Michael Vick – Part II

Way back when, I wrote a post onMichael Vick and I called it Part I with the intention of there being a Part II.    Well Part II is finally here!!  This is the first chance I had to really sit and think about what I wanted to say and not just write my standard ramblings about my in-laws and whatnot.

Although this is Michael Vick Part II, it’s really not about Vick at all, and completely about what he brought to our attention.  

Prior to Vick’s arrest, I rarely heard about dog fighting.  The only thing I really remember hearing about is how “pit bulls are vicious”.   Which is a complete stereotype based solely on the fact that one can train a pit bull – and really many other types of dogs – to be vicious for dog fighting.   I have two dogs that are complete mutts no matter how much they look like labs.   I know my mom falls into the stereotype, so sorry mom – but I am 100% sure that my new puppy Kalas has pit bull in him as its all over his face, and Im 90% sure Charger has pit bull in him.   And they are the sweetest, most loveable dogs ever.    There are plenty of full pit bulls out there that have are complete lovers.   As a matter of fact, I was talking to my vet about pits, and she said that 99% of pit bulls out there have never attacked and are not at all vicious.   And most of the ones in shelters are in there because they were too “soft” for dog fighting.   I honestly never thought of it that way!

Anyways, back to dog fighting.   We all know Vick did a horrible thing, and we all know how I feel about what he did and Vick – but I have to say SOME good came out of it.   We are now all more aware about dog fighting.   Unfortunately, it really hasn’t changed much.   All it changed is those of us who aren’t living in the low-income areas where dog fighting is so prevalent are now more aware of it.   But unfortunately, even with Vick spending time in jail, there is still plenty of dog fighting going on.

Vick has been going out to some of those low-income communities in the local area to talk to young kids about why its wrong and how they shouldn't do it.   Unfortunately, that's about the end of that - there really is nothing else going on to try and stop this from occurring.   People have boycotted and protested the Eagles, but that’s not really affecting those who are active in the dog fighting community.

More needs to be done directly in the communities where “we:” know dog fighting is prevalent.   You have to reach the kids, because unfortunately the adults are already set in their ways most of the time.   Maybe have special assemblies in schools to address the issue, maybe SPCA and PETA can team up and get some cartoon for tv created that gets the point across with still being entertaining enough for those kids.   Maybe somehow get a video game created – cause no matter how poor these families are, they still usually have cable and video games.

These kids are growing up in an environment where they see so much bad that that is what they learn.    It takes a special kid (and usually a strong parent) to grow up around all sorts of bad and somehow work themselves out of that way of life.   

It’s going to take a lot to make the change that needs to happen.   And unfortunately, it goes far beyond dog fighting as well.   

I’m fairly certain all of my readers come from middle class families having grown up in decent working class neighborhoods, eventually having moved to the suburbs.   We never had to experience the life of growing up in low-income areas where you were lucky if you had two parents living with you and you were luckier if whoever took care of you (whether it be a parent or grandparent) really pushed you hard and made sure that you went to school and did good and came home after school and did your homework.   Where it was safe for you to go play with your friends outside and ride your bike around the neighborhood.  

Instead these kids are growing up with parents who send their kids to school and expect teachers to do all the parenting, but then get mad at the teachers when their kid is acting out or doing bad.   Schools are limited in what “punishment” they can enforce because of fear of losing a job and having a lawsuit on your hands.   And there is no punishment at home, so the kids do whatever they want.   In many instances now, those kids are bringing knives to school and having sex in elementary school, joining gangs and doing drugs by middle school, and selling drugs and killing others by high-school.*   If we can’t get it across that all those things are bad, why do we think they learned from Michael Vick’s going to jail that dog fighting is a bad thing?

When you grow up to be someone as high profile as Michael Vick, yeah, you probably should know better at that point – but all your life you learned a certain lifestyle and that’s what you know. **

*Im not trying sterotype to say all kids who live in low-income grow up in this circumstance, but I am saying (and therefore stereotyping) that many kids live in this environment – specifically the ones who get involved in dog fighting and other illegal activities.  

** Im not making excuses for anyone!   It is completely inexcusable, but unfortunately, there needs to be more education out there.   

Michael Vick - Part I

In case you know nothing about me - I am a dog LOVER.  Adam and I currently have a handsome black lab mix and are in the search for another lab mix to keep us company.

I also am a believer in second chances, because people make mistakes.   I've given family and friends many second chances when they screw things up.  I of course am always perfect, so I don't need them* :)

Back in '07 (or whatever year it was) when everything went down with Michael Vick - I was disgusted by what he did, and felt strongly that he should be sent to jail for a long time.   He was sent to jail, but not for a long time - but that was the courts ruling, and it was his job to serve it and get on with life afterwards.   He has done just that.  

