# Justice for Marcus Vick **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 6, 2006, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808 "2006-01-06T22:37:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/21 "2006-01-08T18:47:31Z")
> [@Brynda](#): > > Is it just me, or does he sound like the next TO? By most accounts Owens gets into no trouble at all away from the football field. Sure, he seems to be a cancer to his team and a jerk to his quarterback but at least he stays out of trouble. As for Marcus Vick…he’ll get drafted sign a medium sized contract and then be on easy street. Sucks to be him. He won’t be a Maurice Clarrett, that’s for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/22 "2006-01-08T19:29:41Z")
> [@Mr Bus Guy](#): > > [About time](http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/5227094) a college actually stood up and said enough. I agree, I’m glad that they did it. I also was glad to see him apologize - even if he only did it to try to improve his chances of getting drafted. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/23 "2006-01-08T20:57:38Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > and the NFL should not even look at them if they don’t have a college diploma in hand. Why not? ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/24 "2006-01-08T21:49:13Z")
> [@Jimmy Chitwood](#): > > > [@ivylass](#): > > > > and the NFL should not even look at them if they don’t have a college diploma in hand. > > Why not? I’ve started to feel this way, too. Aside from the developmental experience in sports, I don’t know how much most college athletes are getting from college. These days, they’re in training year-round, and their time in school is almost entirely focused on improving their game. Seems like when they can use the college is after their pro career is over. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/25 "2006-01-08T23:10:23Z")
> [@drm](#): > > By most accounts Owens gets into no trouble at all away from the football field. Sure, he seems to be a cancer to his team and a jerk to his quarterback but at least he stays out of trouble. > > As for Marcus Vick…he’ll get drafted sign a medium sized contract and then be on easy street. Sucks to be him. He won’t be a Maurice Clarrett, that’s for sure. Money doesn’t mean anything to the stupid. If he doesn’t improve both is play and his attitude he won’t last long in the NFL and may end up in jail. At which point he will probably have $500,000-$2m in the bank, enough to set most normal people up pretty nicely. If invested correctly you could practically live off of that for the rest of your life. But he isn’t a normal person, or even close to it, he could go through that money buying cars, jewelery, et cetera in less than a year. And it actually happens all the time with NFL washouts. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/26 "2006-01-09T21:56:52Z")
And now Vick [is in trouble _again_](http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10777702/). ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/27 "2006-01-09T21:59:00Z")
> [@Ponder Stibbons](#): > > And now Vick [is in trouble _again_](http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10777702/). Must have been another accident. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/28 "2006-01-09T22:14:26Z")
I’m predicting here that he goes undrafted. The guy has no future. And I’m also predicting that he takes his brother down a few notches in the public esteem. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/29 "2006-01-09T22:16:33Z")
Listen closely, you can almost hear the train running off the tracks from here… ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/30 "2006-01-09T22:30:46Z")
I’m assuming that Marcus Vick was attending college on a football scholarship. If that’s the case, the school unilaterally backed out of that arrangement when Vick’s part of the deal (for the year) was over. I didn’t see the play, but from the descriptions it sounds like they’re well rid of him. But it’s not much of a stand on principle to cut ties with someone at the exact moment when he’s least useful, and your obligations are kicking in. I’m not a fan of college athletics, for these sorts of reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/31 "2006-01-09T22:47:46Z")
> [@Sal Ammoniac](#): > > I’m predicting here that he goes undrafted. The guy has no future. And I’m also predicting that he takes his brother down a few notches in the public esteem. He has a future. Occupying a drawer in a city morgue. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/32 "2006-01-09T23:06:12Z")
> [@Robot Arm](#): > > I’m assuming that Marcus Vick was attending college on a football scholarship. If that’s the case, the school unilaterally backed out of that arrangement when Vick’s part of the deal (for the year) was over. I didn’t see the play, but from the descriptions it sounds like they’re well rid of him. But it’s not much of a stand on principle to cut ties with someone at the exact moment when he’s least useful, and your obligations are kicking in. > > I’m not a fan of college athletics, for these sorts of reasons. A football scholarship requires an athlete to play football to keep the scholarship. But being a part of the football team also requires that you remain part of the University, and remaining part of the University typically means you have to follow the code of conduct and you are still subject to the same kinds of rules and regulations that other students are. On top of that, you also have to follow team rules governing off-field behavior, and if you are removed from the team or the university obviously that ends your time as a football-scholarship player. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/33 "2006-01-09T23:16:30Z")
