broke on Tuesday and the Los Angles Times added spice to on Wednesday -- hit most front pages today, as Democrats ran screaming from the money they were only too happy to take just a few days ago.

The New York Times reports that Clinton is giving to charity the $23,000 he donated to her campaign and reviewing the thousands of dollars more that he had raised - which is pretty funny considering that her campaign spokesman was on the record defending Hsu's donations earlier this week.

Hsu released a statement that he had no idea there was a bench warrant for him outstanding in California, pointing out that he had been living the kind of very public life that wouldn't be wise for someone who actually knew he was a fugitive. The Times quotes part of it, and the Wall Street Journal runs the whole thing.

Although many Democrats who took money from Hsu are distancing themselves from him, the Journal reports that one recipient of his largess is sticking up for the Hong Kong-born apparel magnate. Pensylvania Gov. Edward Rendell is keeping the $40,000 he received from Hsu's fundraising network.

"He has never asked me for a bloody thing, which in our business is unusual," Rendell said. "Virtually everyone who gives you money asks for something."

Rendell said Hsu apparently just liked going to the parties and talking politics.

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[denwa1966]

Great article this week by Lauren Green on Vick. Here''s an excerpt:

"Vick has only learned to hate the consequences of his behavior, not the behavior itself. One very good indication that Vick''s mea culpa is full of empty promises is that he has been a %u201Cman of God%u201D for quite sometime. He did not suddenly %u201Cfind Jesus.%u201D Vick has had at least seven quotations since 1998 where he thanked God or invoked his faith as the reason for his success. In 2005 he responded to criticisms by saying, "I''m trying to be Michael Vick, the quarterback God made me to be." In 2004 he told the Macon Telegraph, "I wake up every day and I thank God." In a 2001 interview after he was a first-round draft pick, Vick told ESPN, "The Lord has blessed me. I have to thank Him for all this."

"So, Vick is not new to the idea of Jesus. He supposedly knew Jesus when he was committing the crime of dogfighting. He knew Jesus when he was brutally killing dogs. And, he knew Jesus when he lied about his activities. So when Michael Vick said, "I need to redeem myself," what he really could have been saying is, %u201CI need to get myself out of this at all costs.%u201D And, he''s using religion to do it. Someone who %u201Cknows Jesus%u201D also knows that they cannot redeem themselves, that redemption has been bought at a price, with no human assistance."

[oakishpines]

'' ... putting women in mens armys did not turn men into gardenets, it turned women into rapists of husbands and children ... putting children into armys does not turn women and men into gardenets, it turns children into parent rapists ... if men are to treat children with respect, then men are to start acting like children ... and are to start treating two year olds like two year olds ... ''

'' ... all the front pages would have been covered in photos of local children dancing get well feed world songs rallied around the sick beds drifting the farm trails, except a terrorist warned against it ... ''

[mo005]

And yes my ankle biter may do just that, but he also won''''t take half of my face off or mame a child either.
Posted by retmilspouse : You just discribed any dog that walks this earth. All dogs intincts are to use those jaws to do their dirty work. But if you use common sense and train the animal it will less likely be agressive. Barbara walters ruined the name pit bull along time ago. I''ve seen poodles be just as mean as a pit. Your just ignorant and one sided. a follower I''d venture to say.

[luigi999-2009]

The word on the street is Hudson will sentence Vick to the full 5-year jail term. That solves a lot of problems for the NFL. Let this clown rot in prison. DOWN WITH VICK!

[retmilspouse]

TRAINING makes a good dog. By the way, I''''m more affraid of those little ankle biter dogs ( Chihuahuas)than a pit bull.
Posted by mo005 at 01:07 PM : Aug 30, 2007

That''s just a pure stupid statment. Yes you can raise a pit to be a good dog. But most of them do not have a good nature about them as do other dogs in their class. And yes my ankle biter may do just that, but he also won''t take half of my face off or mame a child either.

[craash1]

"By the way, I''''m more affraid of those little ankle biter dogs ( Chihuahuas)than a pit bull.
Posted by mo005"

LOL - Nice post mo005 , very well put!! I have 4 of those "ankle biters" (prefer to call them my barking slippers, lol) and agree that it is all in how you raise the dog. My 4 are very well behaved and loving, somewhat protective of me but have never once bitten anyone. Maybe gkc99''s mom put him out on a chain in the yard?

[mo005]

gkc99 : You are as stupid as you write. I bet you''ve never been with 100 feet of a pit bull. They are just as loving as any other animal. The only thing that is wrong with these dogs is the people that raise them. I raised one just to prove to my parents how they can be just as kind and as gentle as any other dog on the planet. I changed there minds. My dog was as peaceful and lovable as any dog I have ever been around. You raise a kid to steal he will steal as an adult, you raise a dog to bite, He will bite when full grown. Thats what the dog knows, so he does it. You people see this *** on tv and think every pit should be exterminated. You don''t buy a pup and stick it on a chain then expect it to jump, run sit and sh-t on command. They are like kids only with 1 year to shape the mind into what you want them to be. Nice or not. TRAINING makes a good dog. By the way, I''m more affraid of those little ankle biter dogs ( Chihuahuas)than a pit bull.

[jesse285-2009]

It was a learn thing that he pick up from the south, if they like this they should enforce the law.

