NFL commissioner conditionally reinstates Vick

[samanthajane13]

NEW YORK – Michael Vick was reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday and could play in regular season games as early as October. Vick can immediately participate in preseason practices, workouts and meetings and can play in the final two preseason games — if he can find a team that will sign him. A number of teams have already said they would not.

"Needless to say, your margin for error is extremely limited," Goodell said in a letter to Vick. "I urge you to take full advantage of the resources available to support you and to dedicate yourself to rebuilding your life and your career. If you do this, the NFL will support you."

Goodell suspended Vick indefinitely in August 2007 after the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback admitted bankrolling the "Bad Newz Kennels" dogfighting operation. Goodell said then that Vick must show remorse and signs that he has changed before he would consider reinstating him.

Once the season begins, Vick may participate in all team activities except games, and Goodell said he would consider Vick for full reinstatement by Week 6 (Oct. 18-19).

Goodell called a news conference for late Monday afternoon.

"I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to commissioner Goodell for allowing me to be readmitted to the National Football League," Vick said through agent Joel Segal. "I fully understand that playing football in the NFL is a privilege, not a right, and I am truly thankful for the opportunity I have been given.

"As you can imagine, the last two years have given me time to re-evaluate my life, mature as an individual and fully understand the terrible mistakes I have made in the past and what type of life I must lead moving forward.

"Again, I want to thank the commissioner for the chance to return to the game I love and the opportunity to become an example of positive change."

The announcement came after a busy first week of freedom for Vick, who met with union leaders and Goodell on consecutive days last week. His 23-month federal sentence ended when an electronic monitor was removed from his ankle early on July 20 at his home in Hampton, Va.

He met with DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFL Players Association, last Tuesday and, on Wednesday, he sat down with Goodell at a security firm in Allendale, N.J.

But his issues are far from over. Already, the owners of the New York Giants and New York Jets said they have no interest in the 29-year-old quarterback, who once was the league's highest-paid player.

___

AP Sports Writer Hank Kurz in Richmond, Va., contributed to this story.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090727/...ick_reinstated

[samanthajane13]

Vick could play in October after being reinstated
By BARRY WILNER, AP Football Writer Barry Wilner, Ap Football Writer – 1 hr 58 mins ago

NEW YORK – Michael Vick is back in the NFL. Now all he needs is a team to play for. Vick, free after serving 18 months in prison for running a dogfighting ring, was reinstated with conditions by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday. He could participate in regular-season games as early as October.

Vick can immediately take part in preseason practices, workouts and meetings and can play in the final two preseason games — if he can find a team that will sign him. A number of teams have already said they would not.

Once the season begins, Vick may participate in all team activities except games, and Goodell said he would consider Vick for full reinstatement by Week 6 (Oct. 18-19) at the latest.

Goodell suspended Vick indefinitely in August 2007 after the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback admitted bankrolling a dogfighting operation on his property in Virginia. At the time, Goodell said Vick must show remorse before he would consider reinstating him.

"I accept that you are sincere when you say that you want to, and will, turn your life around, and that you intend to be a positive role model for others," Goodell said in his letter to Vick. "I am prepared to offer you that opportunity. Whether you succeed is entirely in your hands."

"Needless to say, your margin for error is extremely limited," the letter said. "I urge you to take full advantage of the resources available to support you and to dedicate yourself to rebuilding your life and your career. If you do this, the NFL will support you."

Goodell said he spoke to numerous current and former players and coaches as he weighed his decision and that the responses were "very mixed."

"I do recognize that some will never forgive him for what he did," Goodell said. "I hope that the public will have a chance to understand his position as I have."

Vick, once the highest-paid player in the league, said he was grateful for a second chance.

"I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to commissioner Goodell for allowing me to be readmitted to the National Football League," Vick said in a statement released by his agent, Joel Segal. "I fully understand that playing football in the NFL is a privilege, not a right, and I am truly thankful for the opportunity I have been given.

"As you can imagine, the last two years have given me time to re-evaluate my life, mature as an individual and fully understand the terrible mistakes I have made in the past and what type of life I must lead moving forward," he said.

The announcement came after a busy first week of freedom for Vick, who met with union leaders and Goodell on consecutive days last week. His 23-month federal sentence ended when an electronic monitor was removed from his ankle on July 20 at his home in Hampton, Va.

He met with DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFL Players Association, last Tuesday and, on Wednesday, with Goodell at a security firm in Allendale, N.J.

Goodell said Vick agreed to undergo psychiatric testing, which determined that he was capable of returning to the NFL but needed continuing counseling.

He said keeping Vick from playing at the start of the regular season wasn't a form of punishment, but a chance for the quarterback to gradually transition back into the league.

"I have thought about every alternative, but I think this gives him the best chance for success," Goodell said. "We are not looking for failure here. We are looking to see a young man succeed."

But Vick's issues are far from over and he needs a team to call his own. So far, the owners of the New York Giants, Jets and Dallas Cowboys have said they had no interest in the 29-year-old quarterback. Neither do the Falcons, who officially released Vick in June.

Vick filed for bankruptcy protection last July, listing assets of about $16 million and debts of more than $20 million, and has a hearing about his plan to repay his creditors on Friday in Newport News, Va. That plan is built around his ability to make NFL-type money again.

He's unlikely to command anything close to the 10-year, $130 million contract he once had with the Falcons, or to get endorsement deals after the grisly details of the dogfighting ring were publicized.

