Solomon Jones' article about Michael Vick

[Neil]

Does he deserve a second chance? He has had a second chance. This is more like a third or fourth chance. And, more importantly, this has nothing to do with Vick as a person but with Vick as an athlete. If I get a DWI I lose my job and I don't get a second chance. Why? A lot of people can do my job just as well as I can. Only about 100 people in the World can play Quarterback in the NFL. So, all this BS about his character and how he wants forgiveness is a bunch of crap.

I missed this the first time through.

100 people?!  I think that number is way to high, based on my years of viewing the NFL there are barely 32 people capable of playing the position in any given year.

Have you ever actually watched a season of football.  I guarantee you that there will be far more than 32 people playing quarterback in the NFL this year.

[derspiess]

Have you ever actually watched a season of football.  I guarantee you that there will be far more than 32 people playing quarterback in the NFL this year.

Shit, I remember a Jets game a few years ago when they went through all 3 of their QBs & had to have (punter) Tom Tupa come in since he was the backup.

[sbr]

Does he deserve a second chance? He has had a second chance. This is more like a third or fourth chance. And, more importantly, this has nothing to do with Vick as a person but with Vick as an athlete. If I get a DWI I lose my job and I don't get a second chance. Why? A lot of people can do my job just as well as I can. Only about 100 people in the World can play Quarterback in the NFL. So, all this BS about his character and how he wants forgiveness is a bunch of crap.

I missed this the first time through.

100 people?!  I think that number is way to high, based on my years of viewing the NFL there are barely 32 people capable of playing the position in any given year.

Have you ever actually watched a season of football.  I guarantee you that there will be far more than 32 people playing quarterback in the NFL this year.

Just because they are on a roster doesn't mean they are capable of playing the position well.

[Neil]

Just because they are on a roster doesn't mean they are capable of playing the position well.

You didn't specify well.  Shit, when Jim Sorgi comes in to hand the ball off a couple of times and then kneel down, that's playing QB in the NFL.

[DontSayBanana]

I'm a bit offended by this article. First, he's equated women to dogs. Second, he's singled out situations that are nowhere near as horrific as what Michael Vick did (except for Brett Myers, but the wife dropped all charges and asked that he not be further punished for his actions; not exactly the Phillies' fault). Mind you, Ben Roethlesberger has never been convicted, merely accused. Not sure why he's even on this list.

Poorly written article or poorly held view?

At what point does he equate women to dogs? The only common thread is "mistakes resulting in jail time."

Personally, I think it's a flimsy argument, but I think it's flimsy in that I don't believe that the disappointment of "having to tell your children" comes close to compensating for the penalties he plea bargained his way out of.

Also, whether Andy Reid is a forgiving man or not, it's just another signal that the NFL will only hold its players to standards of conduct until they pump out enough crocodile tears- at a diner discussion on Friday night, one guy at my table was saying, "Unlike some, I believe in second chances," and my reply was, "That would be the second dogfight. He's had plenty of chances, and didn't do anything to stop it before the feds intervened."

[Neil]

I don't care about second chances.  However, he can still play, and it's not like dogfighting is a serious crime.

[DontSayBanana]

I don't care about second chances.  However, he can still play, and it's not like dogfighting is a serious crime.

I'm less concerned about second chances than that, regardless of how well he can play, the NFL should 1) enforce its own rules of conduct much more strongly, and 2) tons of NFL fans are dog owners, so we've got another situation of the NFL trampling the audience, from whom the revenue comes, just so they can get their multi-million-dollar golden boy back on the field.

[Eddie Teach]

I'm a dog owner. Let him play. He's paid his debt.

[CountDeMoney]

I'm a dog owner. Let him play. He's paid his debt.

Your dog disagrees.  I hope he pisses in your shoes tomorrow morning.

[Eddie Teach]

Your dog disagrees.

In that case, she's free to boycott Eagles games. 

[Neil]

I don't care about second chances.  However, he can still play, and it's not like dogfighting is a serious crime.

I'm less concerned about second chances than that, regardless of how well he can play, the NFL should 1) enforce its own rules of conduct much more strongly, and 2) tons of NFL fans are dog owners, so we've got another situation of the NFL trampling the audience, from whom the revenue comes, just so they can get their multi-million-dollar golden boy back on the field.

Are you under the impression that the NFL actually cares about Michael Vick or has some vested interest in his success?  If the NFL thought for a second that there was an audience to be gained from it, they'd have Michael Vick burned at the stake.  However they realize, quite rightly, that they will lose nobody from having Vick in the league.  PETA faggots don't watch football (CdM is the exception that proves the rule), and nobody else cares enough to have it affect their lives, apart from partaking in some self-righteousness.

[DontSayBanana]

Are you under the impression that the NFL actually cares about Michael Vick or has some vested interest in his success?  If the NFL thought for a second that there was an audience to be gained from it, they'd have Michael Vick burned at the stake.  However they realize, quite rightly, that they will lose nobody from having Vick in the league.  PETA faggots don't watch football (CdM is the exception that proves the rule), and nobody else cares enough to have it affect their lives, apart from partaking in some self-righteousness.

Self-righteousness? I just don't like the fact that an asshole convicted felon has 100 times my earnings potential.

[Neil]

Self-righteousness? I just don't like the fact that an asshole convicted felon has 100 times my earnings potential.

You get too hung up on the felony thing.  It's not like he was convicted of a real crime.  After all, there are thousands of felons that have substantially more earning potential than you do.

[DontSayBanana]

You get too hung up on the felony thing.  It's not like he was convicted of a real crime.  After all, there are thousands of felons that have substantially more earning potential than you do.

Only because it gets people fired from real jobs.