Michael Vick Released From Prison: Can His Career Be Saved?
ESPN reports that Michael Vick has been released from Leavenworth federal penitentiary today after serving 19 months for financing a dog fighting ring. Vick will spend the remaining two months of his sentence on house arrest at his 5 bedroom Hamptons, Virginia home, where he will be allowed to leave home for a $10-an-hour construction job--a far cry from the $25.4 million he earned in 2006 from his NFL contract and endorsements. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will review Michael Vick's application for reinstatement after the troubled quarterback completes his sentence.
Most experts agree Michael Vick will eventually be reinstated into the NFL but will he ever be able to resuscitate his public image and regain his lost endorsements?
Although I don't expect to see Michael Vick endorsing Chunky Soup any time soon, past precedent suggests his image can be restored. Six years after being arrested for rape in Eagle, Colorado, Kobe Bryant can today be seen on a TV near you endorsing Vitamin Water, Nike and Guitar Hero World Tour. In 2007 CNN reported that Kobe Bryant earned $16 million a year in endorsements.
Mike Tyson has gone from convicted rapist to the recipient of standing ovations at the Cannes Film Festival. He is featured prominently in trailers for the new movie The Hangover and the former Nintendo Punch-Out star will also return to video game glory with a cover shot on EA Sports' Fight Night Round 4.
In the entertainment world, Tupac Shakur is treated as a much beloved musical icon despite being convicted of forcibly sodomizing a woman against her will while the fugitive Roman Polanski won an Oscar after he plead guilty to anally violating a 13 year-old girl he intoxicated with champagne and Quaaludes.
Unfortunately for Mr. Vick, he mistreated dogs instead of women so I do not hold out high hopes for the rehabilitation of his image. Don't get me wrong, I love dogs as much as the next person, except when they get in front of the TV when I'm trying to watch my boy Adam on American Idol. It's just that I love my wife and my mother more, and the thought that someone like Mike Tyson could rape them and later be lauded by an adoring public fills me with disgust.
This is not to excuse Mr. Vick's actions; I'm just saying we should treat crimes against women with the same seriousness as crimes against animals.
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bluestocking babe
Jeanette DeMain
From The Midwest
Patrick Frank
Kent Pitman
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Oh and violence against women makes me feel even more ill.
"However, in September 2004 the assault case was dropped by prosecutors after Faber refused to testify in the trial. Afterwords, Bryant agreed to "apologize" to the victim for the incident, including his public mea culpa: "Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did."[142] Faber filed a separate civil lawsuit against Bryant, which the two sides ultimately settled with the specific terms of the settlement being undisclosed to the public."
I remember the woman was harrassed by sports fans and had her picture plastered all over the Internet during the investigation. How would you like to live in a bubble for a year and a half because a sports star violated you?
Neilpaul:
It's not just the French who celebrate Tyson. This is from the NY Daily News shortly after Tyson was released from prison in 1995:
"Mike Tyson returned to New York yesterday amid hoopla and hype to be embraced by adoring Harlem crowds.
The ex-heavyweight champ, whose homecoming after three years in prison had been assailed by women's rights advocates and other critics, was shielded from questions about his rape of a beauty queen.
Frenzied fans wearing Tyson T-shirts many of them women waited for hours in sweltering heat for a glimpse of the boxer.
A huge cheer went up from a crowd of more than 500 people when Tyson's black Cadillac limo arrived at Sylvia's restaurant on Lenox Ave.
"Mike! Mike! Mike!" they screamed as Tyson, who admitted he was "nervous," emerged from the car wearing a white linen suit."
Fans surged over the police barricades to get closer to Tyson and were pushed back by Nation of Islam guards.
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/1995/06/21/1995-06-21_harlem_celebrates_tyson_home.html
And I have to say, I don't give two hoots about Kobe Bryant or any other sports "hero." I just would hate to live in a country in which an accusation is considered proof of guilt.
I bet you if someone found footage of George W. Bush kicking his dog Barney, you would see more genuine outrage in this country than you ever did over Abu Ghraib.
Patrick: In my original post, I only said he was arrested. I didn't say he did it. And if she just wanted money, why did she wait a year and a half to drop the charges and settle?
I guess it just comes down to how much we care as a society about the unsavory things these men have done.
Rated.
It reminds me of how the Nazis were noted animal lovers but did not give a shit about people:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_welfare_in_Nazi_Germany
All I am saying is we should treat people as well as we treat animals.
I hope not.
What ever happened to shamefully disappearing into the wilderness?
I hope Vick rots in hell. I don't usually resort to such hateful statements (okay, occasionally) but really, I think he's despicable and loathsome. The fact that he'll get any positive attention for his sports acumen makes me sick. May a pit bull gnaw at his face like a meaty bone.
john guzlowski
May 20, 2009 09:08 PM
There is no shame anymore.
Athletes use steriods. No shame.
Politicians cheat on their wives. No shame.
Children having children. No shame.
It is partially a result of our political correctness.
We don't want to hurt anyone's "feelings". We must have empathy and compassion for people who blame all of their troubles on someone or something else instead of taking responsibility.
It is simple if there is money to be made those who control popular opinion through the media will restore the good name of anyone. For some reasons sexual crimes and sins do not hold the same weight as cruelty to animals in Hollywood, but enough cash can turn their moral flashlight off.
All Vic needs to do is give some money to the animal fund, ask for the forgiveness of the PETA gods and he is home free that is unless he breaks a leg and can't play football.
The scumbags such as those in this article are garbage.
If I had kids, I would do everything I possibly could to teach them the difference between things like those in the article and those mentioned in my first sentence.
Finally, we can only imagine the sorts of "worshippers" who fawned over the goon in the linen suit.
BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rated & Cheers!
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTIANED? ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED? ISN'T THIS NOT WHAT YOU CAME FOR?"
and so it will be with Vick.. the Roman rabble is not different that the sports crowds of today.. they live for the blood of the sport.. and everyone wants a hero they can identify with.. the man done wrong.. the repentant .. the "There but for the grace of God...."...
The HSUS has reviled Vick and called for longer sentances.. more and bigger fines.. they even called for DONATIONS ( imagine that) to HELP VICKS DOGS when the arrest first came.. thankfully diligent watchers of the HSUS scam game called them out.. they NEVER had Vicks dogs.. thankfully as they later called for them all to be killed. Cooler heads prevailed and all but one of Vicks dog are now alive and well... one or two are even therapy dogs.. Funny thing is.... now the HSUS want Vick to WORK WITH THEM.. aanother "fundraiser" scheme? Shame on the HSUS.. talk about double speak...
Friends Don't let Friends Donate to the HSUS.. or any of the "animal rights industries"
Think Gobally.. Give Locally...
Tyson and Vick are both sad cases and I hope that they find some redemption.
To compare him with Tyson, Bryant and all the rest of the thugs mentioned is right on. After all, who cares about women or dogs or kids? As long as a thug will put money in someone's pocket, he's hired!