Vick pleaded guilty after his three co-defendants had already done so. They told of how Vick participated in the killing of dogs that didn't perform well in test fights by shooting, hanging, drowning or slamming them to the ground.

Vick's appearances at federal court in Richmond, Va., prompted large groups of protesters to gather outside. Many were with PETA and held signs depicting photographs of pit bulls ravaged in dogfights.

Still, there were supporters who wore his No. 7 jersey.

Vick has already taken steps to rebuild his image.

He met with the president of the Humane Society of the United States while serving his federal sentence at Leavenworth, Kan. He plans to work with HSUS in a program designed to steer inner city youth away from dogfighting. He was not permitted to work with the program while in custody.

Ed Sayres, president of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said the organization hopes Vick "rises to the occasion and proves worthy of the rare second chance Commissioner Goodell has granted him."

"Opportunities for redemption are rare — but that is exactly the opportunity that awaits Mr. Vick," he said. ___

AP Sports Writers Hank Kurz in Richmond, Va., and Rachel Cohen in New York contributed to this story.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090727/...ick_reinstated

[samanthajane13]

Michael Vick reinstated by NFL
By BARRY WILNER, AP Football Writer Barry Wilner, Ap Football Writer – 33 mins ago

NEW YORK – The door is ajar for Michael Vick to return to the NFL. Only Vick, and any team willing to sign him, can open it fully.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Vick on Monday, with conditions. Free after serving 18 months in prison for running a dogfighting ring, Vick could participate in regular-season games as early as October.

Vick can immediately take part in preseason practices, workouts and meetings and can play in the final two preseason games — if he can find a team. A number of clubs have already said they are not interested.

Once the season begins, Vick may participate in all team activities except games, and Goodell said he would consider Vick for full reinstatement by Week 6 (Oct. 18-19) at the latest.

"I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to commissioner Goodell for allowing me to be readmitted to the National Football League," Vick said in a statement released by his agent, Joel Segal. "I fully understand that playing football in the NFL is a privilege, not a right, and I am truly thankful for the opportunity I have been given.

"As you can imagine, the last two years have given me time to re-evaluate my life, mature as an individual and fully understand the terrible mistakes I have made in the past and what type of life I must lead moving forward," he said.

Goodell suspended Vick indefinitely in August 2007 after the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback admitted bankrolling a dogfighting operation on his property in Virginia. At the time, Goodell said Vick must show remorse before he would consider reinstating him.

"I accept that you are sincere when you say that you want to, and will, turn your life around, and that you intend to be a positive role model for others," Goodell said in his letter to Vick. "I am prepared to offer you that opportunity. Whether you succeed is entirely in your hands."

"Needless to say, your margin for error is extremely limited," the letter said. "I urge you to take full advantage of the resources available to support you and to dedicate yourself to rebuilding your life and your career. If you do this, the NFL will support you."

Goodell said he spoke to numerous current and former players and coaches as he weighed his decision and that the responses were "very mixed."

"I do recognize that some will never forgive him for what he did," Goodell said. "I hope that the public will have a chance to understand his position as I have."

The announcement came after a busy first week of freedom for Vick, who met with union leaders and Goodell on consecutive days last week. His 23-month federal sentence ended when an electronic monitor was removed from his ankle on July 20 at his home in Hampton, Va.

He met with DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFL Players Association, last Tuesday and, on Wednesday, with Goodell at a security firm in Allendale, N.J.

Goodell said Vick agreed to undergo psychiatric testing, which determined that he was capable of returning to the NFL but needed continuing counseling.

He said keeping Vick from playing at the start of the regular season wasn't a form of punishment, but a chance for the quarterback to gradually transition back into the league.

"I have thought about every alternative, but I think this gives him the best chance for success," Goodell said. "We are not looking for failure here. We are looking to see a young man succeed."

But Vick's issues are far from over and he needs a team to call his own. So far, the owners of the New York Giants, Jets and Dallas Cowboys have said they had no interest in the 29-year-old quarterback. Neither do the Falcons, who officially released Vick in June.

Vick filed for bankruptcy protection last July, listing assets of about $16 million and debts of more than $20 million, and has a hearing about his plan to repay his creditors on Friday in Newport News, Va. That plan is built around his ability to make NFL-type money again.

He's unlikely to command anything close to the 10-year, $130 million contract he once had with the Falcons, or to get endorsement deals after the grisly details of the dogfighting ring were publicized.

Vick pleaded guilty after his three co-defendants had already done so. They told of how Vick participated in the killing of dogs that didn't perform well in test fights by shooting, hanging, drowning or slamming them to the ground.

Vick's appearances at federal court in Richmond, Va., prompted large groups of protesters to gather outside. Many were with PETA and held signs depicting photographs of pit bulls ravaged in dogfights.

Still, there were supporters who wore his No. 7 jersey.

Vick has already taken steps to rebuild his image.

He met with the president of the Humane Society of the United States while serving his federal sentence at Leavenworth, Kan. He plans to work with the organization in a program designed to steer inner city youth away from dogfighting. He was not permitted to work with the program while in custody.

Ed Sayres, president of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said the organization hopes Vick "rises to the occasion and proves worthy of the rare second chance Commissioner Goodell has granted him."

"Opportunities for redemption are rare — but that is exactly the opportunity that awaits Mr. Vick," he said.

