Violence and the American Athlete - The Tale of Michael Vick

Michael Vick, former quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, was sentenced to 23 months in prison by a federal judge yesterday for his role as the owner/operator of Bad Newz Kennelz, a dog-fighting operation staged at his Virginia home. After his 3 co-defendants agreed to cooperate with the prosecution, Vick finally admitted to: (1) housing over 50 dogs specifically bred for fighting at his home; (2) staging dog fights at his home; (3) fighting his dogs at dog fights located in other states; (4) gambling on dog fights both at his home and other locations (thus making him guilty of illegal interstate commerce; and (5) (and most heinously) killing dogs who failed to perform to his satisfaction.

Naturally, there have been two types of reaction to the sentencing. There are those who think that the sentence is too severe. Although some of these individuals believe this due to the fact that they worship Vick for his prowess on the field, others have engaged in some reasoned, law-based analysis and argue that Vick was given a longer sentence due to the fact that he initially refused to admit responsibility. The second type of reaction has been that of those who believe that the sentence is too lenient.

I also have two thoughts here, although they are more compatible than those above. First and foremost, as a dog lover (and "daddy" to an Italian Greyhound and a Jack Russell Terrier), I remain shocked and disgusted that someone could abuse any animal, much less terrorize them to the point that they are forced to fight for their lives and drowned/hanged/electrocuted (all methods used by Vick) if they "underperform". Dog-fighting is a particularly egregious form of animal cruelty, as it forces dogs to "compete" for the amusement and financial gain of sick owners. The argument has been made that it is merely a cultural phenomenon, but careful research shows that it is far-reaching and extremely damaging to the community. Therefore, I do believe that Vick received an appropriate sentence, especially considering that he may still face state charges. However, I do find it disturbing that Vick will spend a minimum of 19 months in prison and is being vilified by the NFL, but Leonard Little remains free to be a feared pass-rusher in that same NFL despite having killed a woman in a DUI accident (and avoiding prison in a separate DUI 6 years later).

Although commissioner Roger Goodell has made efforts to clean up the image of the NFL (as with the suspension of Adam 'Pacman' Jones), there are still numerous players who have faced serious criminal charges (Ray Lewis is perhaps still the most famous) who remain in the NFL. Here's the thing - the NFL does not have to wait for a player to be convicted of something to suspend him (even permanently). The NFL is a corporation, and players have no "criminal justice" rights within that organizational structure. Unfortunately, the NFL is also hamstrung by the players union, which has made it difficult for commissioner Goodell to remove the criminals from the playing field. The real criminal justice system has made its mark on Michael Vick, but the NFL is sadly lagging far behind in making a similar statement. Next time you're watching a football game, realize that you are most likely watching someone who has committed a crime and effectively gotten away with it.