Feed Him to the Dogs

So long Mike Vick. You went from being the most exciting and promising player in the NFL, to overrated and incapable of having a passing game to compliment your legs, to now being an absolute disgrace. You are officially my least favorite player in the league. If you haven't heard, Vick is under investigation for breeding and hosting dogfights on his property in Virginia. His cousin lives/runs the property, but the property is under Vick's name. Earlier this week a 'witness' came forward claiming that Vick not only bred and fought dogs, but was a 'heavyweight' in the dogfighting scene. The 'witness' appears to be a reliable source having been involved in dogfighting for 30 years and describes fighting (and winning) against Vick.

Right back at you Mike.

I tried to watch the Outside the Lines story about dogfighting, but after 15 second of the intro which depicted the dogs mauling each other to the death I had to turn away. I don't have a weak stomach, but I admittedly have soft spot for dogs having them since I was born and animal abuse infuriates me like few other things. People compare dogfighting to UFC fighting. This is an absurd notion. People choose to fight in the Octagon. Dogs have no sense of what they are doing. Their instincts take over when thrown in the ring with another dog and it is kill or be killed. It is organized murder for senseless entertainment.

Natural Born Killer? Come on...

Humans have always bred, trained, and used animals for their betterment. From oxen pulling ploughs to genetically altered mice studied and sacrificed for medical research, animals are a useful tool for humans. Some would say dogfighting is similar to both of these examples; the animal is bred for a purpose, used for that purpose, and then killed when they are no longer needed. Nope, no way. It is the context that matters. These dogs are bred and trained to kill, simply a tool used for entertainment, nothing more. Their lives are used to facilitate the exchange of money through bets and the rush of watching them kill each other.

Gotta love playing as Vick in Madden.

It looks like Mike Vick will be suspended for a good long while if this 'witness' and others who are stepping forward turn out to be legit. If Pacman got a year for being a goofball and 'making it rain' among other things without any convictions, Mike Vick should at the absolute least expect to sit out a year. I feel bad for Mike Vick fans and the Atlanta Falcons organization. Trading Matt Schaub was a huge mistake in hindsight.

After Mike Vick is excoriated for his disgusting hobby and for blowing his chance at being a NFL legend--a unique player who could have changed his position like Lawrence Taylor and Tony Gonzalez did--there just might be some positives to come out of all this. Often is the case when celebrities stumble; their flaws are brought into the public spotlight and positives changes ensue. In the wake of Don Imus' comments that got him fired, other offensive radio personalities were fired or suspended for racial insensitivity. It is no longer acceptable to make such remarks. Andre Waters suicide and Oakland Raider's center Barret Robbins battle with depression (he was unable to play in the Superbowl because of an episode) have once again highlighted depression as a serious disease and for football players a side effect of concussions. Other experiences like Derek Fischer's daughter's battle with retina blastoma or Alonzo Mourning's recovery from kidney failure have helped raise awareness about these diseases and will save lives in the future.

The same should happen with Mike Vick's story because really, it isn't Mike Vick's story. He is just another dog breeder and dog fighter, one of 20,000-40,000 in the United States according to ESPN. Clinton Portis pointed this out, though his comments were insensitive and certainly didn't help Vick's case. Dogfighting is a multiBILLION dollar industry in the United States. It is extremely private and unknown to the public. My hope is that the backlash of this story will open the door to this gruesome and heartless industry. Dog lover's will be moved to speak up about it and hopefully things will change. Vick will certainly be booed more than ever if and when he returns to the NFL. When searching for pictures of Mike Vick on Google bloodied and emaciated pitbulls show up next to pictures of the quarterback playing football. Maybe some how, some way he will realize his hobby for what it is, change, and work to fight against it. I doubt it, but only then will I see him as more than an animal abusing, low-life dog.

No, not a dog, that is an insult.