___

AP Sports Writers Hank Kurz in Richmond, Va., and Rachel Cohen in New York contributed to this story.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090728/...ick_reinstated

[samanthajane13]

Dungy: Vick focused on putting life back together
By The Associated Press The Associated Press – Tue Jul 28, 2:33 pm ET

Tony Dungy believes Michael Vick is focused on putting his life back together. The former Indianapolis Colts coach has agreed to mentor Vick as part of the quarterback's conditional reinstatement to the NFL.

"I'm not sure what football is going to hold for him; that will be discussed at length in the sports pages over the next few weeks," Dungy said in a post on his blog Tuesday. "I believe in second chances for people who admit their mistakes and are committed to changing."

Dungy retired in January, two years after leading Indianapolis to a Super Bowl title. He has long been involved in prison ministries. Dungy met with Vick in May at the federal penitentiary where the former Atlanta Falcons star was serving an 18-month term for running a dogfighting ring.

Dungy said he also met Vick on a second occasion and has spoken to him on the phone several times.

"I think Michael deserves the chance to show people he has changed and learned from past mistakes, but my true hope is that he will make sound decisions about his future and, at the same time, let people know more about the person that I've come to know recently. I know the public will be skeptical, but I think, over time, people will find there's a different side to him than what they've seen so far."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday that Vick can immediately take part in preseason practices, workouts and meetings and can play in the final two preseason games — if he can find a team.

Once the season begins, Vick may participate in all team activities except games, and Goodell said he would consider Vick for full reinstatement by Week 6 (Oct. 18-19) at the latest.

"Sure, he would love to play football in the NFL again," Dungy said, "but I think he has other priorities."

Dungy said Vick wants to reconnect with his three children after missing 18 months of their lives.

"He also would like to have a positive impact on young people's lives and he realizes that his dogfighting conviction has been a huge negative in that respect," Dungy said. "I know he wants to turn that around and help kids understand the importance of good decision-making."


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090728/...fbn_vick_dungy

[samanthajane13]

Vick sweepstakes: One day and, so far, no takers
By RACHEL COHEN, AP Sports Writer Rachel Cohen, Ap Sports Writer – 1 hr 56 mins ago

If any NFL teams are interested in Michael Vick, they're not saying.

A day after the quarterback was conditionally reinstated to the league, only the Baltimore Ravens would directly acknowledge evaluating him.

"We've had long discussions about Michael Vick and we have a feeling about how he would impact our team and not impact our team," coach John Harbaugh said Tuesday.

General manager Ozzie Newsome declined comment. Previously, he has said the Ravens have enough quarterbacks.

Other teams either refused comment or insisted they wouldn't pick up the former Atlanta Falcons star, who served 18 months in federal prison for running a dogfighting ring and was released from home confinement on July 20.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday that Vick can immediately take part in preseason practices, workouts and meetings and can play in the final two preseason games — if he can find a team.

Once the season begins, Vick may participate in all team activities except games, and Goodell said he would consider Vick for full reinstatement by Week 6 (Oct. 18-19) at the latest.

Two clubs that might have seemed like a logical destination — the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals — said they wouldn't pursue Vick.

Bengals owner Mike Brown refers to himself as "a redeemer" and is known for giving troubled players a second chance, or more. But Cincinnati has a full complement of quarterbacks, and starter Carson Palmer has fully recovered from an elbow injury that sidelined him for 12 games last season.

"When you have a situation like ours, he's a very difficult fit," Brown said. "Quarterbacks are like queen bees — you can only have one of them before they start stepping on each other. And we have ours. Carson's the guy. That's why it just doesn't fit for here in a football sense."

The Dolphins rejuvenated their offense last season by mixing in the Wildcat, a variation of the single wing. The package featured direct long snaps to running back Ronnie Brown, who usually ran with the ball.

The Wildcat would take advantage of Vick's running ability, but the Dolphins drafted another running quarterback in April: West Virginia's Pat White. They also have 2008 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Chad Pennington returning and promising Chad Henne as the No. 2 quarterback.

"We don't have an interest," general manager Jeff Ireland said in a statement. "We like the players we have on our current roster."

Denver Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said "we're not bringing him in right now," but acknowledged the team is always weighing its options. The Broncos have uncertainty at quarterback after trading the disgruntled Jay Cutler. Kyle Orton is penciled in as the starter.

"We're always going to try to do what's best for the organization — that could mean it's a player or a situation that we're going to evaluate," McDaniels said. "We're always going to try to make sure that we leave no stone unturned. If it means adding a player, we have looked at every player that we feel out there could help us at this time."

One organization that wants Vick is the upstart UFL. The four-team league plans to kick off a six-game season in October.

"I still think we are the best option for him," UFL commissioner Michael Huyghue said.

Huyghue suggested Vick could prove to NFL teams that he's ready to return — on and off the field — during the UFL season.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Trent Edwards figured Vick's conditional status would leave general managers in a bind.

"It's got to be hard to sign him, because where are you going to put him?" he said. "You don't know if he'll be able to play Week 1, and you want him to be your starting quarterback or at least compete for a starting job, (but) you can't essentially do that as a general manager."

___

AP Sports Writers Pat Graham in Denver, Joe Kay in Cincinnati, Hank Kurz Jr. in Richmond, Va., John Wawrow in Pittsford, N.Y., and Steven Wine in Miami contributed to this report.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090728/...ick_reinstated

[samanthajane13]

Roger Goodell gives Michael Vick a second chance, but will NFL fans?
By Sam Farmer

Michael Vick, sidelined from pro football for two years in the wake of a dogfighting scandal, has received a conditional reinstatement from the NFL, clearing the way for him to return this season.

