Full Court Press

The Leonard Little thing still puzzles me - Tagliabue was a lawyer no less and he brushed it off.
Now there's a new sheriff - Vick won't even start to serve till the end of the 2007 season. He will still be there for the 2008 season, and THEN THE NFL SUSPENSTION WILL KICK IN. I predict 2 years which could mean he won't be available to play till 2011...forget about his baggage - he would be 31 I think; the quickness gone, but still with the erratic arm which is not a good combo. He's got the CFL written all over him.

he gone...

Why are you asking for comments Roman when yours hit the nail on the head? All anyone will do is reword what you said and make this blog 30 entries long before dinner. Fact of the matter is: as a black man it is somewhat embarrassing that this happened. Black people will always rally around a black man even one like O.J. who didn't have anything to do with black people, but Al his driving buddy, after he made it big. As long as the media and the mainstream seem to celebrate when a black man fails you will see black people who don't even know who Michael Vick is rally around him.

As long as the world has Al Davis, anything's possible. Sad thing is his brother showed it's in the blood. This new commish is going to use this as his blockbuster example, rightfully so. The real shame is it's taken somebody to kill dogs to really shake things up when in actuality some players may have gotten away with 'murder' in the past. Money IS the root of all evil, because sport cannot dominate our priorities like that, can it?

Vick's career is being martyred for the cause. I am certain he did not believe dogfighting to be as dispicable as many are claiming it to be. Dick Cheyne shot a MAN - while HUNTING. And nobody cares AT ALL. Activists had the perfect man to come after, but he beat all charges because Americans as a whole don't care about that guy he shot, or those animals. But you give them a rich brotha with some corn rolls - and oh my... I am appauled with that. I am appauled with how Scooter Libby committed the holy grail crime of the constitution (treason) and he is out freeeee. No protests, no DISGUST, nothing. The fact that folks are even discussing ending his CAREER over fighting dogs has me completely disappointed. But that is the America WE KNOW. The one we know all to well. And folks wonder why we cheered OJ? We'll take ANYTHING we can get! And I mean ANYTHING!

Roman responds: Cheney didn't shoot the guy on purpose.

He's going to jail, no doubt. Being a first time offender, he'll probably get a light sentence. I think he's a brother that didn't know how to shake the streets and it caught up with him. Nonetheless, the level of inner cruelty it takes to kill something or someone is astounding. If it's true that he was present during the execution and participated in some of these acts, then he's no better than the common sociopath that preys on people. Notice, I said if. Where I as a black man disconnect from straight outrage with Vick is when I consider his so called "friends". They have been used by the federal government to knock Vick down, and although he pleaded guilty, those two or three people get more of my anger than Michael Vick any day of the week. I think you'll find that most Blacks feel the same way. I hate to say this, but I'd be surprised if any of them lived to tell the story. Knowing some street guys, the worst thing next to a child molester is a snitch. How does this correlate to Leonard Little? Well, PETA and all those pet loving government officials weren't involved in his prosecution. I'm sure if you polled a good majority of them, you'd find that a great deal of them have had a little too much to drink then jumped behind the wheel of a car.

Took only 2 responses to play the race card...I would have guessed 10-12

This entire racial angle is very telling. Shouldn't we all be repulsed, angered, shocked, embarrassed based on what he did - NOT based on his skin color?

Blame it on racism (which still exists) if you want, but inserting this angle into EACH AND EVERY Romo subject (the Dick Cheney hunting incident???) is tiresome and detracts from legitimate issues that exist out there.

And furthermore, then I'm done for now.......

Vick is a victim of a racially biased system whether we want to believe it or not. His guilt aside, they put so much pressure on him that he had to fold. What's worse is that they used other brother's to do it and they fell into the trap. I'm a student of history so I'll relate the reason for my anger so that maybe some of you will understand it more...............

During the height of slave trading back in the 1600's. Europeans would go to Africa to get slaves to work in the fields. They didn't trap all of them in the bushes of Africa as some would suggest. They would go to the tribal leaders, get one to flip in exchange for a certain amount of slaves. In return, he would get food, materials, gun powder etc. The turncoat would then create a situation in which the slaves in question would get caught away from the safety of the tribe and then he/she would be taken into captivity. In some cases, they would just take the entire village by force.

Synchronize that with Vick's case. The government offered these guys lesser sentences in order to get to Vick. Is he guilty, yes. Of what, we don't know just yet. What we do know is that a lot of people turned their backs on him in order to save their own asses. Lack of trustworthiness and character in someone makes them less than the scum of the Earth in my eyes.