> [@Robot Arm](#): > > But it’s not much of a stand on principle to cut ties with someone at the exact moment when he’s least useful, and your obligations are kicking in. He was in class during the season, too, so it’s not like they weren’t fulfilling their obligations before. It’s nobody’s fault but Vick’s that he’s had repeated problems with the law and couldn’t be a sportsman on the field. I think he would have been kicked off the team earlier - he was already at the ‘last straw’ stage - if he’d stomped on an opponent’s leg during the regular season. Perhaps that’s not cynical enough on my part, but the punishment is still deserved. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/34 "2006-01-09T23:31:44Z")
As I said, the team is well rid of him. He broke the rules and used up all his second chances. He had a great opportunity and threw it away. I waste no tears for Marcus Vick. But the OP said “about time a college actually stood up and said enough.” They got a full season and a bowl game out of him. My admiration for their stand is diminshed by their decision to do it when it costs them almost nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2006, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/35 "2006-01-09T23:41:37Z")
> [@Robot Arm](#): > > My admiration for their stand is diminshed by their decision to do it when it costs them almost nothing. They’ve lost him for next year. Would it somehow be better if they’d waited until next season was about to start? They certainly didn’t worry about timing their punishment before: I think he missed all of the 2004 season because of a suspension. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/36 "2006-01-10T01:52:53Z")
> [@Sal Ammoniac](#): > > I’m predicting here that he goes undrafted. The guy has no future. I have to think that most teams would rank Vick as a more intriguing choice than the slim pickings offered by the seventh round of an average draft. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/37 "2006-01-10T02:19:30Z")
pulling a gun on two guys in front of their mother at a McDonalds?!? It appears that the University knew he was losing it, or he lost it after they canned him. The punishment for this incident is likely to make a expulsion from a football team seem trivial. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/38 "2006-01-10T03:52:42Z")
Always thought his brother was a class act ([Ron Mexico](http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0405051vick1.html) shenanigans excluded), but this guy is a complete ass. Are you fucking stupid, Marcus Vick? Despite your boneheaded behavior and idiocy you still have an opportunity to make lemons out of lemonade… become a millionaire… rehab your image a la Cris Carter… and some jackoffs mouthing off lead you to toss it all away? His timing couldn’t be worse. After Clarett and T.O. this year, I don’t think any GM is going to take a chance on this tool. Having read more about the Ron Mexico business, maybe “class act” is not the appropriate descriptor for Michael Vick… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Big\_Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@The\_Big\_Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Big_Cheese)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2006, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/39 "2006-01-10T13:24:24Z")
Unfortunately for the Hamburglar the teams that \*might \* take a project are all set at QB, Tampa Bay and Denver. Though if TB gets TOwens, they would be very wise to pass on Marcus. Oakland is the best bet any year though, or Arizona, is Dennis Green still there?? He took a flyer on Randy, maybe he likes the challenges, and Kurt Warner can’t last forever. He might go in the last round, or a better bet is as a free agent. That way a team has little to lose if they see major problems coming from him. Of course between now and the draft he will come out and talk about what a changed man he is, and he wants to turn his life around, blah blah blah. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2006, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808/40 "2006-01-11T11:19:55Z")
I don’t normally follow college football, but I was considering opening a thread about Marcus Vick’s latest shenanigans. He’s in a position to live out one of the Great American Dreams. He was set to be a first-round draft choice in the NFL. There’s some talk that he might be an even better quarterback than his brother. He could have fame, fortune, and women, something most men only dream of having. He could even wind up Super Bowl MVP. So what does he do? Pull a gun on three people. Right now, I’d say he’s more likely to make MVP of a prison football team. The three misdemeanor charges he’s facing could result in him going to jail for three years. Even one year will pretty much make him ineligible for the draft. Yes, I know he’s young and stupid and used to getting what he wants. I can see how things can go to his head. On the other hand, unlike most people in his position, he’s got a brother who’s been through this. Can’t someone sit down with him and tell him how badly he’s screwing up his life? Maybe his mother, brother, or even false friends who’d like their meal ticket to stick around? I hope he has real friends. [Yahoo has a timeline of his troubles.](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060107/ap_on_sp_co_ne/fbc_marcus_vick_timeline) I feel sorry for and angry at a young man who’s been handed a chance of a lifetime and seems to be determined to throw it away for nothing. If he’s not in jail, no doubt he will be drafted. I’m just reminded an old joke about a scout describing two 20 year-old baseball players. The scout says, “You see that guy? In ten years, he’s got a chance to be a World Series MVP, Cy Young award winner, and set a few records. See that other guy? In ten years, he’s got a chance to be 30.” Marcus Vick used to be the football equivalent of the first guy. Right now, my money’s more on him being the other guy. That’s a shame, because there are a lot of good, talented players out there who’d love the chances he’s determined to blow. CJ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/justice-for-marcus-vick/338808.md?page=3)