Olbermann's Sunday Night Football Comment on Michael Vick

[DeepModem Mom]

NBC Sports: Vick's real sentence comes in NFL return attempt
Aug27, 2007
By Keith Olbermann
NBC Sports

Those who hate Michael Vick have made no secret they expect the Judge on Monday, and the Commissioner as soon as possible, to punish him with the lengthiest prison term, the heaviest fine and the most definite of indefinite suspensions.

And here's why they are wrong.

If you hate him, the equation should be pretty simple.

His $130 million contract is gone, his freedom is gone and his reputation is gone.

We already know what he is - we're now just arguing about the price.

And the real price comes due after jail and after the suspension. When Michael Vick tries to return to football - in 2010, maybe 2009.

But the sooner the better.

No NFL miscreant has been so vilified while an active player... Not Pacman Jones, not Lawrence Phillips, not Ray Lewis, not Leonard Little.

And even in a football world where just a week ago a scout could still compliment Corey Ivy of the Ravens by calling him a quote "pit bull with a gold cap," no crime has been so viscerally felt and reviled, and none gone so unforgiven.

And a year in the big house, and two under suspension will not change that, except to postpone the next enraged protest.

Do not get me wrong - he is Michael Vick… not Michael Victim. But if you think him evil, you should be rooting for him to be returned as soon as possible, from the hell of incarceration, and the hell of suspension… to the hell of trying to be Michael Vick, would-be quarterback, pleading for a job, while the hounds of public approbation are nipping at his heels.

http://www.nbcsports.com/portal/site/nbcsports/menuitem.6f806e473b4cb158fb00ec22493c2d04/?vgnextoid=0b556f5dad3a4110VgnVCM10000075c1d240RCRD

[Sukie1941]

1. As an animal rescuer

particularly for cats and kittens, I have seen some really awful stuff that human beings can inflict on animals, even tiny puppies and kittens.

When I think of Michael Vick, I can visualize a terrified dog being strung up by its neck to die, or being held underwater until dead, or being kicked so badly that its insides are too damaged to live, or having an electrical rod stuck in its rectum and electrocuted, or of having its brains blown out, or being thrown out of a car to let oncoming traffic run over it, or being ravaged by another dog until it is too weak to fight back, etc.

I don't give a damn what happens to Michael Vick or for how long it will be. He will be, in my mind anyway, the OJ Simpson of the animal world.

Michael chose to do what he did, he knew the consequences, he thought he was too good for that, and WHY should he get ANY breaks from now on?

[LiberalFighter]

3. Any team that attempts to sign him should be hounded day and night until they change their mind.

Their games should be marred with as much disruption as possible to cause the NFL to ban Vick for life.

[wicket]

5. I hope he gets banned for life

n/t

[LiberalFighter]

15. That is my preference too or at least long enough that he wouldn't be fit

[wicket]

16. Well he's found Jesus now so I guess all is well

:sarcasm:

[LiberalFighter]

17. Where was Jesus hiding? I'm surprised Jesus would come out of hiding for a scumbag like him.

[wicket]

34. He was hiding in the tubes on the internets

:P

[northernsoul]

7. thank you for your rescue work

Animal rescuers are under-appreciated heroes in my book. Keep it up!

<edited for an incredibly stupid spelling error>

[Sukie1941]

13. Lisa and her Kittens

On July 2 I was in a building that houses my storage unit (inside). In a corner of the hallway was a cat. I approached it and it seemed unthreatening, so I got my cat carrier from the back of my pickup and put the cat in it. It wasn't until I got home that I realized I had a pregnant female that was almost too weak to stand up.

For two weeks I fed her (Lisa) and got her strength up. I also took her to the vet to be wormed. She had tape worms badly. On July 19 she gave birth to seven kittens (one died) all weighing 3 to 3-1/2 ounces each (2 to 4 ounces is normal range).

Hooray! Four girls and two boys. For the next two weeks Lisa took wonderful care of her kittens. Then one day she threw up her food, followed by several sessions of throwing up water. The water part reminded me of a dog I lost to cancer, as that is what he did. This was all on Sunday morning (animals always get sick when the vet is closed). On Monday morning I took her and her kittens (can't leave them behind or mom will have a fit) to the vet. Lisa was x-rayed and prodded by all the vets in the clinic. She had emergency life-saving surgery by noon. She had an intussusception of the small intestine (whereby it telescopes into itself, cutting off blood circulation, resulting in shock and death). I also had her spayed at that time. ($1,000)

Lisa came home in 36 hours and took over the nursing and care of her kittens. They are 5-1/2 weeks old and adorable. Now I have to find homes for them. This is going to be the hardest part--not because I will miss them, which I will, but because I fear what might happen to them once I don't have them anymore.