Roman responds: Ernest, getting people to roll over is hardly exclusive to blacks. Happens every day to whites, too. And you can't put Vick's guilt aside. He is a victim of his own criminality. Now, that's not saying the system isn't biased. It's just that I don't think it helps your argument when you use that logic with every case.

I think Vick should be able to play again. Giving certain circumstances play out. Vick would have to serve his term in jail, join an animal rights organization, and donates millions to animal rights charities. Considering the maximum he'll get is a little over a year in jail, once he gets out, having him just sit at home, contemplating doing who knows what is worse then him acting as a positive influence on these barbaric rituals. If Vick says no, and that he believes he doesn't have to donate anything, or he says that he doesn't have to be active in any charities, then tough. Let him rot at home watching old ESPN highlights. Can you imagine the positive impact his millions would have on a animal rights organizations? He would saves hundreds if not thousands of dogs.

Ernest - I hope for you own sake, you're done. That was the biggest pile of cr@p I've read in some time. Are black people immune to breaking the law, being guilty of anything? Did Vick say to himself, "you know, I realize torturing these dogs may not be good, but I can only think about my ancestors who came here against their will. I can only think of Ernest's logic about tribal leaders so that must make be above the law".

There are bad black people, white, hispanic, etc. Probably 2-5% of each, and we hear about that percent disproportionally.

Come on Vick apologists - you can do it. Say it...."I WAS WRONG".

"Vick's career is being martyred for the cause. I am certain he did not believe dogfighting to be as dispicable as many are claiming it to be."

I'm also sure there are many pedophiles out there that don't think their crimes are as dispicable as many people, AND THE LAW, claim they are.

"Dick Cheyne shot a MAN - while HUNTING. And nobody cares AT ALL."

Please read what you wrote: Chaney shot a MAN - while HUNTING. Sounds like an accident caused by carelessness. Vick paid people to breed and fight dogs to KILL ONE ANOTHER, let these people USE HIS PROPERTY TO DO SO, and FINANCED THEIR ENTIRE OPERATION. Yeah, I happen to see INTENT being present here. If you can't tell the difference between an accident on a hunting trip and an on-going criminal enterprise, then God help you.

Ernest, are you saying that Vick's co-defendants shouldn't have offered testimony against him? They should have done their time in stone silence? That is essentially what you are advocating. And if that was done, and by chance Vick was never prosecuted, do you really think justice was served?

God help us all.

Boy, sure didn't take long for someone (Mr. Frazier) to prophesize your words. Roman. Problem is, Ernie my man, you don't speak for most African Americans. You sound more like a close friend of Calabrese Sr. than a spokesperson for the Black community. Nobody, regardless of creed or color, should take responsibilty for another adults actions. If (and notice I said if) I'm correct, Vick pleaded guilty to all counts. Come to think about it, if you really feel the worst thing next to a 'child molester' is a 'snitch', you shouldn't be talkin' for anybody but yourself, instead of belittling what other people may ACTUALLY be thinking.

Roman, kudos to you for saying what the majority of "People" feel towards this heinieous crime. I agree that you can not put Vick's guilt aside, and Carl should stop using the excuse of "they usued other brother's to do it". Wow, so imagine what else went on that we are unaware of! You did the crime, so pay.
Quoting from Mariotti, .."Sorry, no mercy should be attached to any circumstance involving the Vick case, including his plea bargain Monday. If Goodell found reason to suspend Adam (Pacman) Jones for the 2007 season without a conviction, he should remain consistent in enforcing his conduct policy and use Vick's guilty plea to remove him from the league permanently." CAN I GET A AMEN?

Roman, kudos to you for saying what the majority of "People" feel towards this heinieous crime. I agree that you can not put Vick's guilt aside, and Carl should stop using the excuse of "they usued other brother's to do it". Wow, so imagine what else went on that we are unaware of! You did the crime, so pay.
Quoting from Mariotti, .."Sorry, no mercy should be attached to any circumstance involving the Vick case, including his plea bargain Monday. If Goodell found reason to suspend Adam (Pacman) Jones for the 2007 season without a conviction, he should remain consistent in enforcing his conduct policy and use Vick's guilty plea to remove him from the league permanently." CAN I GET A AMEN?

I'm sure momma Vick is really proud to have sons like Michael and Marcus.

William, I agree with you...Roman hit the nail on the head. I don't have much to add to what he said. I do have a question for you though or really any of the black people on the blog. I understand why the black community feels the need to rally around young black men in trouble based on past inequities in the justice system, but don't you think this is bad for the black community in the long run? If young men living "thug" lifestyles feel they will always have acceptance and support in the black community no matter what they do, don't you think this allows them to more easily maintain that lifestyle? I know one of the things that kept me out of trouble as a youth was fearing the backlash from my family/social circle when I screwed up. Doesn't it seem like this support the black man no matter what (how scary was Keith's post?) is creating a long term problem while trying to solve a short term one since, true or false, it gives the black community the appearance of having very low standards of conduct.

