The days of Michael Vick playing for the Atlanta Falcons and possibly the National Football League ended today.
The NFL has suspended Vick indefinitely without pay following his admission of guilt in a dogfighting scheme.
On Friday, Vick filed his plea agreement in federal court admitting to conspiracy in a dogfighting ring and agreeing that the enterprise included killing pit bulls and gambling. He denied making side bets on the fights, but admitted to bankrolling them.
Friday afternoon, a letter to Vick from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said, in part:
"Your admitted conduct was not only illegal, but also cruel and reprehensible" and regardless whether he personally placed bets, "your actions in funding the betting and your association with illegal gambling both violate the terms of your NFL player contract and expose you to corrupting influences in derogation of one of the most fundamental responsibilities of an NFL player."
Goodell freed the Falcons to "assert any claims or remedies" to recover $22 million of Vick's signing bonus from the 10-year, $130 million contract he signed in 2004.
The commissioner didn't speak to Vick but based his decison on the court filings. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Goodell may meet with Vick in the future, but that hasn't been determined.
"You have engaged in conduct detrimental to the welfare of the NFL and have violated the league's personal conduct policy," Goodell told Vick in a letter. "Even if you personally did not place bets, as you contend, your actions in funding the betting and your association with illegal gambling both violate the terms of your NFL Player Contract and expose you to corrupting influences in derogation of one of the most fundamental responsibilities of an NFL player."
Falcons owner Arthur Blank supported Goodell's decision.
4 comments:
Unfortunate???
Don't break the law.
I hope they kick that bastard out of the NFL forever. He is a discredit to humanity by treating dogs as he did! He is not a man. Pathetic.....
Yes, Michael Vick participated in some dastardly deeds, however; CNN, along with many other networks reported that, to some, this is a culture they were raised up in. As a dog owner and lover of animals myself, I am horrified by Vick's actions but I have the mental capacity to understand the culture thing and, while I firmly believe he should pay his dues, I also have the capacity to forgive and believe that once he has done so, we should NOT hold this against him for the rest of his life! Michael Vick should be allowed to play football again IF he can demonstrate that he has learned his lesson. However; not before 2010.
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