I will admit that I wasn't a fan of Vick being signed by the Eagles, but I did feel that he deserved to be given a second chance, I just didn't want it to be my team.   When he was signed, I just accepted it, and continued to root for my Eagles, because they took a big chance, not just on signing Vick who was unproven at that time, but because they knew there was going to be a large public backlash for giving him a second chance.

In my opinion Vick has done a really good job of the afterwards part, and working to prove himself a decent human being.

He chose not to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy where his debts would have just been cancelled out, and all the people he owed money to would never have seen a penny.   Instead, he worked with lawyers, financial advisors and the court system to make a plan where he would pay back all his debt over time.  (With his new contract, as long as he is able to play out the majority of it, he will have his debts paid off pretty fast).    Many other people (and companies) have chosen to just wash away their debts and start anew, leaving their debtors in the wind.

He brought in a huge team of people to help fix his image and help him make the correct decisions.   This was a decision which was obviously needed if he wanted any shot of having a fan base and/or endorsement deals - so this point is less showing his good character than his choice to have a career in the NFL and make money.

It also has recently come out that he had the opportunity to join other NFL teams where he would have been the starter and in the spotlight, but those teams were full of people and issues that could have easily led him astray.   He took the advise of those he was learning to trust, and went with a 3rd string position on a team known for winning and professionalism, instead of a starting QB job on a team known for a culture full of legal and immoral issues.

He still has a way to go to prove he is fully a changed man, but there are plenty of other professional athletes who have abused and killed human beings and gotten very little to no punishment, and then come back into the spotlight without an ounce of anger from the fan-base.  For example:

• Brett Myers abused his wife and never got suspended or charged - he endured some booing when he made his next appearance in Boston (which was like 2 days after the assault took place in that same city), maybe he got some minor booing in Philly - but barely anything.   
• Donte Stallworth drove drunk and killed a man.   He killed a human being and got 30 days in jail, and was out of the NFL for one year and has since played for the Ravens and now the Redskins, and I haven't heard anything about him.

I love my dog, and he is one of my best friends, but a human life is considered of higher importance/worth than a dogs.  For those who would disagree with that, see basic examples below:

• If a dog has cancer and doesn't have a good life left to live, you can put them down - if you did that to a human you would be arrested and charged for performing euthenasia.  Hell, if you were stupid enough, you could put a dog down just because he has some training issues that you don't have the time or money to work on - and there would be no penalty in you doing that - just don't tell me.
• When you have a kid, you can claim them as a dependent on your taxes; when you get a new puppy, you spend TONS of money on them, but don't get any tax benefits.
• You can leave a dog at home by themselves and put them in a crate (and should for safety reasons); if you leave a young kid at home by themselves and put them in a crate, you are charged with child endangerment and abuse (as you should be).

If you haven't done so already, I think you should forgive Michael Vick (and the Eagles, if you are also holding them in contempt), as he has served his time and should be afforded a second chance.    I think the only lifetime punishment that should be afforded to him is that he should NEVER be allowed to own a dog.    I know he wants one, and he might be a changed man, and for that he deserves to have a fair shot at life, but dog ownership is a privilege and he lost that privilege in my mind.

Im sure there are MANY people out there who disagree with me on this - probably even some family members - and you have the right to both disagree with me and share that disagreement and thoughts with me.   I will consider your thoughts, I just hope that you consider mine, and think how you would want to be treated if you went and made a HUGE mistake, served the punishment you were handed - but no one ever forgave you or gave you a second chance - that's part of why we have so many repeat crime offenders in this society.


*I shouldn't have to explain sarcasm, but for those of you who know nothing about me, first and only time Ill say this - I am EXTREMELY sarcastic - even when i probably shouldn't be.   This last comment is obviously me being sarcastic.

Happy Halliday!

After pitching only twice in like 20+ days due to rainouts and scheduled days off, I wasn't sure what to expect from Roy Halliday - and I'm not sure even he was. 

Although rusty at first - he had another great game.   But this game was a little different.   Nothing you would hear about on the local news outside of Philly - it wasn't another perfect game, or even a no-hitter.   This time he threw a decent game - pitching 7 innings and just giving up 2 hits, no runs, but he did walk a couple guys and even hit a guy - but his bat came alive!   

Roy doesn't know how to do things like a normal person - even a normal MLB player.   He happened to hit just his second extra base hit ever (which is also the second this season) and get the first RBIs of the season off the hit.   Oh - did I mention the bases were loaded, so he had a 3-RBI double.    He definitely was the player of the game!

In other Philly sports related news
In case you live in a hole, Michael Vick just signed a 6-year, $100 million dollar deal with the Eagles.    I know many people are not a fan of him because of what he did, and by no means do I condone it, but he served his time in jail, and has worked to prove himself good by others not just as a professional football player, but as a human being.    I will save this topic for another blog post - cause otherwise, this could go forever...