Freedom for Dogfighting Ex-NFL Star Vick

(AP)  Updated 8:30 a.m. ET

After 20 months in federal custody for running a dogfighting operation, Michael Vick is gaining the freedom that will allow him to step up his efforts to resume his once-lucrative NFL career.

The federal Bureau of Prisons lists Vick's release date as Monday, which means the suspended NFL star can shed the electronic monitor he's been wearing on home confinement in Hampton for the last two months.

Vick's attorney confirmed that he was released from custody Monday.

The next big development for Vick will be a face-to-face meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who has said he will review the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback's status after he completes his sentence. Goodell has said he will sit down with Vick, but it's unclear when that meeting will take place. Also uncertain is where Vick might play if he is reinstated. The Falcons released him in June.

"Michael did an egregious thing," Goodell told The Associated Press in April. "He has paid a very significant price for that."

He said people are forgiving when someone who has done wrong shows remorse and is prepared to live a different life.

"That's something he has to prove to myself and the general public," Goodell said.

Vick, 29, did not initially show enough remorse to satisfy U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson. Vick apologized in court in 2007, but Hudson denied him an "acceptance of responsibility" credit that could have reduced his sentence. He sentenced Vick to 23 months in prison - more than any of Vick's three co-defendants.

Under the federal truth-in-sentencing law, Vick had to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence. He served the first 18 months in the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas before being transferred to home confinement in May.

While on home confinement, Vick - once the NFL's highest-paid player - worked a $10-an-hour construction job for a few weeks. He switched jobs last month, assisting in children's health and fitness programs at the Boys and Girls Clubs.

Vick will remain on probation for three years. He also is under a three-year suspended sentence for a state dogfighting conviction.

[TressorJ]

I am glad that he is free, and I believe that he has paid the full price for what he did. I wouldn't penalize him any more, and I hope that Goodell decides to let him play! Here is an interesting article about Mike Vick's potential future in the NFL or the UFL: http://www.mindreign.com/en/mindshare/Sports/What-s-Next-for-Mike-Vick-3f/sl40763392bp324cpp10pn1.html

[straightmate]

Make him play in Detroit.

[xlib]

anti-zionist-before I go do that conservative thing and go to work to spread the wealth, just share one thing with me.
Do you have a shaved head and wear a brown shirt?? Did you march on Skokie??? Just kidding. I do know the difference between zionist Jews and PDO Jews. I frankly don't have a problem with either group.
And, I like my description of the missus. Face it, there a are sooooooo many ways to described the madame.
BTW-don't think the posters are putting animal lives over humans. I think many of us are just plain disgusted with what these spoiled, pampered guys get away with. They are not held up to the same standards the rest of us slobs are.
Gotta admit, you do have a great sense of black humor, sort of macarbe.
Gotta go to work and spread the wealth for the messiah.

[xlib]

anti-zionist-Uh, talk about reading a person/post wrong! Number 1-my question was for the person who was bawling because he went to jail.My question was-why shouldn't he have gone to jail? Seemed like a reasonable question to me but you being a typical WHATEVER, can't take any quesions.
As for me being a ms chang ki clinton supporter-WRONG!!! So, you know what they say about assuming and you seem to fit the bill.
BTW-evidently your hero here was running a dog fighting ring that went over state lines, as well as betting tons of money. So, along with shooting, torturing and electrocuting dogs who didn't perform for them he has "issues".
So, just why do you hate Jews anyway??

[whatsup49]

i will never watch a football game in which this pos plays, i will boycot the products advertised in a broadcast of a game in which pos plays. this pos should have spent a lot more time in prison. hell, come to texas, sit in one of our state prisons that have no air conditioning. his "punishment" is not enough. i pray to god that he never plays football again.

[luvny-2009]

He's a bum and should have been put there. No one forced him to do that, he HAD all kinds of money so why? Cause HE'S A BUM!

[DaVicar5]

What do you mean he had "all kinds of money"?
He only had American money!

[drthvader]

Dogfighting is a reprehensible sport, it is illegal. Rest assured when and if a street kid participates in these activities, he/she will find a jail cell waiting.

[anti-global2]

what he did was cruel and he needed to be punished. He was, as a matter of fact he was handed a more severe sentence then others convicted of the same types of crime because of who he is.
He served his time, lost his money, what more do you want. Despite his personality he is, or was a great athlete. I want to see if he can still play, and at this point nobody has a right to deny him the chance to make millions again. Who knows, maybe he did some soul searching and will try and do good with his fame and fortune moving forward.

[DaVicar5]

"He served his time, lost his money, what more do you want"???

- I'd like to wipe that smug smile off his face, that's all.

[DaVicar5]

by Anti-Zionist "Who cares if he has a smile on his face."


Probably a few of the dogs he electrocuted to death - I'll bet they found it a bit creepy.

[poochie44]

The man makes me sick. Every picture I see of him he looks like an arrogant b*stard. He thinks he's above everyone and nobody is better than him. He's one of those guys I'd be more than happy to turn over to a pit of ravenous animals. Let 'em have at him.

[DaVicar5]

That kind of thinking, "turn him over to a pit of ravenous animals", doesn't make you much better than him at all.

[mjb89]

He IS an arrogant b*stard.

[sddemocrat]

I wonder if you realize what is all involved in making a fight dog. You starve these dogs and then get them angry enough to kill and people bet money on this type of thing. I guess these so called people don't have anything better to do with their free time, so they like to see dogs kill one another. How about if they go to a prison where they have capitol punishment and see a human being killed. I don't think Mr. Vick has been suitably punished. He should have to clean kennels at a Humane Society for awhile and be on the other end to see what violent animal abuse there is out there. These anmials depend on human beings to care for them, feed them and love them. I guess Mr. Vick forgot about that, or maybe he just doesn't care about any life but his own.