But a question remains: Which team — if any — is ready to step up and sign the disgraced quarterback?

That's the next step after Monday's news that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has lifted the indefinite suspension of Vick in hopes of granting him full reinstatement by Week 6 at the latest, and possibly earlier.

"I have thought about every alternative," Goodell said in a conference call. "But I think this gives him the best chance for success."

The announcement came a week after Vick completed his federal sentence, which lasted 23 months, with the first 21 in prison and the last two under home confinement in Hampton, Va.

Vick, 29, once among the richest and most recognizable players in the game, has been courted by the start-up United States Football League but, at least publicly, has yet to garner interest from NFL suitors.

"There are two ways of looking at it," said an NFL team personnel executive who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect the interests of his franchise. "You're going to get a guy for minimum [salary] who was one of the highest-paid players in the league ... But there's also so much to deal with during the season. To have to deal with that distraction is a nightmare."

The issue of whether Vick should be allowed to return has long divided the sports world, with some people saying he should be banned for life, and others saying that his federal sentence was more than adequate punishment.

"I do recognize that some will never forgive him for what he did," Goodell said. "I hope that the public will have a chance to understand his position, as I have."

Under the reinstatement plan, Vick is free to sign with a team immediately and participate in preseason practices, workouts, meetings, and play in that club's final two exhibition games. He could receive full reinstatement at any point, but Goodell said he would grant that by the weekend of Oct. 18-19 at the latest, provided Vick lives up to his end of the agreement.

In addition, retired coach Tony Dungy has agreed to continue to work with Vick as an adviser and mentor. Goodell plans to periodically evaluate Vick's progress during the transitional period before the player is reinstated.

In a statement released by his agent, Vick thanked Goodell for the reinstatement and said he realizes playing in the NFL is a privilege and not a right.

"As you can imagine, the last two years have given me time to re-evaluate my life, mature as an individual and fully understand the terrible mistakes I have made in the past and what type of life I must lead moving forward," Vick said in the statement.

So where might he land? There's speculation in league circles that interested teams could include those with powerful coaches or executives such as New England (Bill Belichick) or Miami (Bill Parcells); teams willing to go to great lengths to put people in the stands, among them Oakland, Cincinnati and Buffalo.

The personnel executive who spoke on condition of anonymity said Vick is especially valuable in light of so many average No. 1 quarterbacks and sub-par backups. He could also be extremely effective in the popular Wildcat scheme, when a quarterback slides over to receiver and a running back takes the snap from center.

"He'd be ideal in a Wildcat," the executive said. "Most of these Wildcat guys are running backs. To have a guy that can throw adds another dimension."

It remains to be seen, of course, how willing teams are to step forward and give him an opportunity.


http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sport...,6398548.story

[samanthajane13]

Michael Vick - A Comeback Story That Shouldn't Be
by Mac Watson/KTAR

Michael Vick got his wish. He got dispensation from the Pope of the National Football League. Yesterday, Roger Goodell re-instated Vick to play in the NFL. After being released from prison, he served out the rest of his prison sentence for operating an illegal dog-fighting ring back home in Hampton Roads, Virginia under house arrest and working a construction job for 10 bucks an hour.

But Roger Goodell wants everyone to know that he will not be a pushover commissioner.

Vick can begin training and taking part in training camp immediately, and he could be allowed to play by week six. Goodell says he will rule again, giving Michael a chance to transition back into the NFL.

Vick is happy to be given a second chance to play in the league saying through his agent, "I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to commissioner Goodell for allowing me to be readmitted to the National Football League. I fully understand that playing football in the NFL is a privilege, not a right, and I am truly thankful for the opportunity I have been given.

So far, and surprisingly, there haven't been any teams interested in having Vick even be a third string QB on their team.

I am shocked that not one team would be so desperate to take (another) a chance on an agile, scrambling quarterback who can make plays on the run.

But if there is a general manager or coach wanting to give Vick a spot on their roster, I offer you some free advice: don't take him. In fact, don't even talk to his agent. Vick comes with not only enough baggage to get a Samsonite endorsement, he will also come with an unlikely entourage.

Back when we first started learning about what an inhumane and cruel operation Bad Newz Kennels was, and read the news reports of how many dead dogs were buried on Vick's Surry County, Virginia property, (the rape stands, the dog pits, and the thousands of dollars that were bet on this senseless sport), People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals made a promise.

It's a promise they are still more than willing to keep and your franchise doesn't need the head ache and the angry and offended fan base.

If any team decides to pay Michael Vick to play, PETA has vowed to show up and protest. In a day when people protest everything and anything, when television news outlets have their pick of what group is protesting where, this may just sound like an empty threat or cacophonous din and nothing more.

But PETA will not just protesting outside of the stadium of the team Vick plays for on any given Sunday. They have vowed to go on the road and protest at the opposing teams stadiums. PETA has vowed to show up at any camp, appearance or event that is directly or indirectly involved with Vick or the team.

They say that the NFL has a short memory when it comes to talent. Just ask the Dallas Cowboys last year when they hired Adam "Pac Mac" Jones, as well as a host of other teams.

But if you're an NFL owner, do you really want that kind of entourage following your team around? Just because you've "conveniently" forgotten what Michael Vick did?