[Johonny]

10. You know

I wish every person so angry about Vick got off their butt and went to the local pound an adopted one of the million of dogs that will die by lethal injection this year or at least bothered to get their lazy butt to the vet and get their dog fixed. I think a few years in jail the lose of millions of dollars and about 0 chance to play NFL again (mostly because he isn't a good QB!) are enough of a penalty. Hell if they really hated Vick they'd want him to play in the NFL because the average life expectancy of an NFL player is 55.

[IndianaJones]

12. never happen. its false outrage...not real. nt.

[blondeatlast]

14. I'm outraged, but you don't want me to have such a pet.

I appreciate other's pets and I have a bird, but I have neither the time or inclination to care for a dog or cat.

Indeed, my deciding to keep such an animal would be cruel. I don't hate them by any means (thus my outrage over dogfighting and the cruelty involved in the pursuit), but I can't LOVE them.

[MadHound]

18. Why don't you get off your high horse and think for a minute?

Who do you think are the ones who are most outraged about the Vick mess? Animal lovers. Where do many, if not most of those animals come from? Their local shelters. Gee, so why are you trying to be so holier than thou? And by the by, how many pets do you have? What have to done to help animals in your life? I've got six cats and four dogs, all rescue animals, though not necessarily from the pound. They have all their shots, all are fixed, and all are happy. In addition I've done volunteer work with rescue animals, volunteer work with the shelters, and worked at a vet's office for a number of years. What's your record.

I'm sick of people who say that one can only be outraged if you've met X criteria. Get off your high horse and give it rest.

[Prophet 451]

20. Currently have two

Cats, rather than dogs (phobic about dogs since one tried to eat my face). Both former strays.

[EFerrari]

25. I'll relay your request to the five rescue cats here who were

to problematic to adopt out.

In fact, if you'd like to adopt one, I'll consider your application.

[EFerrari]

23. As a former rescue foster, I couldn't agree more. Fuck him. n/t

[orleans]

31. last i heard there were over 50 dogs that they said would have to

be "put down" because they weren't able to be adoptable as pets.

i think that judge should order vicks to pay for and build a shelter that will house and care and feed those fifty dogs, with a PAID full time staff, for as long as they live.

i think it's disgraceful how some sports fans are saying he'll pay his debt to society and if the nfl wants to hire him back then so be it.

so i guess if oj was younger it would have been okay to hire him back too? (according to these people it might have!)

message to kids: if you're good, do what you want, get a little jail time, and ... then get back to business because talent trumps morals/ethics kids.

it sucks.

(i totally agree with what you said--and thanks for caring about animals)

[TornadoTN]

2. Not very often do I disagree with Keith O.

But I really can't feel sorry for Vick or hope for his speedy return to football. What he did was so horrific and the steps that he and his cronies took to ensure that this practice would never come to light leads me to judge this a lot more harshly than a simple "bad decision".

Comparing Vick's punishment to any other NFL player is a fallacy. The NFL is being led by a competent leader who is concerned about the image of the league and its continued viability. He's nipping a problem early before it goes the way of the NBA in terms of popularity. Tagliabue (the former commish) was in the owners pocket and interested more in their profits rather than nurturing a strong, sporting league. Sure, Leonard Little should be behind bars to this day, but we can't take that back now. What we can do is make sure that those who use their good fortunes as a professional athlete to harm others (be they human or otherwise)pay a steep price for it. He didn't help himself either by lying to the commish several times when asked to set the story straight behind closed doors.

Sorry, but I would rather not see this pathetic excuse for a human being leading any team on Sunday, let alone have to stomach all of the children that would wear his new jersey.

[Midlodemocrat]

6. I interpreted his comments differently.

To me, it meant that Vick pleading for a job will be almost as wonderful to watch as him perp walking after he makes his deal.

I didn't read it that Vick would be returning to the NFL anytime soon, in fact, just the opposite. That he will always be a pariah.

[TornadoTN]

8. I see that but the section where he names other players

threw me for a loop. Just because those guys got off light doesn't mean that this one has been vilified somewhat unfairly.

Signing Vick would be a P.R. nightmare for any team tempted to sign him. Yet, someone will. I somehow don't think that the majority of middle class Americans will get any sense of satisfaction seeing him beg for a job when he will be making millions to begin with.

[Booster]

39. I think Keith meant that NO ONE, in any sport, should be banned

for life, as was Pete Rose. I understand his point, but I disagree with him on this case. Pete Rose I could feel sorry for, Michael Vick - Never.

[DeepModem Mom]

9. This Comment from KO is controversial and, I think, difficult for most to understand.

This story has been so disturbing to me that I haven't until now posted or commented on it; somehow, I can hardly bear to even think about cruelty to animals.

