Mike Vick sentenced to two years in prison

[bkrich83]

Re: Mike Vick sentenced to two years in prison

You quoted correctly but just to be clear, HATE does not equal TIME. These comparisons of time and whether his sentencing was correct or not is a completely different discussion. In terms of receiving the level of HATE from the media and general public I'd say:

- Little is obviously at the top of the list
- Chumra (sp?) raping an underaged girl
- Carruth and the murder
- even Pacman copped a plea for his participation in the shooting that paralyzed a man. he's taking heat but nowhere near the level of Vick
- almost forgot about Lawrence Phillips who routinely beat the crap out of women including dragging one down the stairs by her hair.

Some would even say anyone with repeated DWI charges are worse b/c of putting lives in danger.

No one even knew who Leonard Little was until he was arrested. Not to mention it was some time ago, he got plenty of heat from the media and fans. He's become the poster child for athletes getting off easy, and Tagliabue's lack of control.

For Chumura, was he convicted? Did the facts ever come out. Not to mention that incident effectively ended his career. Since it happened so long ago also, tough to say he didn't get the same hate as Vick.

L.Phillips was the butt of jokes on the air and in public for years. Guy took plenty of heat.

Pacman and Chris Henry have been portrayed as the poster children for all that's wrong with the NFL. Can't count them either.

[Chaos81]

Re: Mike Vick sentenced to two years in prison

Some would even say anyone with repeated DWI charges are worse b/c of putting lives in danger.

You'd think, but there wasn't all that much talk with regards to Jared Allen. Even here in KC it wasn't that big of a deal.

[Brandon13]

Re: Mike Vick sentenced to two years in prison

I wish we all could meet somewhere around the message in these two posts.



This is true, and I think 99% of people agree. But what this generally means is that he should be punished for the crime and then have the chance to prove he learned from the punishment... if not that what he did was horribly wrong, at least the effects doing it will have on his life. This public outcry... thoughts that he should be raped or murdered... hatred, etc. throws that thought right out the window. If people feel this way about Vick and aren't hypocritical, then they feel similarly about the millions of people in prisons around America. And if prison isn't for reform then why not kill them all instead of wasting our time and money?

Is it wrong to hate a convicted felon? Actually, yeah I think it is. I don't hate people I don't know personally and even then I may hate the person that they are at the time while leaving room for them to change. Some people appear to truly just be evil. I personally don't see that as the case with Vick and haven't read anything that would lead me to start thinking that. It's ok to hate what he did but I don't hate him. If any of you hate him, that's your right but I really don't understand wishing further punishment.

Completely agree with everything. Good post.

[wwharton]

Re: Mike Vick sentenced to two years in prison

No one even knew who Leonard Little was until he was arrested. Not to mention it was some time ago, he got plenty of heat from the media and fans. He's become the poster child for athletes getting off easy, and Tagliabue's lack of control.

For Chumura, was he convicted? Did the facts ever come out. Not to mention that incident effectively ended his career. Since it happened so long ago also, tough to say he didn't get the same hate as Vick.

L.Phillips was the butt of jokes on the air and in public for years. Guy took plenty of heat.

Pacman and Chris Henry have been portrayed as the poster children for all that's wrong with the NFL. Can't count them either.

I didn't look up the details and they were all some time ago so I can't argue too much on whether you're right or not in some cases but being the butt of jokes and essentially having death threats are 2 different things. I'd call what you're talking about heat but in comparison to Vick, couldn't even make an ice cube melt.

I watched Henry play just last week. Don't remember hearing much about his off field issues. Didn't hear any protests. Pacman will be back in the league and his story will be more as a joke and for being stupid. People want Vick dead. If they don't and are just saying it, that's still a pretty powerful thing to say. There is definitely nobody on that list that had anything on this level.

Chewy may have gotten it on a relative level (since Vick is more universally known), I don't remember all that well. But I don't think so and am pretty sure Carruth also gained more attention as a joke than b/c of what he did.

billmatic, I'm sure that plays a part too but if you go through this long a** thread, I bet you could count on one hand the number of people that are really saying Vick didn't deserve the sentence that he got. The opposite argument would be that he deserved a longer sentence... not that he should be raped, attacked by dogs, murdered, banned from the NFL, etc. There are no people defending Vick to the extent of anything like that.

[SportsTop]

Re: Mike Vick sentenced to two years in prison

Here's a letter Vick wrote to Judge Hudson before his sentencing. There are also letters from supporters (Hank Aaron and George Foreman among others).

