I thought the same thing...I'm hoping it's like his ephemeral knee injury that got him an extra year of pay with the Texans. Ya know, "Doc's say it's OK." DD says "It's not, it hurts, and football players ain't supposed to hurt when they play."
How many plays into the Saints vs Falcons game in NO before they play "who let the dogs out" on the PA?
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7052768 Goodell orders Vick to skip Falcons camp The first of what could be a handful of actions taken against Michael Vick by the commissioner's office has been decided. Commissioner Roger Goodell has ordered the Atlanta Falcons quarterback not to attend the team's training camp as his first step in determining Vick's future in the league. That would give the league office more time to assess the facts and judge additional facts that may come to light in the next month. "While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the National Football League to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the Personal Conduct Policy," Goodell said in a letter to the quarterback. The NFL said Vick would still get his preseason pay and Goodell told the Falcons to withhold any disciplinary action of their own until the league's review was completed. This is just the first part of what could be an extensive punishment for Vick's alleged involvement in a gruesome dogfighting operation.
I have to say I am a bit torn over this issue. On one hand I think if the allegations are true, he should be staked out in a dogpit and have to fight himself, but on the other is the whole due process thing, and it has not been given a chance yet. However, knowing that the wheels of justice grind slowly at times, and the NFL season is upon us, what is the NFL and namely the Falcons supposed to do? Besides being in the business of winning football games, NFL teams are primarily about public relations these days(season tickets, endorsements, etc.), and it is hard to argue that this situation is not a marketing nightmare. It will be talked about as long as he is in the league. This does even touch upon the distraction this will cause his team throughout camp and into the year. This is not just some linebacker or Olineman, but the starting quarterback, and someone the NFL has propped up as one their premiere players. I know there will be legal backlash from any kind of pre trial suspension, but the NFL is a PR business and cannot ignore the outrage of it's various fans. Atlanta is setting themselves up for a huge fall if they play him this year. Oh yeah, and don't think for a minute that the amount of Vick's contract against Atlanta salary cap, is not also a consideration. I can't say I ever liked Vick or the Falcons, but I sure don't envy the decisions to be made in the next month.
Due process or innocent until proven guilty only applies to the legal system and the courts. Employers are pretty much free to do whatever they want and don't need to wait for the legal process to determine his guilt. Most employees who embarrass his employer are canned immediately, or at the very least, suspended. I'm pleasantly surprised they've taken this action. I thought they would wait, but given the amount of national attention this has drawn, the NFL has little choice but to suspend him until this is legally resolved.
I am glad that they have taken this action too, and I really hope he doesn't get to play this year either.
Obviously I am aware of the differences as they apply to you and I. How these sports teams handle their own felons is quite different. If it was cut and dry, there would not be hundreds of reporters covering it.
