# Vick pleads guilty, but wants to know what his career options are. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 20, 2007, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278 "2007-08-20T18:54:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/81 "2007-08-21T20:19:29Z")
[QUOTE=D\_Odds] That said, the British tried it once, and all it resulted in are Outback Steakhouses, Fosters, Crocodile Dundee, and Men at Work. The criminals got their revenge. [/QUOTE] [hijack] Outback Steakhouse was founded in Tampa, Florida. Convicts had little to do with it. [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/82 "2007-08-21T21:02:54Z")
FWIW… Today, Hardball is going to debate what Vick’s fate should be. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/83 "2007-08-21T21:13:23Z")
[QUOTE=5que] [hijack] Outback Steakhouse was founded in Tampa, Florida. Convicts had little to do with it. [/hijack] [/QUOTE] Just Buccaneers? ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/84 "2007-08-21T22:01:39Z")
[QUOTE=5que] [hijack] Outback Steakhouse was founded in Tampa, Florida. Convicts had little to do with it. [/hijack] [/QUOTE] A joke, perhaps? ---
**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:** [August 21, 2007, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/85 "2007-08-21T22:32:14Z")
[QUOTE=An Arky] On the other hand, it’s probably just going to encourage a whole bunch of dumbass ghetto thugs to do it for the “outlaw” factor. :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] It’s already happening. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/86 "2007-08-21T22:41:45Z")
[QUOTE=5que] [hijack] Outback Steakhouse was founded in Tampa, Florida. **Convicts had little to do with it.** [/hijack] [/QUOTE] If it was founded in Tampa, I wouldn’t be so sure. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/87 "2007-08-21T22:44:53Z")
[QUOTE=5que] [hijack] Outback Steakhouse was founded in Tampa, Florida. Convicts had little to do with it. [/hijack] [/QUOTE] Don’t ruin my humorous (to me, at least) aside with facts. And if those Floridians who founded that chain weren’t later convicted while a nice, well-tempered person like Charles Manson sits in prison, then there is something terribly wrong with this country. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/88 "2007-08-21T22:57:01Z")
the commonwealth is considering charges. should those charges shake out, mr vick will be looking at 40 years in va’s prison system (8 dogs times 5 years). don’t think the falcons would even remember who he was at that point. it is a very good thing i’m not in charge of professional sports. i would constantly remind player that it is a priviledge to play, not a right. careers would be rolling left and right. i do hope that mr vick did not put all his money in the dog operation, and did sock some away in rather safe legal investments. ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Andrew\_21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andrew_21)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2007, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/89 "2007-08-21T23:48:15Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] But I’m sure jail time would do significant damage to the body of a pro athlete. [/QUOTE] The 12-18 months in federal prison should not cause irreversible damage. Mike Tyson was able to regain the heavyweight title after serving three years. My guess is that a comeback would be possible, if there are no state charges. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/90 "2007-08-22T00:06:25Z")
[QUOTE=Andrew 21] The 12-18 months in federal prison should not cause irreversible damage. Mike Tyson was able to regain the heavyweight title after serving three years. My guess is that a comeback would be possible, if there are no state charges. [/QUOTE] Yeah but the heavyweight division was a bunch of chumps at that point. It’s different for NFL players. Consider running back [Jamal Lewis](http://ravens.scout.com/2/382204.html), who after four months in jail saw his yards-per-attempt [plummet](http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/LewiJa00.htm) by almost a full yard. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/91 "2007-08-22T03:05:16Z")
Does anybody else think that there are probably several other NFL players in a cold sweat right now as they frantically try to erase all evidence of their own involvement in betting on dog fights? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/92 "2007-08-22T03:40:35Z")
[QUOTE=Frostillicus] Does anybody else think that there are probably several other NFL players in a cold sweat right now as they frantically try to erase all evidence of their own involvement in betting on dog fights? [/QUOTE] From some of the comments by other players, I get the sense there is a subculture of dogfighting aficionados in the league. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/93 "2007-08-22T05:01:33Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] I get the sense there is a subculture of dogfighting aficionados in the league. [/QUOTE] It would be a trifle surprising if Vick were the only one. Let’s hope that no one else is bankrolling a dogfighting operation. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/94 "2007-08-22T06:02:57Z")
My understanding is that several NFL franchises are eager to hire him. The pretzel franchise, the Nachos franchise … ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/95 "2007-08-22T12:39:36Z")
[QUOTE=Frostillicus] Does anybody else think that there are probably several other NFL players in a cold sweat right now as they frantically try to erase all evidence of their own involvement in betting on dog fights? [/QUOTE] I’m waiting for Vick to roll on [Joey Porter.](http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06264/723752-54.stm) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/96 "2007-08-22T13:23:05Z")
[QUOTE=Drain Bead] I’m waiting for Vick to roll on [Joey Porter.](http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06264/723752-54.stm) [/QUOTE] If you think about it, this could be Vick’s leverage for getting back in the league: “Ban me for life and I’ll go to the media about all the NFL players who are into dogfighting and gambling.” ---
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/97 "2007-08-22T14:11:43Z")
[QUOTE=D\_Odds] Don’t ruin my humorous (to me, at least) aside with facts. And if those Floridians who founded that chain weren’t later convicted while a nice, well-tempered person like Charles Manson sits in prison, then there is something terribly wrong with this country. [/QUOTE] Not that I necessarily disagree with you, but my niece owns one and is thus supporting part of my extended family, so I must take family ties over humor and my dislike of Florida (and I was **born there**!) Just don’t order the Bloomin’ Onion. You do not want to know what it’s fried in… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/98 "2007-08-22T15:14:36Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] If you think about it, this could be Vick’s leverage for getting back in the league: “Ban me for life and I’ll go to the media about all the NFL players who are into dogfighting and gambling.” [/QUOTE] He’ll probably have to give the government that information, and I imagine it will end up becoming public either way. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/99 "2007-08-22T15:28:31Z")
Did anyone hear Stephen Marbury (NY Knicks) defending Vick today. Obviously Marbury felt the press wasn’t paying enough attention to him and sent out the troll to get some ESPN time. He can’t _really_ be stupid enough to believe that openly siding with Vick is a good professional move, right? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2007, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278/100 "2007-08-22T15:34:51Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] He’ll probably have to give the government that information [/QUOTE] I doubt it. Vick appears to be at the pinnacle of the pyramid the feds are after in this prosecution. I don’t see him having to give up the names of individual NFL players. More likely, he might be pressured to give up info on other dogfighting operations of which he may be aware. Now if any other players are _running_ dogfighting operations (as opposed to just showing up and gambling) their names might come up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vick-pleads-guilty-but-wants-to-know-what-his-career-options-are/416278.md?page=6)