This is one comeback story that should never have been.


http://ktar.com/?nid=602&sid=1193717

[samanthajane13]

Michael Vick can sign with any NFL team, but why would they want the headache?
George Diaz

Michael Vick has a lot of influential friends who have his back.

Tony Dungy is an adviser and mentor.

The Humane Society of the United States is working with Vick to spread anti-dogfighting messages throughout inner cities.

Even tempestuous Terrell Owens is a fan. "Who's w/me on the Vick situation?" Owens Tweeted Sunday. "All n favor, lemme get a tweet 2 support Mike Vick! He did the time 4 the crime! Let the guy play!!"

All good, TO, but Vick still needs another ally to step up, in a big way:

An NFL owner.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell conditionally reinstated Vick on Monday, contingent on progress he makes on the road toward redemption. Assuming he's good to go on the Commish's detailed list of terms that include a financial plan and limits on Vick's circle of friends, Vick would be eligible for full reinstatement by Week 6 (Oct. 18-19).

So after all the clutter of legal paperwork, Vick officially becomes a free man — free to sign with any team, free to practice — but will the shackles remain?

Breaking loose won't be easy. There are 31 teams in play, (let's not consider Atlanta), but only one team needs to give him a hug. It's really going to have to be unconditional love.

Mommas always tell their daughters to stay away from bad boys. Signing Vick is the equivalent of your daughter bringing home the scraggly-bearded wild man who runs the local chapter of the Hells Angels.

PETA and a wild bunch of other animal rights activists are braced for a royal rumble. Vick is a marked man. For them, there can be no apologies, no regrets, no second chances.

It's all about payback for helpless poochies. "I say electrocute Vick," one of those activists, and a friend, wrote in an e-mail the other day.

All this trumps whether Vick can get in game-shape after not playing in the NFL for two seasons. It trumps the desire of any team looking for an unconventional, yet quality, quarterback. It trumps the temptation of any team with a fondness for the "Wildcat" offense that plays to Vick's strength.

The blitz is going to come hard at Vick: Media, protesters, rubberneckers simply looking for a peek.

Which team is crazy enough to sign off on that?

I'd be shocked if Vick is on an NFL roster before the season starts.

The Orlando franchise of the United Football League becomes a viable option only if Vick can't find work for an extended time. Vick needs NFL money to get out of debts approaching $20 million.

It wouldn't surprise me if Vick signs at some point during the season. NFL quarterbacks always get busted up as the weekends tick away. Some team is going to need help. If it's a coin flip between Joey Harrington and Vick, I'm going with Vick.

That need — desperation perhaps? — is going to help sell fans on Vick. The lunatic fringe will still come hard, but the craziness will be more manageable. Routines will be set. Prep time is short and sweet every week. Vick will be too busy trying to catch up to obsess with the assorted bells and whistles blowing in his ear.

The league embraces all sorts of saints and sinners. For every Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner and Jason Taylor, there's Plaxico Burress, Donte Stallworth and Adam "Pacman" Jones.

The NFL would be hypocritical to signal out Vick as the ultimate villain in eye-black.

So the league has welcomed him back, kinda, with a list of stipulations that Vick must meet. He's not getting a free pass, just an opportunity he deserves.

Like TO said, he did the time 4 the crime.

Michael Vick is a free man. Or so it seems.

Even if he can't see it, Vick still has a dog collar around his neck.


http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sport...6464087.column

[samanthajane13]

After 23 months away, Michael Vick is "conditionally" back where he belongs
by Bud Poliquin/The Post-Standard
Tuesday July 28, 2009, 9:16 AM

Syracuse, N.Y. -- There can be no disputing the notion that Michael Vick demonstrated during his dog-fighting days that a kindly soul he is not. Anybody who'd encourage and/or condone and/or bankroll the atrocities perpetrated against those animals down there in Virginia would have to be deemed on some kind of level . . . vicious.

And while it's true that virtually all of us take part in the mass slaughtering of creatures great and small -- we do eat an awful lot of hamburgers and fish sticks, don't we? -- most folks would agree that stringing up dogs does seem to cross a line.

Well, Vick has paid for his crimes. There has been the 23-month prison/home confinement lockup . . . the loss of tens of millions of dollars . . . the resultant massive debt . . . the perhaps irreparable damage to his reputation . . . the missing of 32 regular-season NFL games dating back to December of 2006 . . . the potential erosion of his physical skills . . . the unknown deterioration of his emotional/psychological condition.

Considering that Leonard Little, a defensive end with the St. Louis Rams, was given by the NFL a measly eight-game suspension after killing a woman -- not a dog, but an actual human being who was the married mother of a 15-year-old son -- while driving drunk in 1998 (and was so contrite that six years later he got picked up again for drunk driving), Vick got himself whacked pretty good.

But he's back now. Michael Vick, who once upon a time as a Virginia Tech Hokie exposed his considerable athletic wares to the Syracuse University Orangemen, has been "conditionally" reinstated by the NFL for which he can play in October. Pending, of course, good behavior which seems to preclude even belching in public.

Me? I'm all right with this. I, a long-time dog-owner for what it's worth, never did fully understand the harshness of the penalties heaped upon Vick, who may be a creep but certainly not the biggest one to stomp down the boulevard. Indeed, the roll call of those cretins playing sports and serving in public office and starring on the big screen and writing for newspapers would be a lengthy one. The disgraced quarterback, then, is a sinner, but he stands in a long line of sinners that stretches around the block and down the next few streets.

