Vick Done
First of all, the definitive word on the Mike Vick story is being written by Mike Florio of Profootballtalk.com (link to the right). And what Mike F has been saying is that the real jeopardy for Vick is not (just) the dig fighting, but the gambling. Apparently, Vick has bet tens of thousands of dollars on these "fights."
Interstate gambling is a huge deal for both the federal authorities (even under the bumbling AG Gonzo) and the league. Any hint of player involvement in gambling brings the integrity of the game into question, even when the gambling is not connected to the NFL. Especially with the recent stories about a corrupted NBA referee, the new law and order Commissioner of the NFL is bound to come down hard on this.
USA Today has a story on Vick, which concentrates on the dog fighting angle, but does have this to say on the gambling:
Although the public outcry against Vick has stemmed from the alleged animal cruelty, the specter of illegal gambling on the alleged dogfights has been largely overshadowed.
"Not from our standpoint," Goodell told USA TODAY last week while he was in Canton, Ohio, for the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.
So there. At this point, I'm betting (not a legal wager) that Vick never plays in the NFL again. It's odd to think, because reports (once again via Mr. Florio) say that Vick himself didn't consider this a big deal when the news was first breaking.
Maybe that's because local authorities had turned a blind eye to it for so long. Certainly, the foot-dragging on the investigation by the local prosecutor may have been the key factor in bringing the feds into it. If the locals had properly, this might still be a state matter. Which wouldn't necessarily be a lot better for Vick, but he'd certainly have had a more sympathetic jury, and the gambling angle may not have been as fully investigated. Maybe.
Interesting that the Goodell comment came from the Hall of Fame. Many people had a reasonable expectation that the first quarterback ever to rush for 1,000 yards would end up there one day.
If this situation resolves itself the way it looks to be going now, Vick will need to buy a ticket to enter like the rest of us.
If he can get the work-release.
Interstate gambling is a huge deal for both the federal authorities (even under the bumbling AG Gonzo) and the league. Any hint of player involvement in gambling brings the integrity of the game into question, even when the gambling is not connected to the NFL. Especially with the recent stories about a corrupted NBA referee, the new law and order Commissioner of the NFL is bound to come down hard on this.
USA Today has a story on Vick, which concentrates on the dog fighting angle, but does have this to say on the gambling:
Although the public outcry against Vick has stemmed from the alleged animal cruelty, the specter of illegal gambling on the alleged dogfights has been largely overshadowed.
"Not from our standpoint," Goodell told USA TODAY last week while he was in Canton, Ohio, for the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.
So there. At this point, I'm betting (not a legal wager) that Vick never plays in the NFL again. It's odd to think, because reports (once again via Mr. Florio) say that Vick himself didn't consider this a big deal when the news was first breaking.
Maybe that's because local authorities had turned a blind eye to it for so long. Certainly, the foot-dragging on the investigation by the local prosecutor may have been the key factor in bringing the feds into it. If the locals had properly, this might still be a state matter. Which wouldn't necessarily be a lot better for Vick, but he'd certainly have had a more sympathetic jury, and the gambling angle may not have been as fully investigated. Maybe.
Interesting that the Goodell comment came from the Hall of Fame. Many people had a reasonable expectation that the first quarterback ever to rush for 1,000 yards would end up there one day.
If this situation resolves itself the way it looks to be going now, Vick will need to buy a ticket to enter like the rest of us.
If he can get the work-release.
posted by fiduciary at 11:52 AM
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