Dear Len P: Please be more tasteful in the phrasing of your Vick stories

Am I out of line in thinking that many of the phrases authored today by Len Pasquarelli evoked images of dog-fighting?

Several teammates even wondered aloud, in conversations with ESPN.com, how Vick had managed to retain such remarkable focus in the teeth of a gathering storm.

But now that Vick has officially been dragged into the fight, indicted on two felony counts by a federal court...

The electrifying Vick is soon to be zapped by the catcalls of those who have already made up their minds about him.

Able to stay above the fight to this point...

In the July 7 column cited above, we noted that Vick should not exhale just yet. On Tuesday, his breathing just got a lot more labored.

Jesus Len. Did you really need to make a reference to electrocution?! Labored breathing? Christ.

 

This had to be intentional. And beyond stupid.

 

In a hard-news story like that, there's no need to make any of those references. None.

 

Mods may feel free to move this of course, but Len's column offended me and I thought it merited discussion on its own.

Edit: Oz, I saw it as a column, since it was run w/Len's mug shot. But it was still insanely offensive.

 

Yeah, I figured it must have been a column. But with Vick being such a hard-news story, you have to treat it as such, even in columns.

 

The vision of Vick getting "zapped" made me cringe, too.
I think the headline on this (or another) ESPN article was, "Dog Days Ahead."
I'm sure there will be plenty more uncomfortable lines and heads to come from all outlets.

 

yeah, this had to be intentional.

 

That's awful.

 

I'm guessing Len is a card carrying PETA member, and he does not seem to be too pleased with Mr. Vick.

An editor should have caught this.

 

Beyond tastelsss, even for ESPN.

 

Anyone else think Len is just pissed because he wrote that Vick wouldn't be indicted, just a few weeks ago?

That's ok though. Somewhere, right now, in an ESPN the Magazine budget meeting, someone is already pitching the "Vick is Mizzunderstood" story.

Haterz.

 

Redskins bloggers and PETA unite!