Skip to main content

From Michael Vick-tory to Michael Con-Vick!

Football star Michael Vick has been indicted by a federal grand jury. Apparently he loves dog fighting. And hanging dogs. And killing dogs.

Some random thoughts:

1) Michael Vick is my favorite player in the Madden Football video series. The 2008 version of the game will be coming out next month. I suppose that if he does actually serve six years that Vick will be the best player on the All-Madden Prison Team.

2) The Washington Post article sums it up: "Michael Vick and three other men...."

Three other men? Nobody but their momma and perhaps their momma's boo cares who those three other men are. This is about Michael Vick. That's why Vick is such an idiot--he's a celebrity. I bet he was the only one at those dog fights with a $130 million contract.

Didn't Michael Vick learn anything from Paris Hilton? The courts, media, talk show hosts, the man on the street were all determined that she serve time.

And they'll be determined that Vick serve time. That's what happens when you sign a 10 year, $130 million contract.

3) In case you've forgotten, Michael Vick's brother, Marcus, is also an idiot. Marcus was suspended after his freshman season for having sex with some young teens and for various criminal violations. Then, after playing his junior year, he was completely kicked out of Virginia Tech after (a) giving the middle finger to spectators at a game (b) stomping on the leg of a player on the ground (c) getting caught speeding on a suspended license. He later pulled a gun on some teens in a McDonald's parking lot.

What is funny is reading comments from Michael Vick saying that Marcus was focused on becoming more mature. If Michael really did take Marcus under his wing then I guess we can understand why Marcus kept flying in the wrong direction...

4) Another "have you forgotten..." at one point, Michael Vick was the underdog who became a superstar. He's gone from the underdog to a dog killer.

Coming out of high school, it was Ronald Curry who was destined to become an NFL superstar. Vick, from the same area, was overshadowed by Curry in high school. In college, Curry had a decent although unspectacular college career while Michael Vick flourished. Curry was a late-round draft pick whereas Michael Vick was the number one draft pick.

Curry, a high school and college quarterback, is now a wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders. He has had a decent career. I wonder if Vick does serve six years whether Curry will look him up.

5) Looking at today's Style section of the Washington Post, here are more reasons to believe that Vick will actually serve time.

A) He won't even be able to tell his story on Oprah. As the Post reports: Oprah writes in her mag's new issue that she's still mourning the May death of her 2-year-old golden retriever Gracie, who choked on a plastic ball belonging to 12-year-old cocker spaniel Sophie. (Hmmmm . . . ) The pup taught her to live life to the fullest: "Everything in life happens to help us live."

He won't have a chance if Oprah comes out against him.

B) A woman named "Emily" writes to Ask Amy about people who leave their pets in hot vehicles. She writes that she called animal control when she saw a dog in car--animal control showed up and broke a car window to save the pup.

If Emily was willing to call the dog police, and dog cops were willing to break into someone's car, what do you think they would have done to Michael Vick?

Michael Vick just must not have realized how much people love dogs. Vick would have more sympathy if he had robbed his local 7-11 or committed a hate crime...

6) I suspect that the folks in South Korea who eat dogs are probably wondering why this is even a story. The dogs are typically beaten to death as they hang like a pinata.

7) Of course, it is possible there were other athletes participating. Vick can't be the only one risking his millions...

8) A friend of mine raises a question--could this be a cultural conflict? Vick grew up in a poor neighborhood. My friend's thought is that dogs aren't as respected in urban areas as they are among middle class people. I'll add...where Vick grew up, human life may not be that highly valued.

9) As if nothing else I've said has made anyone angry: I hope Vick doesn't miss a single game because of this. If he doesn't escape jail because of the technicality, then I hope the NFL can come up with a work-release program so Vick can suit up every Sunday...

10) "What's up, dog?" is a common greeting among black people. You might want to keep your distance from NFL quarterbacks who address you like that...