[gangesdak]

I am not a dog-person. I never had a dog; I do not belong to PETA. But this guy is a monster. Thee cruelty displayed by him can easily be turned into rage against another person. This guy can be a cold killer. He should be put away for at least ten years.

[my_thoughts6]

Why would anyone believe Vick when he says he is so sorry for what he did. Bull ***. he''s not one bit sorry. He said he sees the error of his ways . He makes me sick. He''s a low-life loser, and what he did to those animals, he''ll do to kids and anyone who gets in his twisted mind. He''s ONLY sorry for getting caught. that is the truth. amazing how in just one or two days he''sorry, and said what he did was worng. *** right it was. Vick and his dear friends did the crime, now they should be made to do the time !!!!

[my_thoughts6]

Well for ANYONE to do what these men did to these dogs, and all other people who do the same should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. those poor defenceless animals were made to do what those cruel people made them do. To make animals tear the heck out of each other for sick intertainment is just that SICK, and twisted. And the animal rights people should make sure Vick and his bunch get LOTS of jail time, fines, and Vick to NEVER play on a ball team ever again. They should be hung, drowned, or shot because they didn''t perform to the public the way "they should have."
And "IF" that judge lets them off with just a year in jail and a small fine, He should be dis-bared . He NEEDS to send a STRONG message that we will NOT allow this cruelity to animals to go on, anywhere.

[my_thoughts6]

Well for ANYONE to do what these men did to these dogs, and all other people who do the same should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. those poor defenceless animals were made to do what those cruel people made them do. To make animals tear the heck out of each other for sick intertainment is just that SICK, and twisted. And the animal rights people should make sure Vick and his bunch get LOTS of jail time, fines, and Vick to NEVER play on a ball team ever again. They should be hung, drowned, or shot because they didn''t perform to the public the way "they should have."
And "IF" that judge lets them off with just a year in jail and a small fine, He should be dis-bared . He NEEDS to send a STRONG message that we will NOT allow this cruelity to animals to go on, anywhere.

[zykracosmos]

I hesitate to ride the Vick bandwagon, but I''ll make my note on the subject, too. Vick''s actions revealed not just a "poor family background and social life." It revealed something disturbingly more sinister, a callous disregard for living beings, absence of any sense of compassion, a sadistic streak for maiming and torturing that should drive any regular citizen to total revulsion. He can redeem himself, however. It faces an internal struggle to deny much of what has become ingrained in his innermost psyche, and he must genuinely seek to change the way he views himself and the way he sees others (including animals). Perhaps his "found Jesus" revelation is the key, no matter how skeptical people may be about born again Christians or religion in general. Whatever you religious (or lack thereof) dedication, there has been no being ever present on Earth who exhibited the kind of compassion that Vick needs to develop for himself than Jesus. I don''t care what you think about the supernatural aspects of Jesus, his life was one long example of compassion. For Vick, no amount of words will convince anyone at this point. His deeds and demeanor will be the only convincing proof that he has changed, and if he does.. he deserves forgiveness and another chance at life, as we all would like to have if our dark sides were exposed.

[catherine195]

Vick''s actions takes the death penalty to the point I''d like to see with some humans when they ''go all wrong''. What do I mean by this? Hang ''em by their neck (or balls - you choose) instead of locking them away in the prisons that all of us taxpayers support. We wouldn''t need prisons then - can you imagine a world without prisons? Michael Vick and his posse are just a few I''d like to see this happen to - on live tv - we all could then enjoy it - this would be my "Vick Fix"!

[craash1]

"And why would anyone think a ballplayer should be looked up to? They''''re paid millions to throw a ball around, not be a chaplain to your kid. Posted by gkc99"

I guess you never collected trading cards and favored one team or player during your childhood? So sad that you were deprived of such an american tradition. And regardless of the breed of dog or any other animal.... anyone who inflicts pain or death upon them is bad in my book!

[mavpit]

I can see the player calling his mom to tell her he just made $3,000 at the dog fights. Or can you come and pick me up alone the experssway.

[gkc99]

"All of the sports players in the news recently for wrong doings have permanently tarnished any hope of most sportsmen ever being looked up to again."
Posted by craash1

And why would anyone think a ballplayer should be looked up to? They''re paid millions to throw a ball around, not be a chaplain to your kid.

It''s a symptom of the empty, materialistic American culture than anyone would even think these ball-chuckers are heros or role models of any kind.

And anyone who kills a pit bull can''t be all bad.

[craash1]

Worked-up? Hysterical? I am a pet owner and disagree with you......no animal (or human for that matter) should have to endure the torture and punishment like those dogs went through. Yes, he committed a crime, tried to cover up and lie about being involved.... is THAT what you want your kids to look up to as a role model? What happened to the days of old.... sports stars were trustworty and honest? All of the sports players in the news recently for wrong doings have permanently tarnished any hope of most sportsmen ever being looked up to again.

[dbl06]

Hillary Clinton has said, paraphrasing, "The way to get money influence out of politics is public financing of campaigns". The solution: give all the money to charity and use public money available to candidates.

[mike71067]

Perhaps I''m heartless, but I just can''t seem to get all worked-up over this. I mean, he committed a felony, and should accept any punishment. But people have really gone hysterical over this. They''re DOGS for crying out loud, not humans. Yes, it''s sad and yes, it''s wrong. But it''s not the friggin'' holocaust.