Vick reinstated conditionally, may play by Week 6

[Medusa]

There's remorse for committing such heinous acts and there's regret because he got caught. Huge difference. Vick showed no remorse either in his comments or even in his body language and facial expression. He had a smirk on his face the entire time and I imagine that the smirk is even wider now. Everyone does deserve a second chance. With God. Not w/people in general. Petitions, protests, editorials, none have made a whit of a difference in affecting his employment. We know that this is a move motivated solely by financial consideration and not for any altruistic reasons. No one is sorry, no one cares except the public who were outraged but it made no difference whatsoever. Vick's employment should be that of cleaning dog cages for the rest of his life. Instead, he'll be cleaning up for the NFL and for himself. Once again, animal abusers win and the animals lose. This will never change as long as there is a financial component in all of it.

[Cataholic]

I think any human being can learn, and he deserves to be given a second chance. Just because he's an athlete does not mean he is evil or stupid. We do not know him personally, and shouldn't prejudge, in my opinion.

No, his evilness and stupidity have nothing to do with his status as an athlete. He is evil and stupid because of what he did to animals. I will prejudge him, and any other 'person' that abuses animals. The animals DESERVE my viligence, they deserve everyone's viligence. Remember, the animals have no voice.

[elizabethann]

I was shocked to see he was reinstated in the NFL. If he were a New England Patriot I would never watch another game in my life.

[pomtzu]

I am relieved to see that so many people share my views on this issue. I can look beyond, and/or forgive many things. Animal abuse does not happen to be one of them.

[Freedom]

I was horrified and disgusted when I heard this news late yesterday - the Vick has been reinstated.

UGH!

[sasvermont]

One news report mentioned that IF a team picked him up, they should be prepared for a huge amount of backlash. I suspect that will be true. I wonder which team would be willing to take on that kind of loss, financially? New England has been mentioned. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. We shall see.

I think he should not be allowed to play ball.

[Medusa]

One news report mentioned that IF a team picked him up, they should be prepared for a huge amount of backlash. I suspect that will be true. I wonder which team would be willing to take on that kind of loss, financially? New England has been mentioned. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. We shall see.

I think he should not be allowed to play ball.

Doubtful that it'll make a difference. The team who hires him knows what bad publicity comes w/it and they're obviously willing to take the risk, which tells me that the profits outweigh the risk or they wouldn't do it. People will get all fired up in football frenzy and they'll forget all about Vick's crime. Yeah, maybe they'll boo him for a while but if he repeatedly helps to bring about a win for his team, all will be forgiven. WE. DON'T. LEARN.

[lvpets2002]

I would say you have said it very well Mary.. Well just remember what comes around will for sure go around.. I am sure there is other animal lovers that are football players & they will mow ole Vick to the ground.. Payback is & will be coming to bit him in the Butt.. Just wait & see..

There's remorse for committing such heinous acts and there's regret because he got caught. Huge difference. Vick showed no remorse either in his comments or even in his body language and facial expression. He had a smirk on his face the entire time and I imagine that the smirk is even wider now. Everyone does deserve a second chance. With God. Not w/people in general. Petitions, protests, editorials, none have made a whit of a difference in affecting his employment. We know that this is a move motivated solely by financial consideration and not for any altruistic reasons. No one is sorry, no one cares except the public who were outraged but it made no difference whatsoever. Vick's employment should be that of cleaning dog cages for the rest of his life. Instead, he'll be cleaning up for the NFL and for himself. Once again, animal abusers win and the animals lose. This will never change as long as there is a financial component in all of it.

[chocolatepuppy]

I am relieved to see that so many people share my views on this issue. I can look beyond, and/or forgive many things. Animal abuse does not happen to be one of them.

Agree 100% I don't believe anyone who could seriously harm or kill a living being on purpose (animal or human) can truly be rehabilitated, imo.
I'm glad I'm a Brown's fan and have no reason to watch football.

[Daisy and Delilah]

Ellie, I'm with you and some of the other posters. Vick is Vick. He will never be remorseful of what he's done. Letting him back in the NFL is a huge mistake. I still can't even look at him without feeling sick to my stomach. He is scum and he will always be scum, in my opinion.

To be able to do what he did in the first place, the man was already hateful and cruel. To abuse innocent animals, I believe he will always look at animals the same way. There will be no changing him. Now, he gets to go back to the NFL and make mega bucks, smiling all the way to the bank. Just because he was able to pretend to really care for as long as was needed. It feels like he's being rewarded for what he's done and that's not right!!!

[Lady's Human]

Maybe Vick can join the Ravens.....after all they do have a love for ex-cons on that team.

That would open up three Monday nights.

[Karen]

I do think he'd get a huge backlash if the Patriots were crazy enough to hire him - New Englanders feel pretty strongly about those who abuse animals, and are known to be very, very vocal. I bet no one would even rent him a place to live, and if they did, they'd have him sign something to keep it secret where he lives, or people might take violent action.

[Lady's Human]

Just reading a couple columns......

Most see only three teams for Vick to have even a remote chance of signing....

Washington, Denver, and Oakland.

[Catty1]

From the beginning of the article:

Quarterback Michael Vick has been reinstated to the NFL on a conditional basis and...will be considered for full reinstatement for the NFL's October 18-19 games "based on the progress he makes in his transition plan," the commissioner said in a statement.

[phesina]

No, his evilness and stupidity have nothing to do with his status as an athlete. He is evil and stupid because of what he did to animals. I will prejudge him, and any other 'person' that abuses animals. The animals DESERVE my viligence, they deserve everyone's viligence. Remember, the animals have no voice.

I agree absolutely with you and everyone else thinking along this line.

Kobe Bryant's case never went to trial because the accuser refused to testify in a criminal proceeding. A civil suit was later settled for an undisclosed amount of money.

I didn't realize this.. Somehow I had the idea he had gone to jail "and paid his debt to society." For quite a while, he was out of the picture, and then all of a sudden he's BA-A-A-A-ACK on the field and in the money!

But if his accuser suddenly changed her mind about testifying (gosh, I wonder WHY?!), .. AND then, if he supposedly didn't do it but still paid her off in a civil suit.. this doesn't exactly sound like a blameless, innocent man, just one who didn't intend to be proven guilty in a criminal court but still wanted to get the whole business out of the public eye quickly.

Paul Reubens was arrested for indecent exposure, the case was dropped.

He was also later arrested for posession of child porn.

I didn't know about the child porn (or "obscene images of minors") possession charge, either.

**Sorry, folks , I just do NOT keep up-to-date with all the latest news from the "celebrity" [gack!] and "star athlete" [barf!] worlds ... my bad, my total ignorance about the Important people around..**

Anyway, I gather from Candace's link that that charge and guilty plea didn't come along until a while after his career was already pretty much down the toilet, even though he beat off the beating-off charge.

Being that his stardom came from making children's TV shows, I think his career being torpedoed was entirely appropriate.

Okay, so I'll take your point now that maybe he wasn't such a great entertainer for children after all. (As I said, I'm out of touch.)

But, in my opinion anyway:

Child abusers, rapists, animal abusers.. abusers of any other living being capable of suffering.. are equally evil and vicious and despicable. (And I agree that being remorseful about doing it is a very different thing from regretting being caught at it, and much rarer, too.)

And aren't big-deal pro football and pro basketball "star athletes" all-too-much regarded by our children as examples to look up to and want to emulate?