Michael Vick Reinstated To NFL
Posted by Media Outrage on July 27th, 2009
After what seemed like an unfair WITCH-HUNT over some damn dogs, Michael Vick is BACK! He was reinstated by the NFL today. Yep, cleared for take-off without a suspension.
Via ESPN:
Michael Vick is back in the NFL. Now all he needs is a team to play for.
Vick, free after serving 18 months in prison for running a dogfighting ring, was reinstated with conditions by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday. He could participate in regular-season games as early as October.
Vick can immediately take part in preseason practices, workouts and meetings and can play in the final two preseason games — if he can find a team that will sign him. A number of teams have already said they would not.
Sal Paolantonio says the wording for Michael Vick’s return gives the commissioner a lot of latitude on when to fully reinstate him. How many teams are interested?
Once the season begins, Vick may participate in all team activities except games, and Goodell said he would consider Vick for full reinstatement by Week 6 (Oct. 18-19) at the latest.
According to ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio, a source close to Vick expressed “shock” over the severity of Vick’s punishment and said Vick will reapply for full reinstatement as early as Week 1.
Goodell suspended Vick indefinitely in August 2007 after the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback admitted bankrolling a dogfighting operation on his property in Virginia. At the time, Goodell said Vick must show remorse before he would consider reinstating him.
“I accept that you are sincere when you say that you want to, and will, turn your life around, and that you intend to be a positive role model for others,” Goodell said in his letter to Vick. “I am prepared to offer you that opportunity. Whether you succeed is entirely in your hands.”
“Needless to say, your margin for error is extremely limited,” the letter said. “I urge you to take full advantage of the resources available to support you and to dedicate yourself to rebuilding your life and your career. If you do this, the NFL will support you.”
Goodell said he spoke to numerous current and former players and coaches as he weighed his decision and that the responses were “very mixed.”
“I do recognize that some will never forgive him for what he did,” Goodell said. “I hope that the public will have a chance to understand his position as I have.”
Vick, once the highest-paid player in the league, said he was grateful for a second chance.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to commissioner Goodell for allowing me to be readmitted to the National Football League,” Vick said in a statement released by his agent, Joel Segal. “I fully understand that playing football in the NFL is a privilege, not a right, and I am truly thankful for the opportunity I have been given.
“As you can imagine, the last two years have given me time to re-evaluate my life, mature as an individual and fully understand the terrible mistakes I have made in the past and what type of life I must lead moving forward,” he said.
The announcement came after a busy first week of freedom for Vick, who met with union leaders and Goodell on consecutive days last week. His 23-month federal sentence ended when an electronic monitor was removed from his ankle on July 20 at his home in Hampton, Va.
He met with DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFL Players Association, last Tuesday and, on Wednesday, he sat down with Goodell at a security firm in Allendale, N.J.
Goodell said Vick agreed to undergo psychiatric testing, which determined that he was capable of returning to the NFL but needed continuing counseling.
He suggested that preventing Vick from playing at the start of the regular season wasn’t punishment but a chance for the quarterback to gradually make a transition back into the league.
“I have thought about every alternative, but I think this gives him the best chance for success,” Goodell said. “We are not looking for failure here. We are looking to see a young man succeed.”
But Vick’s issues are far from over and he needs a team to call his own. So far, the owners of the New York Giants, New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys have said they had no interest in the 29-year-old quarterback. Neither do the Falcons, who officially released Vick in June.
Vick filed for bankruptcy protection last July, listing assets of about $16 million and debts of more than $20 million, and has a hearing about his plan to repay his creditors on Friday in Newport News, Va. That plan is built around his ability to make NFL-type money again.
He’s unlikely to command anything close to the 10-year, $130 million contract he once had with the Falcons, or to get endorsement deals after the grisly details of the dogfighting ring were publicized.
Vick pleaded guilty after his three co-defendants had already done so. They told of how Vick participated in the killing of dogs that didn’t perform well in test fights by shooting, hanging, drowning or slamming them to the ground.
Vick’s appearances at federal court in Richmond, Va., prompted large groups of protesters to gather outside. Many were with PETA and held signs depicting photographs of pit bulls ravaged in dogfights.
Still, there were supporters who wore his No. 7 jersey.
Vick has already taken steps to rebuild his image.
He met with the president of the Humane Society of the United States while serving his federal sentence at Leavenworth, Kan. He plans to work with HSUS in a program designed to steer inner city youth away from dogfighting. He was not permitted to work with the program while in custody.
Ed Sayres, president of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said the organization hopes Vick “rises to the occasion and proves worthy of the rare second chance Commissioner Goodell has granted him.”
“Opportunities for redemption are rare — but that is exactly the opportunity that awaits Mr. Vick,” he said.
Mediaoutrage- We know he’s happy…His agent is happy….but most of all his POCKETS are happy! Who do you think should pick him up?
July 27th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
good for him!! they needed to , im happy for the brother!
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July 28th, 2009 at 12:07 am
Mike if no one picks you up. I got a job for you,might not pay much but it will allow you a place to sleep. (what little sleep you will get)
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July 28th, 2009 at 12:35 am
YAY!!