The point is, I believe Michael Vick, the warted soul, has been severely punished and should be allowed the chance to get back on the football field where, at the age of 29, he should be at his full powers. Further, I believe that some club will suffer the initial public-relations backlash and sign him . . . and I submit this knowing that the Falcons (Vick's former employers), Giants, Jets and Cowboys have declared no interest in the guy. That leaves 28 other franchises, one of which will, sooner or later, step up.

There is, you see, this one certainty, particularly in sports: Talent does not go unrewarded. Jerks . . . cheats . . . scoundrels . . . lawbreakers . . . incorrigibles. They're everywhere in sports (so long, that is, as they produce). And Michael Vick, whose physical gifts are supreme and who hasn't yet proven that he can't produce, is available. That he seems penitent makes him all the more inviting to those seeking to move up in the standings.

So now, we wait and see. Michael Vick -- once vicious, now contrite . . . and broke -- is ready to get back in a huddle. Let the (muted) bidding begin.

-- Bud Poliquin
bpoliquin@syracuse.com

(Bud Poliquin's freshly-written on-line commentaries, his column and his "To The Point" observations appear virtually every day on syracuse.com. Additionally, his work can be regularly found on the pages of The Post-Standard newspaper. E-mail: bpoliquin@syracuse.com.)


http://www.syracuse.com/poliquin/ind...michael_v.html

[samanthajane13]

Finding the best home for Michael Vick
by John Czarnecki

So now America's former Public Enemy No. 1 is free, but after two-plus years on the most humbling sideline of all, former superstar Michael Vick tries to piece his civilian life back together.

So now the big-money question: Which teams will make a run at him?

Sure, it's a fairly simple exercise to run down the teams struggling at quarterback, teams that could use a new starter to plug in — especially a guy with the three-time Pro Bowler's credentials on the field.

But which team should sign Vick? Or rather, which team would give him the best possible chance to succeed, both for the team and the player? No ordinary team will do.

In the grand scheme of where Michael Vick should resume his NFL career, the perfect landing spot would have been Indianapolis ... that is, if Tony Dungy was still coaching the Colts. Dungy would have been the perfect mentor for Vick. And in fact, he will be serving that role, albeit not in an official capacity as Vick's coach.

So that needs to be one of Vick's first criteria: a rock-solid head coach.

The second is the football support staff, from the owner to the player development employee. If there's heat from the community, the owner must be able to defuse it. But his employees must be able to deal daily with Vick's acclimation and needs.

And, finally, the locker room must have tolerant leaders, men who have empathy but also the resolve to cope with the initial media onslaught while supporting their new teammate.

Still, deciding to employ Vick will be a difficult decision, considering he lied to his previous owners, coaches and teammates about his gambling and dog fighting operations and even had the gall to lie to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

But when he played, Vick was a top-10 NFL performer in my eyes.

As of right now, I am assuming he will be a bargain-basement acquisition because he is 29 and two years removed from the football field. And even if he says he's reformed, he must prove it on a daily basis while also overcoming the stigma of being a dog killer and a liar.

There are so few great starting quarterbacks in the NFL. When he last played, Vick was among the elite, although totally different from a Peyton Manning or a Tom Brady. He was never the prototypical quarterback. Vick was a unique talent. Vick was the first visiting quarterback to win a playoff game in Green Bay and later took Atlanta to within one game of the Super Bowl. It's why Falcons owner Arthur Blank agreed to pay him more than $100 million.

If you assume Vick is still capable of contributing on the field, it now becomes a question of where.

When it comes to football people and the guys in the locker room, the Colts would provide constant positive reinforcement. There are a lot of high-character players there, many of them brought in by GM Bill Polian and Dungy. Those qualities will be important for any team truly interested in signing Vick. The team must be able to absorb the PR hit; be above the fray, so to speak. For a lot of people, the Colts walked on water in Indiana when Dungy was the head coach.

I feel the same way about New England. Bill Belichick would treat Vick like a man and force him to act like one.

There would be no coddling in Foxboro. The way Belichick operates the Patriots, Vick would be surrounded by a solid group of professionals in the locker room. And Goodell would feel good if Patriots owner Robert Kraft agreed to hire Vick; Kraft is a confidante and Goodell trusts the owner's instincts.

Several football people kept telling me on Monday — after the news broke that Vick was free to sign with an NFL team — that New England was the perfect place for Vick. The Pats were the leader in the clubhouse. Their reasoning was that Vick would have a solid support staff and the Belichick factor — the coach believes he could resurrect Vick's career and make him whole.


Continued...

[samanthajane13]

Two nagging thoughts tell me to quit thinking about the Patriots: Tom Brady is on the comeback trail and I visited Boston last month and, boy, do they love their dog parks. That might not make for the best environment for Vick.

Still, we all know that Belichick doesn't really care about how the fans would react. He cares only about his football team and he definitely knows how to insulate his players from the media world. And that would be a great thing for Vick, who wouldn't want to be bothered every day by reporters.

I wanted to pick Pittsburgh for the same reason. The Steelers, from owner Dan Rooney to his impressive coach Mike Tomlin, are respected for their personnel choices. If the Rooneys and Tomlin would embrace Vick, his NFL return would be a stable one. Like the Patriots, the Steelers could absorb any PR hit and even with Ben Roethlisberger's personal woes right now, the team has enough quarterbacks. Although there is not a dire need for Vick, both of these teams would give him the opportunity to get acclimated to football once again. And he could push himself against the game's very best defensive players and system.