Vick and his two buddies hanged eight dogs from trees in his backyard. After writhing and screaming, five eventually choked to death while Vick watched, presumably amused. Three didn't die. They took the three dogs and, one by one, forced their heads under water in a five-gallon bucket until they drowned. All for fun and profit. This is a sick, perverse, evil individual who doesn’t belong in a decent society. Let’s make a difference. Write a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at the NFL NYC office (NFL 280 Park Avenue, NY, NY 10017) calling for a lifetime ban from the NFL. Write a letter to Hon. Henry E. Hudson, United States District Court, Eastern Virginia, (1000 E. Main St., Suite 305, Richmond, VA 23219-3525) calling for the maximum penalty. This issue cuts to the core of our humanity. Working together, we can help ensure that Vick is removed from society for as long as possible and not allowed the privilege of ever playing the NFL again. He deserves nothing less.

Agreed Little should have gotten a much stiffer sentence and under today's less tolerant appoach to DUI he would have been dealt with more severely. But consider that he did not get behind the wheel with the intention of running into another vehicle and killing the occupant. On the other hand what Vick did was totally intentional and illegal and his methods of putting dogs down were gruesome and inhumane.
As far as Vick's so-called friends rolling over on him goes, that's an every day fact of life regardless of race, the first one to talk gets the deal.
WRD I believe you're right about some black people that don't even know who Michael Vick is rallying behind him just because he's black and that is truely a shame. When the OJ incident first became public I was hoping he didn't do it(btw I'm not black) but as the trial went on and later after reading Christopher Darden's book on the trial I believe he did do it. On the other hand I also watched the trial of Carolina Panther's receiver Ray Caruth and thought the defense presented enough evidence to create a resonable doubt yet he was convicted and is serving a life sentence. His conviction I believe was a result of fall out from the OJ trial.
Bottom line is I don't care if Michael Vick is black, white, yellow, red or martian green, he admitted his guilt and should be sentenced accordingly. As far as should he be allowed to play in the NFL again? I wouldn't want him on my team if I was an owner or a player but umless he is banned for life I am sure there is an owner out there that will only consider his talent and not his charachter.

Earnest...are you saying that Rolling over on Vick and lack of trustworthyness supercedes the actual CRIME?

Should they just have kept mouth shut, gone to jail and did time Like Anderson did for Barry?

Using your logic, then...Anderson is at the TOP OF YOUR LIST of good people?

You must also idealize Stand Up guys in the Mafia, who do time and dont snitch, you must also like Terrorists who refuse to give up info on their terrorist brothers because they will break the code of silence.

How freakin wacked out is that kind of thinking!!!

Roman is right...using the same argument for every case weakens your overall argument.

Choose your battles wisely!

Roman responds: Ernest, getting people to roll over is hardly exclusive to blacks. Happens every day to whites, too. And you can't put Vick's guilt aside. He is a victim of his own criminality. Now, that's not saying the system isn't biased. It's just that I don't think it helps your argument when you use that logic with every case.

I'm not in anyway dismissing his guilt. He obviously has no excuse at all. I am the first to tell you that he deserves jail time for this crime because it is a felony. I'm only explaining the part that upsets me the most. And yes, the system bias is upsetting but I'm immune to it, kind of like most of the mainstream is to athletes involved in strip club incidents, domestic violence episodes and baby mama drama. I'm only waiting to see what he cops the plea for. If he admits to killing those dogs in the manner in which it has been alleged, then he needs more than just jail time. Max security prisons bring out the darker sides of most personalities. I've had a couple family members incarcerated that had promising lives and you can see the difference in them. The only saving grace for Vick is that he will probably go to some minimum security prison like the one that housed Pete Rose and Rostenkowski, come out, make a few conciliatory speeches and resume living with his millions. He saved a lot of money by pleading out. However, if he cops to the more heinous charges, he should not be spared a full sentence replete with max security surroundings. I stay on my "system and media bias" soapbox, but I'm a realist by nature.

