SI report on dogfighting at Vick's house

I'll say it again -- what charges are they going to bring. That is going to be the key question -- there are a lot of things that he could be charged with here that might not be the felonies all of his critics are looking for.

 

Which would be enough for Goodell to take action and suspend Vick, if he sees fit.

 

Well, I don't know -- if he is written up for a bunch of health code and property code violations but they can't connect him to the actual breeding or fighting of dogs, it would be very hard for Goodell to make a compelling case that he deserves to be suspended.

If the felony he is charged with is being a spectator at a dog fight, I think he'd plea it down and the same case could be made that he wouldn't be suspended.

I really think they need to nail him on one of the biggies -- breeding and/or fighting -- or he won't miss a down of football.

 

Pacman Jones has, what, 11 arrests to his name and still no convictions? So Goodell has already shown that the NFL doesn't need a conviction to hand down a suspension. They just need to know that the player was out of line just enough -- getting arrested for anything would do -- to suspend him.

 

Good thing the Falcons traded off Schaub...

 

One arrest, particularly if it isn't for one of the big felonies, isn't going to do it. I personally think Mike Vick is not a good guy, but I don't think he's had enough run-ins with the law yet to warrant Pac-Man treatment so that's why I say it will take more than just being arrested on anything less than a major felony before he is suspended.

 

"...and starting at quarterback for YOUR Atlanta Falcons, Joeyyyyyy Harrington!"

 

Agreed.

And this argument that Vick saw nothing wrong in it doesn't hold up, either. This activity is not just finding a mean dog and tossing him in a ring with another mean dog. This is training the animal to be a killer. That means abusing a dog from when it is a puppy. Failing to understand that such behavior is wrong shows a lack of morality or compassion that is disturbing.

 

Well, his offseason did start with the suspicious water bottle at the airport.

 

What? Your water bottle doesn't have a secret compartment? Chump...

 

I'm not arguing that -- but they need to nail him on either breeding and/or fighting or this will all go away fairly quickly and without much pain (well except for the losing dogs...)

 

They can't throw him out. He's the future of the game!

If he only had some good receivers who could hang onto the ball, he wouldn't be in trouble.