I think dog fighting is despicable, no matter who engages in it, much less a prominent quarterback. If Vick is guilty, he should be penalized to the fullest extent other offenders in his jurisdiction are. If he is convicted, he should lose his livelihood, IMO.
If I am not mistaken they can give him the maximum penalty for every seperate case of animal abuse, right?
That might mean he will go away for a long, long time and rightfully so.
I think dogfighting is one of the most disgusting, vile thing a person can do, up there with child prostitution.
I predict that when all the dust settles that senior law enforcement within Smithfield will also be brought up on charges. They’ve been dragging their feet on this case since it broke in April, and only started working on it “seriously” after the Feds got involved.
And don’t forget two of Vick’s “friends,” a couple of NFL players (from the Washington Redskins, IIRC) who were laughing during aninterview saying that dog fighting is a grand Southern culture tradition and that Vick was involved. Not iron-clad evidence, granted, but acknowledging an open secret.
Add another zero to that figure.
I’m willing to give the Feds a bit more credibility than a local DA.
In addition to the differences Ellis noted, there’s also the fact that the Duke guys were loudly proclaiming their innocence at every opportunity, whereas Vick made one vague denial and then has refused to answer questions since.
Moreover, while they had credible alibis with evidence from the start, what little Vick has said has been lies: he claimed he’s “never” there and that he had nothing to do with the breeding operation … but the neighbors have seen him, and he’s been quoted numerous times in the past about Pit Bulls as a hobby.
Add in the fact that there is really no credible explanation of how else the operation was funded other than Vick’s largesse (none of the people who lived there had jobs), and it strains credibility to think he is wholly innnocent.
So what you’re saying is…I should drop him down on my cheat sheet?
Priorities people. Priorities.
Preach it! I would think that the feds have their shit together more than a DA with an agenda in Durham NC. Hopefully in these technogically advanced times, someone clandestinely snapped a phone picture of Vick at one of the fights.
Let’s just hope the key to their case isnt the immunity granted testimony of a fellow dogfighter.
Plus, dog fights and fighting dog training sessions are often recorded on video. Perhaps, there is a “smoking gun” in the form of video? 
If he’s guilty, I hope he ROTS! :mad: Poor dogs, and his poor family. 
Does he have children to support?
At this point he should be considered a late draft sleeper. I personally wouldn’t take him before the 7th round. There is the possiblity he may play a few games this year, but I also don’t think he’ll be sitting on the waiver wire come the start of the season.
Here’s a pretty graphic account:
Shocking charges against Michael Vick (Dohrmann, Sports Illustrated)
Excerpted from the linked article:
He’s right – they do have serious problems.
IMHO, the creative sadism involved (they soaked one dog with water to ensure good grounding for electrocution) isn’t incidental, it’s central to the practice. Dogfighting is about appearing tough and mean. The “business” was named Bad Newz Kennels (apparently a nickname of Vick’s from when he lived in Newport News). The dogs are tormented to make them aggressive. Torture and cruelty are fundamental to the practice – they’re the point – not an unfortunate side effect.
It’s a shame that Vick will never get sent to Abu Ghraib for this.
Sailboat
The most important point that some of you are missing: Michael Vick is keeping it REAL. And you all are just hatin’.
As to the DA and indictments, and court of public opinion and all that. . .Nifong was on TV grandstanding like 2 days later. This dog fighting thing first came out, what, 8 months ago or something? The indictments than just came down seem to be the work of a careful investigation with specific charges, time-tables, credible witnesses, etc.
Maybe I’m just talking about differing degrees of the same transgression which would be a little hypocritical, but this seems to hold a little more substance.
Great point about the method of killing. Ignoring the horrors of the fights themselves, when you decide one must die, you could at least show a grain of decency and shoot them in the head to give them an instant death, but no, he kills them in the most heinous ways possible. Allegedly.
Not at all.
In Baltimore City, it appears to be an activity most closely associated with black people. Rumors swirl (and I believe there have been credible news stories) that pet dogs and cats have been nabbed by dog-fighters to train their fighting dogs.
It’s ugly ugly business.
Last time there was a big bust, it was pretty much all black people.
By the way. . .that Smoking Gun report is a quick read. Definitely implicates Vick.
Lastly, fuck Vick. . .I want that dog “Maniac” on my fantasy team. WOOF!
What you people fail to realize is that *statistically *speaking there is almost *zero *chance of quarterback on dog … wait, no that was a different thread. Sorry.
This is a sad thing, I’m glad that they are shutting it down.
Actually, if anybody deserved a good pit bull raping, its these guys.
Wow, nothing unites the court of SDMB popular opinion like some good old animal cruelty. This is the most uniform Pitting of a public figure since that Montgomery Gentry guy shot the tame, penned bear to death with his bow and arrow.
I read in the article that he faces up to six years, but is that one of those things where they say that someone faces X number of years, but in reality it will never happen? Is it actually possible that he sees six years?
Personally, in this case while I find dog fighting abhorrent, its more about the sheer idiocy of this guy. All he has to do to have a continued life of luxury, fame and fortune, not only for him but his family down the line, is not break the law, and he can’t even do that. If he were just some poor backwoods hick, it wouldn’t be as irksome.