In the Dog House?

I would first like to say that my stance on the Michael Vick situation goes as this: I do not condone dogfighting in any way, and the fact that Michael Vick would have anything to do with it is terrible and demonstrates all that is wrong with proffesional athletes. With that said I do not believe that Vick should be the posterchild for what is wrong. Instead I think what should be looked at is how "situations" like this are handled.

In a recent ESPN First Take Roger Goddell was referred to as Goddell Castro. Is that what the NFL is coming to. One man has the right to determine whether or not a man is entitled to work. He states that he is trying to clean up the NFL. Rather than simply punish these actions I think he should attempt to rehabilitate these troubled athletes. I do not think that signing a wrestling contract suits those needs. Nor do I think keeping them from the one place where they can get away from all their problems is the way to do that either. I believe that the players should be allowed to practice, sit in on meetings, and be with their teammates. NFL teams refer to themselves as families, and what do people need more in troubling times than a family.

Are we so quick to forget that not even 10 years ago that Ray Lewis was charged with MURDER, and served no suspension and went on to be praised as a top preformer in the NFL. He was praised for his heroics in that season, ending with a Super Bowl MVP. A few years later his former teammate Jamal Lewis was charged with drug trafficing. He went to jail, served no suspension, and just signed a huge contract with the Cleveland Browns. I understand that it was during Taglibue's time as commisioner, and while he should have been less concerned with all the money he made for the league and should have been paying close attention to the conduct of his players. He will be remembered for all the money he made, Goddell...not so positive.

There are several other examples of player misconduct that goes far and beyond what Vick was convicted of. Jake Plummer was arrested for drunking driving. Leonard Little has TWO DUI and killed a person during the second one. Lawernce Phillips had several drug charges against him, and kept getting chances in the league. The lists goes on, but in no way does that excuse killing dogs for pleasure or money.

Where is Gene Upshaw in all of this? He is the Players Union president. What has he done for his players...nothing. He has become a puppet for Goddell and sits by while arguably one of the highest profile players in the league is put on the shelf for many seasons to come. If it is the players he represents, and he is not representing them in a responsible manner, than perhaps it is time to find someone that will. The only news from Upshaw this offseason is threats he made at FORMER players, which has gone unnoticed. His concern needs to be HIS players, not gripes with former ones.

Do I believe that Vick will play again? Right now it looks unlikely because of the stigma carried with his conviction. I do not think that it is fair to strip him of the only life he knows. As Vick said in his own appology "I'm a football player, not a public speaker." It appears that for Vick to make a livelyhood anymore is going to be through public speaking, because he will probably be appologizing and talking to people about all the bad things he did for the rest of the life. All this negativity towards Vick would make anyone in his position want to just simply walk away from the game, because who would want to represent a business that no longer wants anything to do with him.

This is what it simply comes down to. The NFL is a business, and misconduct is bad for business. Are we so quick to forget about players like Quinten Griffin, who had a 1000 yard season with 10+ touchdowns, only to be out of a job the next season. The NFL has become a what have you done for me lately league, where one is easier replaced than it is for them to continue playing.