Leonard Little and Mike Vick are night and day...Little made a mistake, and although someone lost their life, and I agree he should never have played another down in the NFL...it was still a mistake and not deliberate...Like Vick...Mike Vick "deliberately" tortured and killed dogs for fun and profits....for years

Mike Vick will never play another down of football for the NFL...he willingly and "happily" tortured and killed animals for profit, ran a gambling ring, and used his NFL money to do it...Case closed..Lifetime Ban

And don't be surprised if the Judge gives him the full 5 years...he won't do them all, but that's what he easily deserves....Well, honestly, he deserves worse....if those racketeering charges would have been levied upon him, all of his assets and cash would have been seized...facing another 20-ish years...so really, whatever time he gets is considered lucky..I say the Judge gives him the full 5 years..and he does around 2-3 of it....

And Never plays another down in the NFL....and if anybody wants to get rid of their Vick garbage...my Dogs could use some chew toys

Roman responds: I love the line: "although someone lost their life." As if it's almost a shoulder shrug. Yes, someone died. People do long prison stretches all the time for "accidents."

Say to this what I said about Tank Johnson: of course the system is biased against Black men. Everyone knows that...effin' Vick knew that. And he should have known better before getting involved in something that illegal. I'm not going to examine the morality of his actions; in fact, I'm sure I'll catch a lot of flak for this, but it's not like Vick is a cubicle mouse like me--he's played a violent sport for most of his life. Sure, killing dogs is worse than exploiting players for a few years' worth of sports entertainment--but the parallels are there, and the gap between the two, while still considerable, is nonetheless smaller than people think.

I'm still glad this didn't go to trial. Vick has already embarrassed us enough. Should he play again? Looking at it from an objective perspective--I don't see why not. Even people convicted of crimes have the right to work once they've served their time. The better question is "should he complain if no one's willing to sign him," the answer to which is a resounding "NO."

Roman responds: He'll be signed, and I don't think Raider nation will be that upset, depending on how Russell pans out.

In reading these comments I find myself shaking my head. This isn't about Black or White. This is about a man who has lied over and over again and is now only beginning to tell some of the truth because he was forced to. I don't consider the other individuals involved to be "snitches" I consider them to be just as bad as Vick...no moral compass...and only interested in saving their own butts.

Dogfighting isn't just about dogs. It's a fact that it's about drugs, gambling and violence. It looks as if Vick participated in all of this including the torture of several dogs. It is often said that people with a tendency for violence often hurt animals first. Well, at this point we have no idea what this man is now capable of. This man tortured, drowned and beat dogs to death. At least that's what the counterparts are now saying. Are any of those actions right for a White or Black Man?? No, this is about a human being who has done wrong and needs to be punished by the legal system as well as the NFL..period. You don't have to be a dog lover to recognize right from wrong.

I believe if justice were truly initiated, Michael Vick would be hung, drowned, electrocuted, slammed to the ground and ripped apart by other animals until he died. And I would be the first to sentence him.

This is amazing...Killing a dog is now all of a sudden one of the worst crimes on the books. I'm not here to support Michael Vick because this guy has to be one of the dumbest people on earth to be involved in something like this but to sentence someone to over five years for this is absurd. Murderers, rapists and child molesters get less time in some instances. I've seen priests rape kids and get less media attention and protests. I like dogs but there not human beings. Ray Lewis was accused of killing two people and Leonard Little actually did take a life and that didnt get near as much attention. Michael Vick should do jail time for doing this stupid act but just let up with equating dogs over human beings.

Roman responds: The reason Vick's getting attention is because he's the highest-paid player in the NFL and the highest-profile athlete to be headed to jail in his prime.

Roman responds: I love the line: "although someone lost their life." As if it's almost a shoulder shrug. Yes, someone died. People do long prison stretches all the time for "accidents."

I never said he (Little) shouldn't have gone to prison...and I said he should have been banned from the NFL....but you cannot compare something that is involuntary and a mistake to something that not only is voluntary but reprehensible, barbaric, and torturous in nature...it was done with a sinister thug-like smile...Contrition my ....

I've heard that word thrown around like they made it up lately...The only thing Vick will ever be sorry for is getting caught....he should feel lucky racketeering charges didn't hit him...then his money would be gone...and everything he owns...

and sorry for 'shrugin off' a death....the more you see, the less your impressed by 'em....I feel bad for that lady's family...nothing you can do for her, though....still can't parlay what Little did to what Vick did.....Vick's was twice as bad in my opinion

Roman responds: I understand your point, but trying telling that to the family of Little's victim.