CJL

See also Convict Vick,

Popular posts from this blog

Radio, Harvard

I'll be a guest on XM 169 The Power this morning from 10:15 a.m. EST. I'll be talking about teaching English abroad. I'll be interviewed by Brian Higgins of MYB Talk . I sang last night for about five hours with friends but I'm sure my voice will be fine. Tuesday, I'll be interviewed by a Harvard University representative who wants my input on a new doctoral program for education leaders . It is a collaboration between the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Harvard Business School and the Harvard Kennedy School. Some folks at the Booker Rising site are (again) reminding me that I'm not as smart as I think I am. CJL

Scam? Yo Momma!

Note: This was originally posted shortly after Jesse Lee Peterson's book was published, reposted in 2005, and now because of a fight between black customers and a Korean merchant in Dallas, Texas. Scam? Yo Momma! During the summer of 2002 I was an observer to a dispute between the Asian owners of a Chinese takeout and some of their black customers in Washington, D.C. The month-long boycott began when a local activist accused a cook at a Chinese takeout of attempting to cook a piece of chicken he had allegedly dropped on the floor. Despite the best efforts of human rights activist Dick Gregory, popular talk-show host Joe Madison, and Rev. Walter Fauntroy, the protestors were unable to coax any media to report on the protest. On some days there were, by my unofficial count, as many as 100 people chanting songs and marching. But one key person was missing: Rev. Jesse Jackson. It was important to the foot soldiers at the boycott that someone from the media report on...

Easy to find Supermarket!!!!

Getting around Seoul is easy. On the other hand, actually finding your final destination can be very difficult. The main reason is that Koreans don't actually use street addresses. I am constantly amazed when I find a new place. I always leave early, giving myself a 30 minute cushion to walk around lost, meeting Koreans who are happy to get lost along with me. Still, I have had a few Koreans tell me that a particular place is "easy" to find. At one meeting with a group of folks, when I called to say I was lost the organizer said the place was easy to find. She called me about 20 minutes later, guessing that I was still trying to find the place. I was actually a few subway stops away from home. She was a bit surprised, letting me know they were waiting for me. I told her that it would be easy for them to find me. A colleague of mine mentioned that a supermarket nearby was easy to find. He later gave me directions that sounded something like, "Sure, just go down the st...

Random photos from today

I went walking around today. Whereas some people like to go walking in the mountains, I enjoy walking around in the city. Well, not D.C. or other cities with many homeless, crazy and/or armed people walking around... * * * Here's where I had lunch today. About $1.90 for a hamburger hamberger.   * * * Ha-ha! Bet you never would have guessed that Batman is a drinking place in Korea! * * * Man Clinic? The Koreans walking by seemed to be very curious about why I was taking a photo of a "Man Clinic." They may know something I don't know...Actually, I wasn't curious enough to go in and find out what it was... * * * Right down the street from the Man Clinic...there's a Love Shop! I love the euphemism. "Love Shop" sounds much better than Sex Shop. I'm guessing that if you don't go to the "Love Shop" to buy condoms that you may need to visit the Man Clinic a short time later? * * * Nobo...

How long until they get arrested? Not long enough!!!

As I recently noted, some executives were arrested for putting industrial ethanol in food they sold. I noted: "Of course, it seems that NO ONE checks on the stuff sold on the streets of Seoul..." I haven't been this wrong since 1982! What will happen to these folks? The Korea Times reports: 24 Percent of Ice Cream Contaminated With Germs About a quarter of ice cream and ice at restaurants and drink shops in Seoul is contaminated with high levels of bacteria that can cause food poisoning, according to Seoul City, Monday. The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) inspected 74 ice cream shops, fast food franchises, coffee houses and bakeries. Among the shops selling ice cream and ice, 18 shops sold products that contained more than the permitted levels of bacteria such as colon bacillus and staphylococcus aureus that can cause food poisoning. I love 팥빙수 (patbingsu) so I would support the death penalty for anyone selling contaminated stuff in it. The city government also inspec...