[King Coal]

22. You know what bugs me Mom? I can almost tolerate cock fighting.

I have worked with so many hispanics that believe it to be a big part of their culture. Is it the size of the chicken brain vs the size of the dog brain that makes seem a little more tolerable? Don't jump on me, you who wait to jump, I would never participate, but they are very defensive of their right to fight chickens.

[EFerrari]

26. If you'd ever seen one of those beautiful birds kill each other

there's no way you'd tolerate it. I have personally retrieved dying birds who were left to hemorrhage to death in the ring and had to force myself to put them out of their misery.

And as far as this "sport" my people pursue, it needs to stop. They've bred these birds to be prisoners. They can't be let loose or they kill each other or any other bird in their presence. It's enough to break your heart and to make you hate people.

I'm not jumping on you -- just relating what I had to do one day.

[King Coal]

28. Thanks for the response. I know its cruel. And I agree it should stop.

But I think dog fighting is much worse. And I know that thinking is wrong. Weird.

[EFerrari]

29. Worse maybe because we relate more to dogs than birds or something.

It's not worse if you happen to be a bird.

[IndianaJones]

4. I agree with many of his comments, although Howard Cosell he is not. nt.

[Lex]

11. Thank goodness. nt

[backscatter712]

19. Perspective!

Even when Michael Vick gets out of jail, and even when the NFL tells him to get stuffed when he asks for his old job back, he's not out on the streets.

Up until this scandal, he's been paid millions for being QB of the Falcons. He's still worth millions. It's not like he's going to be destitute after he gets out of jail.

Worst case scenario for him, he settles down in a nice mansion, retires, and doesn't have to work a day in his life ever again. Unless he's incredibly stupid with his money, he's literally set for life.

I'm not going to shed any tears if he's not able to play football professionally ever again or get a job. He doesn't need one.

No sympathy for that son-of-a-bitch.

[MilesColtrane]

21. Olbermann seems pretty confident that no NFL team will touch Vick after jail.

Me? Not so much.

As long as someone can make money off of him, he'll have a job.
For example, look at the rapist Tyson's post-jail career.

I doubt that Vick, with his millions of dollars, will feel much of anything close to a personal hell after he's out. Anyone capable of such cruelty lacks the ability to feel shame.
Do you think OJ Simpson feels shameful?

[IndianaJones]

24. so...just curious...any evil white guys you can compare Vick to? nt.

[MilesColtrane]

36. Let's see, Phil Spector will probably not be acquitted...

...and Robert Blake, while equal in acting talent to OJ, didn't have his trial referred to as the "Trial of the Century".

Fatty Arbuckle's career was ruined and he was acquitted, so no, that's not an apt comparison when making the point that Vick will probably be employed after jail time.

hmm

No. I think I'll stick with Tyson and OJ, but thanks for your concern about my racist tendencies.

[Quixote1818]

27. How many convicted wife beaters still play in the NFL?

As Thom Hartman pointed out, there is an incredible double standard going on here.

[IndianaJones]

30. you question only interferes with the false outrage. nt.

[orleans]

33. and how many murderers play in the nfl? n/t

[Blue_Tires]

32. he has a point

people are in danger of making vick a sympathetic figure if they keep raining down this much outrage on him....they forget Leonard Little actually killed a woman drunk driving, and got a grand total of 90 days...i don't remember any huge outcry for the league to suspend or the team to cut him (and he's been happily playing ever since)..Jamal Lewis only got a two-game suspension...

of course, these incidents were under the previous commissioner

[DefenseLawyer]

35. So much hate

Hating those who make mistakes or those that are do bad things or even those that are just plain evil doesn't make you a better person. It just makes you someone that is full of hate. If Michael Vick were your brother, who would really hope that he would "burn in hell" or "rot in jail" or never work again because of the mistakes he has made? My guess is if it was your brother you would be angry and disappointed, but not so visceral in your condemnations.

[MadHound]

37. If it were your dogs that he was fighting

Or if you had to, day in, day out, rescue these animals, witness their suffering and pain, all for the pleasure of some sick twisted human psyche, do you think that you could remain calm, above it all, or simply consider what he did a "mistake"?

It all depends on your perspective. Yes, I hate what Vick did, and I loathe the man behind the actions. Of course I've worked with animal rescue, I've stiched up and nursed these dogs back to health, and suffered the suspicion and hostility of people who are leery of pit bulls, all because of the actions of Vick and others like him. It may not make be a better person, but I would rather have the empathetic soul that can get outraged at such actions as Vicks rather than being so emotionally dead in my soul that I can calmly observe the worst of human actions and merely go "Tsk, tsk"

Remember, what you do to the least creatures if a reflection of what you are capable of doing to your fellow man.

[DefenseLawyer]

38. It isn't the outrage that concerns me

It was an outrageous act, worthy of your outrage. What concerns me is the level brutality and hatred which some have brought to this discussion.