Link

[bkrich83]

Re: Mike Vick sentenced to two years in prison

I didn't look up the details and they were all some time ago so I can't argue too much on whether you're right or not in some cases but being the butt of jokes and essentially having death threats are 2 different things. I'd call what you're talking about heat but in comparison to Vick, couldn't even make an ice cube melt.

I watched Henry play just last week. Don't remember hearing much about his off field issues. Didn't hear any protests. Pacman will be back in the league and his story will be more as a joke and for being stupid. People want Vick dead. If they don't and are just saying it, that's still a pretty powerful thing to say. There is definitely nobody on that list that had anything on this level.

Chewy may have gotten it on a relative level (since Vick is more universally known), I don't remember all that well. But I don't think so and am pretty sure Carruth also gained more attention as a joke than b/c of what he did.

billmatic, I'm sure that plays a part too but if you go through this long a** thread, I bet you could count on one hand the number of people that are really saying Vick didn't deserve the sentence that he got. The opposite argument would be that he deserved a longer sentence... not that he should be raped, attacked by dogs, murdered, banned from the NFL, etc. There are no people defending Vick to the extent of anything like that.

Gonna have to agree on all counts. Fact of the matter is. Vick was a higher profile athlete than all of those guys, as I said, and he's current so it's what people are talking about now. If you want to say the heat wasn't close, that's you, but I disagree.

Although part of it is due to his notieriety. I call it the Merriman effect. All people talk about is Merriman being on 'roids, despite the fact he's hardly been the only player suspended for Steroids. Hell he was one of 3 or 4 players suspended for steroids on the same day. How many people do you think can name the other 3?

Price of fame.

[homer73]

Re: Mike Vick sentenced to two years in prison

Evidently that Judge is REALLY hardcore... he's well known for it. My boss knows the gentleman and when it was announced that Hudson was judging the case he told me right then that Vick was screwed. He actually called me after the sentencing and gave me a "I told ya so".

[TheShizNo1]

Re: Mike Vick sentenced to two years in prison

Evidently that Judge is REALLY hardcore... he's well known for it. My boss knows the gentleman and when it was announced that Hudson was judging the case he told me right then that Vick was screwed. He actually called me after the sentencing and gave me a "I told ya so".

wasn't it said the judge was a very proud dog owner also?

[fredropro]

Re: Mike Vick sentenced to two years in prison

first off I love all animals. Im not gonna bore you with all my animals names and stuff. At first and I still am po'ed that Vick could do this. But now Im a little cooled off I just read the newest story on espn about him. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3153831
Ill tell you this much I bet that if he was let out after a month in there or even now he wouldn't set foot near any dog fighting ring ever again. heck He could end up being the new spoke mans for the Humane Society. It just sucks that he could let this happen. truthfully I missed seeing him play this year he was always good for one omg highlight a week....... Thats all.

[Mr.Burns]

Re: Mike Vick sentenced to two years in prison

wasn't it said the judge was a very proud dog owner also?

This judge also convicted an innocent person and has no remorse whatsoever for the unlucky fella. Forget that is he's a dog owner or even that he hates gambling for a second, and understand that this guy is a real jerk.

Soon after Vasquez (innocent) went to prison, another woman was discovered raped and murdered in her home near the killing blamed on Vasquez. The crimes were virtually identical. Another detective, Joe Horgas, knew something was wrong. He pursued the case and other killings for months and found a serial killer who was responsible for several murders including the killing that Hudson pinned on Vasquez. The serial killer, Timothy Spencer, who was later executed, worked alone.

When detective Horgas and Helen Fahey, the prosecutor who succeeded Hudson, decided to seek a pardon for Vasquez, they invited Hudson back to the office to hear their story. Hudson listened to the detective's presentation, a compelling array of evidence that showed conclusively that Vasquez had been in prison five years for a crime he could not have committed.

Hudson listened to the presentation. In his book, he offered his response to the news that he had zealously pursued the wrong guy: "I certainly wish him the best and regret what happened. However, I offer no apologies."

Link

Also on Mike Vick's front, this is allegedly the apology letter he wrote to the same judge.