These situations should be more important than money to Vick right now. Joel Segal, his agent, should think the same way. Put him on a quality team with men of character, knowing full well that he won't play ahead of a Brady or a Roethlisberger. Remember, Goodell will be watching his every move, making sure he truly is a changed man and ready, once again, for the limelight.

So, if Belichick really wants him, Vick should pack his bags for New England. It's the best football world for him. New England, to me, is what the Giants used to be when Wellington Mara, GM George Young and coach Bill Parcells ran the place in the 1980s.

The word is quality; strong and motivated people everywhere.

From a purely selfish football perspective, the team that truly needs Vick is Denver. I'm talking about the old Vick, the one I remember jumping over defenders when he wasn't running past them. The Broncos, who used to have a Hall of Famer in John Elway, need a new star at quarterback. Vick could provide that, especially if he returns to his Pro Bowl form. And that should happen because my view of Vick is that he's wiser and with maturity, he should be less impetuous on the field.

But I'm not sure a rookie head coach is a good fit for Vick. Josh McDaniels, the Patriots' former offensive coordinator, couldn't persuade Jay Cutler to stick around. But the bottom line is that Vick would eventually be a standout on the practice field taking reps behind Kyle Orton and Chris Simms. Someone told me the other day that the Broncos internally believe they can win 10 games this season, but when I checked their schedule I didn't see them playing Oakland and Kansas City 10 times this season.

Denver is better than Jacksonville, a city I suspect would embrace Vick and a franchise that needs to sell tickets. In this horrible economy, the word is that the Jaguars' season tickets are slightly above 30,000. Buffalo makes some sense, too, because Ralph Wilson isn't getting any younger and they already have Vick's biggest booster in receiver Terrell Owens. With Vick, Buffalo would be a city going bonkers over having two of the NFL's biggest attention getters.

And, yes, the Bears could use a backup and Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati would be a good coach for Vick.

It will be interesting to see what the financial proposals are for Vick. Granted, he is a competitive guy. And like most pros, money usually talks. But Vick needs to look past that. Yes, he might eventually start for teams like Denver and Jacksonville, even Tampa Bay.

But what he needs now is football structure. He needs New England.

+++++

John Czarnecki has been the editorial consultant for FOX NFL Sunday since its 1994 inception. This season marks Czarnecki's 32nd year covering the NFL. He is one of 44 selectors to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.


http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9...r-Michael-Vick

[samanthajane13]

Animal rights activist says Michael Vick can help
By Joe Macenka
Richmond Times-Dispatch

Published: July 29, 2009

The NFL’s decision to reinstate disgraced quarterback Michael Vick has been an unpopular one with many animal-rights groups—but not all of them.

Susan Kelly, head of the Richmond Animal League, yesterday called on animal-rights activists to put aside their personal feelings about Vick and think instead about the attention he can draw to the issue of animal abuse.

“Whether we like it or not, people still identify with him,“ Kelly said. “He still connects with people. When he talks, they still listen. And that is a very, very powerful tool.“

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday said Vick—assuming he can find a new team willing to sign him—can begin working out immediately and could play in a regular-season game as soon as Week 6. Vick was suspended indefinitely by the NFL in August 2007 after he admitted bankrolling the Bad Newz Kennels dogfighting operation in Surry County.

He spent the better part of the next two years in various federal prisons or home confinement.

Vick met with the president of the Humane Society of the United States while incarcerated in Leavenworth, Kan. He plans to work with the organization in a program designed to steer inner-city youths away from dogfighting. He was not permitted to work with the program while in custody.

Vick’s release from confinement last week and his reinstatement to the league where he once was a high-paid star with the Atlanta Falcons have reignited negative feelings from many animal-rights activists about whether he is truly remorseful and deserves another chance.

Kelly said those sentiments should take a back seat. “Talk about the dogs,“ she said. “It needs to be about them. The only thing that matters now is he is out of prison and he needs to use his second chance.

“That’s his debt to society—to use whatever is in his power to prevent dogfighting.“

Kelly knows her position puts her on something of a philosophical island. She also knows skepticism is prevalent.

One national animal-rights group responded to Vick’s reinstatement by pledging to watch him like a hawk.

Robin Robertson Starr, chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA, joined a number of groups in saying it was premature to reinstate the former Virginia Tech star.

But Kelly said Vick is in a unique position.

“Before him, nobody talked about the blood sport of dogfighting, and he’s really brought the whole issue to the forefront,“ she said. “He has been given a second chance.

“And we need to let him capitalize on that chance, because he can get in there and get the word out.“

Kelly said whatever personal dislike she may have for Vick is countered by the fact that many of the surviving Bad Newz Kennels dogs have been or are being rehabilitated with an eye toward becoming pets.

That group includes Gracie, a female pit bull that was used as a breeding dog at Bad Newz but is now living a life of luxury as one of several pets of a Richmond Animal League board member. A laid-back, friendly dog, Gracie spent the day yesterday greeting visitors at the league’s shelter just south of Chesterfield Towne Center.

Kelly said Gracie is a powerful reminder that second chances can produce positive results.

“We can’t dwell on the past,“ she said. “We’ve got to move to the future.“


http://www.wsls.com/sls/news/state_r...an_help/42465/

[samanthajane13]

Hearing set on Vick's revised bankruptcy plan
Fri Jul 31, 3:50 am ET

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Michael Vick is again seeking approval of his Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan to repay creditors.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Frank Santoro is scheduled to conduct a hearing Friday on Vick's revised plan to pay his creditors. Santoro rejected Vick's previous plan in April, saying it was not feasible.