He should go to jail for a long time if I did what he did there'd be no discussion. He's a monster if you can brutally kill an animal you can likely kill a person too and phsycopaths need to be off the streets. He should never play football again he wasn't all that good anyway ran more than he threw he's no steve young.
Anyone that would rally behind him black or white shows the ignorance that brought him to this point hopefully they wake up and realize whats wrong is wrong plus if he was never caught he'd never had apologized for it it's all an act. Vick kharma will get you if i was in charge he'd been killed like those animals. If any convicts read this and hes in your prison shank him for me

Keith the Lifetime Southsider should get a clue. Vick's career is not being martyred for a cause. Nothing is being martyred here. HE is being punished (and rightfully so) because HE made a terrible lifestyle choice and HE got caught. It's not black and white issue; it's a right and terribly wrong issue. If Peyton Manning had done the same thing, people would be just as outraged. If was some random dude on the street, regardless of race, religion on ethnicity, YOU would think the same thing.

Just as disgusting as dogfighting in general was Vick's insistence of innocence when he was the ringleader of the whole deal. He owned the property. He printed the T-shirts. He bankrolled the breeding etc. and he pulled the trigger/tied the noose/turned on the juice to kill HIS OWN DOGS. I don't know where the gene comes from that makes a person suddenly think it's OK to engage in this behavior, but I sure hope it's recessive.

Regardless of how long he serves he should be banned for life from the NFL, not only because of what he did but because it would be bad business. Not that the league really needs the extra pocket change that it gets when 60,000 people pay $80 per ticket and drink $10 beers, but if Vick is allowed back in the league the stands would empty faster than you can blink and the protests at the stadiums he visits would be large, loud and racous.

Worst of all to me is that he doesn't at all look remorseful. He says he is, but he looks as if he knows he's paying lip service to the masses, telling them what they want to hear. If anything, instead of a fine the judge should mandate that he set up, pay for and oversee animal shelters throughout the country. I think that's called poetic justice.

SCREW THIS LIBERAL SLANTED POST. IM SICK OF SEEING THE MOST RIDCULOUS POSTS GET AIR TIME AND MINE GET CUT OUT.

I NEED TO GO SELL A HOUSE.

PS. I think Earnest Frazier and Wiliam R Donald are the same person!!!!!

Roman responds: Culzie, you get more stuff posted than anyone. Quit your whining. And I thought the housing market was dead. Good for you if you can still close the deal. I may be ready to sell, do you have a license for Illinois?

I'm still not sure that Vick is guilty of all the charges he will plead guilty to. He and the co-defendants may be the only ones to ever know. In the movie "A Few Good Men," the defendents were innocent, but their lawyer was pushing for them to take the plea bargain instead of going to trial. If found guilty in a court of law, the punishment would have been more severe. In the movie, those two Marines opted to risk being found guilty through a trial. Vick may have chosen to take the plea bargain because has a lot more to lose if found guilty through trial.

No one can dispute that he is responsible for whatever happened on his property, whether or not he knew of what was going on. If two parents go out of town, leaving their teenage children at home and they have a party, the parents are responsible. Vick is responsible for the actions of his guests on his property.

If indeed Vick knew about what was going on, or participateed in the dog fighting ring, then he definitely deserves prison time and a life-time ban from the NFL. Although there was a judge that felt compelled to let Paris Hilton out of prison, the public outcry was so loud that she was thrown back in jail. And she is white by the way. The majority of the public doesn't feel that Mike Vick should be in jail because of his skin color. The people out there who do should be ashamed of themselves.

Africans Inveted Slavery. See: Egypt circa 3000BC

Can we stop blaming Slavery for all of the black communites woes now?

Excuse me, but what NFL owner is going to pay this individual to run their offense? In 2010, no less. I can just picture the press conference now: "I'm proud to introduce to the City of Baltimore the new starting quarterback of the Ravens, recently sprung from the Federal Penitentiary, drumroll please - Michael Vick! Proficient in violence to animals, lying, gambling, racketeering, and 4 years ago he cold run like hell. Boo now, folks - but I'm taking a stand and giving the most famous ex-con a chance to take our team all the way to the Super Bowl!" The crowd then goes wild and welcomes him with open arms to their city. Yeah, sure. That'll happen. Please. please, please ban him for life, Mr. Goodell. Michael Vick doesn't deserve a job in the NFL.

And Joe Horn - he's going to stand by him and still be his friend, he says. Why? If any of my friends were involved in anything like this, I'd distance myself in a hurry, and I'd be embarrassed to have ever associated with someone who could do what Vick did. Black, white, purple or whatever color - a human should recognize his behavior as criminal. And sickening.

Oh, and Kornheiser? Really? You guys like him? Well, I don't. He's so whiny and bald. (no offense, Willy) His football knowledge is clearly subpar, and I'm already sick of him talking about his stupid fantasy team. It detracts from me talking about my fantasy team.

Hey Mr.History, you may want to dig a little deeper....cause the TRUTH is...

Africans Inveted Slavery. See: Egypt circa 3000BC

OK, Ive calmed down,