Since this scandal broke, I’ve seen too many reports and read too many articles about Michael Vick.  As things start to shake up for what will probably be the final chapters on the book that was Michael Vick, Steve Hummer of the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC.com) has written a great article that puts it all into a timeline perspective.

He traces The Rise and Fall of Michael Vick in a great article of that name.  Its a narrative that shows Michael Vick’s entre’ into the Falcons and his parallel work building up Bad Newz Kennels and a dog torture apparatus.

You can follow all the major milestones of his career and its impact on the hopes and dreams of the people of Atlanta and Falcons fans and how at every step along the path, Michael Vick was taking steps to sabotage his career, his life, his family, the Falcons, the NFL and his sponsors.

I’m sure we will read about Vick in side stories for the next 60 years, just like we still hear a story or two about Mike Tyson or OJ Simpson or Pete Rose.  But this story demarks the point at which the story ends and the epilogue begins.

Furthermore, if the NFL allows a volume II of the book of Michael Vick, say as a returned player in 2008, 9 or 10 or anytime, you can count me out as an NFL fan for good.

It is being reported that Michael Vick has agreed to plead guilty to a Federal Conspiracy charge.

That could be important (in a very bad way) because of what Michael Vick is not being convicted of . . . Illegal Gambling.  If he were convicted of running a gambling ring, the NFL would almost be obligated to permanently suspend Michael Vick from the NFL according to the code of conduct.

If the information about the plea deal is accurate, its possible that Vick’s attorneys were successful in negotiating a multi party deal between Federal Prosecutors and the NFL.  Such a deal may be unfolding before our eyes as such:

1. Plead Guilty to Federal Conspiracy Charges
2. Avoid any charges or associations of guilt relating to either animal cruelty, gambling, RICO statutes or anything else that is very serious
3. After serving time in Federal Prison, Vick would be eligible for an early parole as the convicting charge would not be very serious
4. Vick could then leave prison within a year in time to make it to training camp next summer
5. Vick could then stand in front of the world and claim that he was not guilty of animal cruelty, gambling or any of the other things that have come to light.
6. The NFL and corporate sponsors can point to those excuses and continue to milk Vick as a polarizing ‘entertainer’ -> Vick can then be marketed for his dark side and will turn out as much fan passion against him as he ever did against him.  The NFL will fill stadiums and parking lots of people turning out to jeer at Michael Vick while he plays

This should not stand.  Contact the judge and request that he throw out the plea agrement.  Contact the State of Virginia and demand that they prosecute Michael Vick on animal cruelty and gambling charges.

We are watching a travesty of justice being floated right before our eyes!

ESPN is reporting that Michael Vick has agreed to plead guilty. 

Early reports today indicated that Federal prosecutors were offering Michael Vick a 18 – 36 month prison sentence.  Federal Prosecutors were also simultaneously convening a grand jury to consider RICO statute violations against Michael Vick. 

The details of the deal have not yet been reported, nor has the NFL yet made a comment about their own response.

In separate news, Michael Vick received a Seat belt ticket in Virginia.

UPDATES

1. CNN is reporting that Michael Vick’s attorneys, Billy Martin, state that a deal has been made, but a different spokesman is saying that “not yet.”
2. Then Colin Spencer the spokesman in question received the phone call last and confirmed that Michael Vick has entered into a plea agreement on the federal dog fighting charges.
3. ESPN is reporting the prison term is “lengthy”

Our Mission Un-Fulfilled

Our Mission is has not yet been fulfilled.  Michael Vick is still a Falcon and still in the NFL and some Corporate Sponsorships are still in question.

We do not want to hit a person while they are down, but we do not want the above institutions to support a person that has been involved in dog fighting, animal cruelty and some of the other crimes that Michael Vick may have plead guilty to at this point.