"Growing up in Newport News, I was exposed to numerous illegal activities and dogfighting was one of them. I never understood why people (were) arrested for guns and drugs, but never for dogfighting. No one really cared or called the police so I grew up not knowing the severity of the crime. Your Honor, I grew up loving animals and still (do) to this day. I have Paso Fino horses, parrots, fish tanks, and lizards. I take full responsibility for my actions and am ashamed that my actions hurt animals and allowed animals to be hurt and killed.

Your Honor, I am not the bad person or the beast I've been made out to be. I have been talked about and ridiculed on a day to day basis by people who really don't know Michael Vick the human being. They only knew the football player which is unfair. I'm a very humble, soft-spoken, and caring guy. Also kinda shy."

"This has been painful because my son watches the news and can understand whats going on with his father. He says his friends in school make fun of the situation because we have the same last name."

"It hurts deeply because jail is no place for me and its hard for me to adjust in here, knowing that I've left my family behind. There's a saying "when you know better, your supposed to do better." Honestly, I wish I had never been involved in dogfighting. As a result, I've lost everything -- my good name, job, endorsements, and now my freedom. So, sitting here today I can say I've learned an invaluable lesson."

"I apologize for the failed drug test. I was suffering from a deep state of depression, and after my father attacked me in the media, I was heartbroken. I expected nothing but support from him; however, he was trying to get money from me and threatened to do a tell-all story on me. Thats no excuse for using marijuana, but I didn't know how to cope with all the difficulties I was facing because it was all new to me. After my father did what he did, I just thought it was all over for me."

"I PROMISE that I will never again use a single dollar that I have earned for anything but to help people. This situation has shaped my life in more ways than one. Ive learned a valuable lesson and have taken my life into a different direction. I purchased a church for my pastor back in July and ever since, have had a different outlook on life."

"I pray for a second chance to be back with my family, and show the world the real Michael Vick, (not the person the media has made me out to be)."

Link

This combined with the completion of a Federal Jail Drug Treatment program, plus the fact he went in early on his own admission could be his ticket to getting out earlier. I think Virginia drops the state charges, but don't quote me on that. Whatever happens, Vick might get another chance.

[wwharton]

Re: Mike Vick sentenced to two years in prison

Here's a letter Vick wrote to Judge Hudson before his sentencing. There are also letters from supporters (Hank Aaron and George Foreman among others).

Link

Thanks for the link, Squint. I don't know that any of that will get him out early, Mr. Burns. It's pretty much par for the course that anyone with half a brain would do all they can in his situation. I think it probably had a bigger effect on sentencing than anything else. Most importantly, I think it's good that the world can see that stuff... now he's got 2 years to start proving it. I know he's locked up so he can't do much to prove it but it does show that he's not the monster people have made him out to be and he'll keep his nose clean.

Gonna have to agree on all counts. Fact of the matter is. Vick was a higher profile athlete than all of those guys, as I said, and he's current so it's what people are talking about now. If you want to say the heat wasn't close, that's you, but I disagree.

Although part of it is due to his notieriety. I call it the Merriman effect. All people talk about is Merriman being on 'roids, despite the fact he's hardly been the only player suspended for Steroids. Hell he was one of 3 or 4 players suspended for steroids on the same day. How many people do you think can name the other 3?

Price of fame.

Definitely not denying that but I also roll my eyes at the people saying that stupid stuff about Merriman. The difference is most say that to get under Bolts fans' skin. In reality not many are all that bothered by players that did roids in any sports. Even in baseball, they were just more concerned about record books than anything else and with this new list, they'll have to change their tune on that too.

I guess I'm just saying that just b/c that's how the majority thinks about things it doesn't mean it's right. I understand it and accept that it probably won't change overall, but that doesn't mean I'll sit quiet and watch it happen.

[bkrich83]

Re: Mike Vick sentenced to two years in prison

T
I guess I'm just saying that just b/c that's how the majority thinks about things it doesn't mean it's right. I understand it and accept that it probably won't change overall, but that doesn't mean I'll sit quiet and watch it happen.

I agree. I'd do the same thing.

[Freelance]

Re: Mike Vick sentenced to two years in prison

I was at a mall this weekend, and there was a collection of guys standing around a pickup with 4 or 5 pit bull puppies. These guys looked up to no good.

Made me sick to my stomach. These puppies were obviously for sale, and already sentenced to the fighting pits.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Mike Vick sentenced to two years in prison

Should have called the cops, ERod.

[Brandon13]

Re: Mike Vick sentenced to two years in prison

I don't know what the cops could've done though with just a bunch of guys standing around a pickup selling pit bulls.