# Nike signs Vick to endorsement deal **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 1, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552 "2011-07-01T20:45:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/1 "2011-07-01T20:45:52Z")
I’m done with Nike. [Story here](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/nfl/07/01/nike.vick.ap/index.html?sct=hp_t2_a14&eref=sihp). There’s only about a bajillion athletes out there available to help sell sports shoes. No reason they should go with the dog fighting sonuvabitch. And fuck that “oh he’s doing good stuff now” shit. The guy ran a dog fighting ring. There’s something wrong with a person that finds it entertaining to watch animals fight to the death. There’s something wrong with a guy that would organize something like that, train dogs to particpate in it, and kill off the under performing dogs. Fuck Michael Vick, and fuck Nike, too. ---
**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:** [July 1, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/2 "2011-07-01T21:14:51Z")
Nike has certainly had endorsement deals with plenty of players who fight dogs since before the Vick thing broke. It’s really very common. I’m not arguing with you about whether or not you should be done with Nike over it, but there’s a pretty big culture of dogfighting that until very recently wasn’t even especially subterranean. You’d probably have to be done with every professional athlete who came from a low-income background, just to be safe. ---
**Author:** ![Tarwater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de0a6/32.png) [@Tarwater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarwater)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/3 "2011-07-01T21:24:27Z")
And then stop doing business with black athletes, to be even safer. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/4 "2011-07-01T22:33:07Z")
Good for you. Hope you realize that nearly every sporting goods company has endorsement deals with somewhat less than savory people, including people involved in dog fighting. It isn’t like Nike is sponsoring a dog fighting league. (I mean, where would you slap the swooshes?) ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/5 "2011-07-01T22:40:44Z")
Cite me another sports equipment company that has a convicted dog fighter on the payroll as an endorser, and I’ll boycott them too. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/6 "2011-07-01T22:58:27Z")
Reebok has the entire NFL endorsement (through the start of the season). So you can start there. Sold a metric ton of Philly Vick jerseys too (and customized dog jerseys to boot). So start there. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/7 "2011-07-01T23:01:58Z")
> [@Darth\_Sensitive](#): > > Reebok has the entire NFL endorsement (through the start of the season). So you can start there. Sold a metric ton of Philly Vick jerseys too (and customized dog jerseys to boot). So start there. No, I’ll start when and if you give me what I actually asked for, which this isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/8 "2011-07-01T23:20:00Z")
Reebok selling Vick jerseys is somehow different than Nike selling Vick shoes? how so? ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/9 "2011-07-01T23:34:23Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Reebok selling Vick jerseys is somehow different than Nike selling Vick shoes? how so? Because Reebok has a deal with the NFL. The NFL is a large organization. It is basically impossible to deal with a large organization and not be paying money to some unsavory types. Nike is specifically endorsing Vick not the Eagles or NFL quarterbacks but Vick specifically. There is a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/10 "2011-07-01T23:36:48Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Reebok selling Vick jerseys is somehow different than Nike selling Vick shoes? how so? Reebok sells jerseys for every player in the league. Vick happens to be one of them. Reebok did not go out and specifically hire Vick. Nike signed Vick to a contract to endorse their products. Nike does not have every player in the league under contract. They chose to hire Vick. ---
**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:** [July 1, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/11 "2011-07-01T23:42:07Z")
The NFL hired him too. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/12 "2011-07-02T01:12:07Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I’m done with Nike. And unless you’re young and an athelete, Nike could give a shit. Sucks huh? ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/13 "2011-07-02T04:05:05Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I’m done with Nike. > > [Story here](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/nfl/07/01/nike.vick.ap/index.html?sct=hp_t2_a14&eref=sihp). > > There’s only about a bajillion athletes out there available to help sell sports shoes. No reason they should go with the dog fighting sonuvabitch. And fuck that “oh he’s doing good stuff now” shit. The guy ran a dog fighting ring. There’s something wrong with a person that finds it entertaining to watch animals fight to the death. There’s something wrong with a guy that would organize something like that, train dogs to particpate in it, and kill off the under performing dogs. > > Fuck Michael Vick, and fuck Nike, too. I’ll start the slow clap. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/14 "2011-07-02T05:12:01Z")
> [@Darth\_Sensitive](#): > > It isn’t like Nike is sponsoring a dog fighting league. (I mean, where would you slap the swooshes?) You shave them into their fur. ---
**Author:** ![Jules\_Andre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jules_andre/32/9334_2.png) [@Jules\_Andre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jules_Andre)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/15 "2011-07-02T08:07:49Z")
It’s kinda weird how we attribute our own values to people who grew up entirely different from us, in a different place, in a different culture. But, you know, fuck them for not believing in things you believe in, amirite? This sort of hatred of someone after this long seems irrational and misplaced to me. I’m sure it says something on its own, but this isn’t the place to hazard a guess. I’m kinda surprised Nike went this route at this time. They have a large influence in the Northwest and I’m sure that’s where feelings like the OP’s would be most common. Strange choice. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/16 "2011-07-02T11:42:08Z")
Yeah, I’m with you, we should definitely celebrate tortuing and killing animals. It’s in their culture. It’s unique and beautiful. Also, the rape of nanking. When are we going to relax and realize that to the japanese raping people to death while forcing them to watch as they set your children on fire is their cultural equivelant of having a cookout for the fourth of July!? So judgemental! Edit: I mean, really, you’re not going to take the “he’s a reformed man, he’s paid his debt” tact, but instead a “hey, you can’t judge someone just because they do fucking horrible cruel things because hey, they apparently never had the benefit in growing up in a civlized culture in which barbaric cruelty was looked down upon”? I mean ffs, we’re not even talking about the weird practices of the ancient Assyrians or something, he grew up in a modern rich western country. We’re kind of good about not being pure evil, relatively speaking. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/17 "2011-07-02T12:03:13Z")
I’m lost. Dogfighting is big in low income black communities (and with those athletes)? I had no idea. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/18 "2011-07-02T12:15:09Z")
So is murder, relatively speaking, so I don’t think we can hold that against anyone either. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/19 "2011-07-02T14:45:33Z")
> [@Jules\_Andre](#): > > It’s kinda weird how we attribute our own values to people who grew up entirely different from us, in a different place, in a different culture. But, you know, fuck them for not believing in things you believe in, amirite? I grew up in the rural South, where this mythical dog fighting culture is allegedly all the rage. I went to school and played ball with plenty of guys that had things at least as rough as Vick ever did. As an adult, I’ve spent the majority of my career working in poverty law. I’ve seen poverty you can’t even imagine. Don’t give me this “you don’t understand his culture” bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Headrush042](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Headrush042](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headrush042)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552/20 "2011-07-02T15:07:05Z")
> [@Jules\_Andre](#): > > It’s kinda weird how we attribute our own values to people who grew up entirely different from us, in a different place, in a different culture. But, you know, fuck them for not believing in things you believe in, amirite? There’s a line somewhere between valuing a different cultural perspective and turning a blind eye to truly Fucked Up Shit. I wouldn’t necessarily fault someone for drawing the line at dog fighting, as it is, indeed, some Fucked Up Shit. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nike-signs-vick-to-endorsement-deal/587552.md?page=2)