@ the Dallas Cowboys, ya’ll done lost a fan!! How the fuck do you not be interested in a gold mine?!! Damn I always knew Jerry Jones was stupid, but come on!!
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July 28th, 2009 at 2:47 am
I am not into sports and did not know anything about Michael Vick until the scandal broke, but if he has learned his lesson then he should be given another chance.
I asked my SO if he was a good player and he said yes. So I hope a team will pick him up.
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July 28th, 2009 at 3:43 am
Good luck man…
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July 28th, 2009 at 6:31 am
Pissed it all away to fuck with some dogs. Forever shaking my head over this shit. Carolina ought to sign him.
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July 28th, 2009 at 9:43 am
I’d like the Miami Dolphins pick up him I’m getting tired of Chad Pennington plus he’s old and slow!
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July 28th, 2009 at 10:37 am
going to talk to bill belichick from the patriots…lol bring him up here , we got a place for him ( NE PATRIOTS)
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July 28th, 2009 at 11:59 am
@RH hell yeah if the bring to Carolina its a rap
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July 28th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Im glad he’s back!
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July 28th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
It’s about time!!!
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July 28th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
[...] Michael Vick gets to play football again. [...]
July 29th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Hopefully… he has learned his lesson, and keeps his nose clean.
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August 14th, 2009 at 4:05 am
This is just ridiculous. How many chances did he have to learn from his mistakes…in other words how many dogs did he kill or torture. So while you are out there being a moral law abiding citizen living from check to check…he will be earning 1.6 mil the first year. If he truly was remorseful, he would step down from the public spotlight and go volunteer to help animals. This is such an embarassment for the Eagles and the NFL.
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August 14th, 2009 at 11:45 am
ALMOST THAT TIME PEOPLE!!!! football season, yesssss
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August 14th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Only after Mike has been in the ‘ring’ for the same number of total fights – meaning just Mike’s teeth and muscle versus each dogs teeth and muscle – done in front of the excited and wagering crowds – if Mike completes that long pitiless education from his hobby then his future in society can be considered. If he proves he has been truly ‘awakened’ by enduring the same experience he felt entitled to force onto defenseless animals – dog’s who’s unimagable suffering and deaths are too mind-numbing to picture – then I may believe Mike when he says he feels “some tremendous hurt behind what happened”. Mike’s depraved soul needs serious schooling before he’s allowed back onto the public streets – and being allowed back into the NFL should NEVER have crossed anyone’s mind! And $1.6 million to ‘start’ leaves everyone speechless – and depressed.
Shame on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. He is a disgrace for granting the return of someone this criminal and loathsome. I can only hope there will picketing in Philadelphia, and total rejection by all cities where the Eagles travel to by a No-Show of all fans. Serious adults will have to do Mr. Goodell’s job of setting the bar of intolerance for all players who make such very poor choices and the irreversible damage they inflict. Mr. Goodell, Tony Dungy!(what happened there?), and the Eagles organization should hope the public will give all of you a ‘second chance’ after this lack of judgement.
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August 15th, 2009 at 1:12 am
As much as I love my team, the Steelers, I refuse to buy any NFL or related merchandise until Mr. Vick steps out of the NFL and has made true ammends for the pure torture he put these dogs through. No tickets this year, no merchandise, cards, or anything NFL related. Not for me.
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August 27th, 2009 at 11:26 am
Are you freaking kidding me!!!!!!!!Have people been living in the damn dark ages or what!!!! VICK should get what he really needs!!!!Shocked, hung, beat, starved and on and on.
Wake up people Vick is a murderer and people now know it!! Give a brother a chance my ass!! I got a job for ya VICK, my yard needs cleaned of dog crap everyday feel free to come over anytime. It pays food only and that would be the food you fed the pitties that you tortured so badly. VICK you SUCK!!!
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August 27th, 2009 at 11:54 am
^^^^ Yea Deb you’re right…..give VICK that fate while we let people who KILL PEOPLE off every muthafuckin day. Please! Get the f*ck outta here with that bull shit. IF he should be starved and hung then so should every muthafucka shooting deer. Get the fuck outta here with these double standards. The man did his time now get off his penis. How bout you go protest and wipe out the KKK. If you really wanna find some inhumane muthafuckas to kill.
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August 27th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
MM why respond to a load of crap??? These are people PETA paid to come in and talk much ish and stand behind true murderers… I’ll be the first to admit I don’t watch football, but to take away the man’s life support just because he made a poor choice. Like you said,why not talk ish about these country mofos out here hunting animals. I bet they stood by Chenney when his ass shot was it his hunting partner- why wasn’t there such an uproar to over throw his ass up out of the white house when that incident occurred??? Why can’t they protest like this when innocents are murdered? Why can’t they protest like this when the actual law abiding citizens that suppose to protect and serve actual serve a can of whoop ass on someone innocent? Why must this guy suffer as if he pistol whipped someone for the hell of it? This man actually served his time in jail, but yet people still want to take away from him..I mean dayum enough was taking away already when he lost that cool 30 mil. There will always be a double standard it’s the American way.. They truly acted like this guy was Charles Manson or somebody. And one more WHY, Why does it feel as if I just did the Jada Kiss remake of Why??? lol To end on a positive note…
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August 27th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
LOL @ TRruly
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