This time, Vick has proposed selling off more assets and giving creditors a bigger cut of his future earnings. The source of those earnings remains unclear less than a week after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell conditionally reinstated Vick. The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback is still looking for a job after several NFL teams said they're not interested.

The 29-year-old Vick completed serving his 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring on July 20.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090731/...ick_bankruptcy

[samanthajane13]

Creditors to vote on Vick bankruptcy plan
By LARRY O'DELL, Associated Press Writer Larry O'dell, Associated Press Writer – 4 mins ago

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Though a judge ruled that Michael Vick's bankruptcy plan can be sent to creditors to vote on, it remains unclear how the out-of-work quarterback will get the income to pay them.

Vick declined to answer reporters' questions before and after a hearing Friday on his Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Frank Santoro ruled that the plan can move forward after nobody objected.

The plan now goes to Vick's creditors. After they vote, Santoro will conduct a confirmation hearing on Aug. 27.

Creditors approved Vick's first plan, but Santoro rejected it in April, saying it was not feasible. This time, Vick has proposed selling off more assets and giving creditors a bigger cut of his future income.

But the plan is based largely on Vick's prospective earnings from his goal of returning to the NFL, which still is not a sure thing.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell conditionally reinstated Vick on Monday, a week after Vick completed his 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring. Goodell said Vick can sign with a team and begin playing by week six. Vick said Thursday that he is "getting close" to signing but did not offer any details refused to supply details.

Several NFL teams have said they're not interested in signing the 29-year-old Vick.

"Mr. Vick's time horizon in his professional career is not unlimited," Santoro said.

The judge also postponed action on requests for payment by Vick's attorneys, saying he wanted to wait until all the legal bills are in. A New York-based law firm is asking for $1.5 million after slashing its original request of nearly $2.7 million. A Norfolk firm is seeking $385,000.

Santoro demanded an explanation from one of the New York attorneys, Michael Blumenthal, on how his firm could bill Vick for 8,000 hours of work in less than a year.

"This case is probably the most difficult case I've ever been involved in," Blumenthal said.

He noted that Vick was in the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., when the bankruptcy petition was filed in July 2008, making attorney-client communication difficult. And Vick's finances were in shambles, requiring a Herculean effort to track down assets, bank accounts and financial records.

"We started at below ground zero," Blumenthal said, adding that five lawyers at his firm spent substantial time on the case.

Vick's lawyers also endured an acrimonious battle, largely behind the scenes, with one of his major creditors — Joel Enterprises Inc., the company owned by Vick's former agent. Joel objected at virtually every step on the bankruptcy process before the two sides finally settled their differences.

On another matter, Santoro rejected a motion for Blumenthal's colleague, Peter Ginsberg, to withdraw from the case. The lawyers in Vick's criminal case asked Ginsberg to withdraw after a federal appeals court upheld sanctions against him in an unrelated case in Florida. Ginsberg said he had not been actively involved in Vick's case recently anyway.

Santoro said Ginsberg did nothing wrong in Virginia, and his troubles in Florida had no bearing on Vick's case.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090731/...ick_bankruptcy

[samanthajane13]

Kraft indicates Vick not in Patriots' plans

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Patriots owner Robert Kraft suggests that New England has little interest in signing Michael Vick.

Kraft says the team doesn't need the former Atlanta Falcons star because the Patriots already have the best quarterback in Tom Brady.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick praised Vicks' ability last week when he was conditionally reinstated by the NFL after serving 18 months in prison for running a dogfighting ring.

Kraft spoke about Vick during a Sirius NFL Radio show broadcast from Gillette Stadium on Saturday. His comments were reported in Sunday's Boston Globe. The Patriots on Sunday confirmed the essence of Kraft's remarks. A transcript of the show was not available.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090802/..._patriots_vick

[samanthajane13]

Newport News postpones 'celebration' for Michael Vick

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — Michael Vick's (FSY) hometown celebration was postponed Monday because of a conflict, an organizer said.

The "Michael Vick Community Celebration" scheduled for Saturday will be held later because the job-hunting former NFL quarterback has an event that day in Atlanta with the Humane Society of the United States, organizer Andrew Shannon said. Vick informed him of the conflict, he said.

A spokesman for the Humane Society did not immediately return a telephone message left by the Associated Press. Shannon did not know the nature of the Atlanta event or whether it was open to the public.

Vick has been conditionally reinstated in the NFL after completing a 23-month federal sentence for running a dogfighting ring. The Newport News celebration was to be his first announced public event since his freedom.

Shannon, president of the Peninsula chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, said organizers were committed to celebrating Vick's return to the community and would not be swayed by negative public opinion.

After the event was publicized late Friday, Shannon said he received calls early Saturday from supporters and "from people who love animals" who were critical of the celebration.

"We want to say as an organization we're not intimidated and we won't waiver in our support of Michael Vick," Shannon said. "We believe in forgiveness and we believe in redemption so we believe that Mr. Vick should be able to move forward with his life and make a livelihood."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has said Vick can sign with a team and begin playing by week six of the NFL season.

Several NFL teams have said they're not interested in signing the 29-year-old.


http://www.usatoday.com/sports/footb...n_N.htm?csp=34