Since the NFL and especially the Philadelphia Eagles made the unfortunate decision to allow Michael Vick back into the NFL where he will likely play his first football game in over 2 years the day after National Dog Day, we have received some novel examples of ways to protest, boycott and share our displeasure with the NFL.

We would like to open a dialogue with everyone and brainstorm on ways to do this better, and more effectively.  We want to cover the spectrum of potential ways to achieve our goal of removing violent felons from a fan money funded NFL.  That said, we do not want to cause or inflict violence or harm on any person, nor do we want to put potential fans in harms ways by their potential protest actions.  So first lets have a brainstorm on the potential ways of boycotting the NFL and or the Philadelphia Eagles.

Different people have different levels of commitment for this cause.  Some of use are engaging in a total boycott of everything related to the NFL or that sponsors the NFL.  Others are boycotting the Philadelphia Eagles and or their sponsors.  Some are simply boycotting anything related to the violent felons still playing in the NFL today.

We want to identify all the potential ways of maximizing our efforts across that entire spectrum so that anyone that wants to participate can do so in a way that fits in with their own perspective and goals.

To kick things off here are 9 ways to boycott or protest Michael Vick & Violent Felons in the NFL

1. The easiest thing you can do is to leave your comments here on SackVick and other similar sites.  Each comment you make generates a new web page, which help fills up the internet a little bit more with more perspective and views on fans against felons in the NFL.
1. If you have a site of your own, link to our site or to an article.  Drop me a comment with a link to your site pointing at SackVick and I will add you to one of our blogrolls of animal loving sites, fans against felons or general supporters.
2. Our site has been around for over 2 years and we are heavily indexed across the internet but every little bit helps and if we can help you in return for your support with a link back, we’re more than happy to reciprocate.
3. Include a badge on your site or in a blog article if you like  Here are some different sizes
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2. Contact sponsors of the NFL and The Eagles and call for them to remove their sponsorship until violent felons are removed
   1. contact them by mail
   2. contact them by email
   3. contact them by twitter and other social networks
   4. contact them by communications channels,
   5. contact them on blogs
   6. contact them by employee email
3. Write blog articles highlighting the transgressions of felons and where possible putting sponsor logos or products next to pictures of the crimes
   1. Most sponsors that sponsor the Eagles do not want to see their products next to images like those of Michael Vick’s dogs after he fought them, brutalized them or killed them
   2. If they don’t want their brand next to images like these, then they need to remove their sponsorship or experience the synergy of their sponsorship of a brand such as the brand that is Michael Vick for example
4. Sports bars across the country both in and out of Philadelphia have stopped serving miller and coors products.  Many people at first see this as something that is bad for business, but today there are hundreds of other beer options out there, especially considering micro brews which can be more profitable even for a bar owner to serve.  Boycotting these Eagles sponsored products can be good for raising attention, good for getting free press, and good for the bottom line
5. Some sports bars are also refusing to play any game with the Philadelphia Eagles in their establishment.  This could be tougher on the bottom line, but will sure get people in the bar talking about the situation.  Sometimes its better for a bar to have its patrons talking (and drinking) than it is for them to be passively sitting on a bar stool watching a game.  That goes double if the bar finds some way to flip that attention towards some other activity.
6. Philadelphia Season ticket holders are planning to engage in a tailgate protest at Philadelphia games.  They will show up with their tickets, park and tailgate and protest Michael Vick.  The coup in this effort is that they are going to sell their tickets to people from the opposing team, hoping to displace the home field advantage for the Philadelphia Eagles until Michael Vick is removed from the team.
7. On a personal level, don’t watch any Eagles games, or escalate that to not watching any Fox broadcast NFC East telecasts, or if you are in it all the way, don’t watch any NFL games at all this season!
8. If you do watch games, take note of the companies that are running commercials during Eagles games and send them a protest letter, email, etc .
9. Protest on National Dog Day – If you are in the Philadelphia area, protest the Eagles on Wednesday August 26th – National Dog Day and on Thursday August 27th, the first day that Michael Vick is likely to play again in the NFL.  If you are at the game don’t wear any Eagles colors, bring protest signs and signs that include images of the dogs that Michael Vick fought or killed.  If you do not go into the game, bring your dogs to protest the event outside.  Howl and wail like a dog in pain every time the Eagles have possession of the ball.
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    What would you add to this list . . . .  

Ed Sayres, the President and CEO of the ASPCA described in detail why he and the ASPCA specifically chose NOT to partner nor work with Michael Vick, despite requests from Vick and his entourage.  We would highly encourage reading this article in full, but wanted to share some of the key excerpts.  Our effort, site and campaign are also NOT partnered with the ASPCA, we have not contacted them and vice versa, but we DO respect their decision not to help promote the criminal in this particular case.

Several months ago, Mr. Vick’s PR representatives approached the ASPCA to help educate America about the heinous act of dog fighting following his release from prison. We were the first animal welfare organization given the opportunity to work with Mr. Vick but immediately turned him down due to the unique knowledge we had of his indescribable and barbaric acts of animal cruelty where he and his associates savagely electrocuted and beat dogs to death after they lost their brutal fights.

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The ASPCA’s general consultation and our specific role in processing the forensic evidence in this case were key elements that resulted in Mr. Vick and the three other defendants all pleading guilty to felony crimes.

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the ASPCA wants to make clear why this organization chose not to partner with him in his supposed rehabilitation efforts. We are simply not convinced that Mr. Vick has demonstrated compassion toward animals as living beings or the necessary remorse for his criminal actions against them.

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CBS did a grave disservice to the animal welfare community by failing to show the ugly truth of Mr. Vick’s actions and the horrors of dog fighting and animal cruelty in this country. The continued attention paid to Mr. Vick is only reinforcing that criminal behavior does not destroy fame and fortune.

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Although Mr. Vick has served his time and is now entitled to employment, the ASPCA was strongly against him being able to immediately re-join the NFL, to play alongside highly paid elite athletes who are looked upon as our heroes and role models.

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The ASPCA believes in second chances — in redemption — but that second chance has to be earned through contrition, conversion to the cause of animal welfare and finally, through hard work. Mr. Vick has only now begun his journey toward a second chance.

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Will Mr. Vick have learned something — and taken the opportunity he has been granted to impart to his legion of fans the importance of compassion toward animals? Certainly, only time will offer us an answer — but we will be watching.

People say that Michael Vick’s actions didn’t cause any harm to other people sometimes. Well that’s a bunch of crap. Not only was one of Vick’s business partner’s murdered during this situation, but Vick’s actions against dogs set an example for other kids and people to follow, just like Vick probably followed some twisted role model himself.

I’m not saying that Vick is the start of violence against dogs or animals, but he was not enough a man to stop it before it did more damage, damage that is still spreading today.

Witness the case of the dog that was recently set on fire. Sick, twisted, demented, and one more unfortunate example of people that fell victim to the cowardly examples set before them.

I signed the petition “Justice For Dog Set On Fire”. I’m asking you to sign this petition to help us reach our goal of 10,000 signatures. I care deeply about this cause, and I hope you will support our efforts. This is your chance to say enough is enough and help set a positive example that the rest of society is not as much of a coward as Michael Vick or the other people out there that would kill and torture animals for sport.

Sign the Petition