Deion as in Sanders..on Vick...

[feelthepain]

Deion "Primetime" Sanders was always one hell of football player but not the brightest bulb...How can you defend Vick Deion? Yea, you're right he truly does those animals, I mean what puppy wouldn't want to be drowned, electrocuted or slammed onto the ground?

Deion bends over backwards to defends his race. He doesn't care what the issue or the evidence. Deion always tries to shed a favorable light on the his race in sports. It's his right to do so, but it's obvious he cares more about making his race look good then he is about what's right and wrong. He reminds me of Jim Brown, Rev Al Sharpton. I think we all know Vick hasn't been convicted of anything and I'm not saying he's guilty, but to defend dog fighting is idiotic and I'll bet if it were a white football player in the same position, Deions view would be different....GUARANTEED!!!!!!!!

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Deion bends over backwards to defends his race. He doesn't care what the issue or the evidence. Deion always tries to shed a favorable light on the his race in sports. It's his right to do so, but it's obvious he cares more about making his race look good then he is about what's right and wrong. He reminds me of Jim Brown, Rev Al Sharpton. Iquote]


This time, even Rev. Al isn't defending him.............

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/sports/story/92175.html

 

[Mainefan]

Deion's article isn't quite as bad as I thought, but it is still an effort to help Vick, a misguided effort, and a fairly clever and well-written effort at that.

But it is dead wrong.

As to what role Vick had in the whole affair, let's leave that to the law. All we have are news reports, which may be right or wrong, complete or incomplete.

As for using Vick to get to the "ringleaders" -- if he isn't the ringleader-- that's a time-tested police procedure and it often works. They could be doing exactly the same thing if he wasn't a famous athlete.

As for the "many athletes who share his passion," I'm dismayed to hear it. Would Deion care to tell us who he's talking about? Could he be called by a Grand Jury to reveal these names?

Dogfighting is despicable. Any human beings who "share this passion" diminish themselves. Any human beings who knowingly tolerate this activity are reprehensible.

In my opinion, this is a crime that, like child abuse, reveals something missing in the psyche of the perpetrator.

Bringing up the murder of Darant Williams or the robbery of Antoine Walker is phony baloney. The fact that the perpetrators in these cases haven't been caught has nothing to do with the Vick case. All three should have been caught.

Comparing a dogfighting ring to a MySpace page is equally invalid. What he's saying, I think, is that the law's pursuit of the dogfighting case is disproportional to the crime, in the same way a teen's passion for MySpace is out of whack. The metaphor doesn't fly. In fact, it doesn't even taxi down the runway. It is a doomed attempt to softpedal the crime.

In fact, much of what Deion has written here is an attempt to soft-pedal the crime. Wouldn't we like to ask Deion how he personally feels about dogfighting and how often, if ever, he's attended a dogfight?

The simple fact is, if Vick has committed this crime, there is no way to stick up for him without getting yourself dirty.

And one more thing: I am verrrry uncomfortable bringing race into this issue. I don't doubt that plenty of whites enjoy dogfighting as well, and that some of them have committed crimes of the Vick variety. I would never defend them. I think Deion's defense of Vick is much more easily explained by fellow-player camaraderie, admiration of his skills, personal acquaintance and, perhaps, shared pleasures.

 

[rabthepat]

Foolish comments by Sanders. He just can't stay out of controversy.

 

[37Harrison]

Foolish comments by Sanders. He just can't stay out of controversy.

I really think that is exactly what all of these stations are going after. A personality that will provide some "harmless" controversy. It makes people tune in whether they agree with him or not because they want to see what that controversial analyst is going to say next, which equals ratings. I call it the Howard Stern Syndrome in broadcasting.

 

[Displaced - Fan]

I think it is fair enough to say that Deion Sanders is a complete and utter moron, that Emmitt Smith is a stupid man, and that Michael Vick is an evil scumbag.

Sanders slammed the door on his own credibility when he "interviewed" Pacman Jones and joked and laughed his way through the conversation. Here we see graphic evidence of the dumbing down of America. God help us all.

Couldn't agree more!:rocker:

 

[BWareofDWare]

If you read the article he said:
-Vick could lose millions financially from this. (Agree and hope so)
-Vick's reputation could end up destroyed from this to the point no NFL team would take a chance on him. (Agree, and again hope so)
-What a dog means to Vick may be a lot different than what he means to us and him. (Agree and damn sure hope so)
-Vick enjoyed proving he had the toughest dog on the street and loved his dogs that were the biggest and the baddest. (No idea)
-Vick was wrong, stupid, immature, and may or may not have been the ringleader. (Agree 100% on the first 3, no idea on the last)
-Deion is more concerned with bringing to justice someone who killed a human than someone that killed a dog. (Agree, and think both should be concerns)
-We should monitor our kids activities (Agree)
-Joey Harrington sucks (Whole heartedly agree)

He did NOT say:
-Dog fighting is okay and Michael Vick didn't do anything wrong
-This is only happening because Michael Vick is black

I recommend reading what he actually wrote before just passing judgment. If from reading this you think Deion went to his dog fights, well, I think you are crazy. He used allegedly and apparently multiple times, but it's called due process, and as a journalist it's Deion's responsibility to phrase things like this. From reading the indictment, I believe and hope that Michael Vick will be convicted of these heinous crimes.

A lot has changed from the 90s Deion, to the man who found Christ in 1997. Deion is a hell of a guy, whether or not he was a flashy player. After the horror of Hurricane Katrina he challenged all professional athletes in the four major sports donate $1,000 each in relief efforts. He's also one of the few athletes that offers both money and his time. He has 7 adopted children who were left parentless living in his home, ages 3-18, and not all of them are African-American.

 

[feelthepain]

He did NOT say:
-This is only happening because Michael Vick is black

Read whatever you like, I've seen enough of Deion to know what he stands for and what his motives are. If you believe he's not defending Vick because he's black, thats your choice, but like I said if this was Brett Favre or Carson Palmer Deion wouldn't be making this situation seem as if it's less then what it is.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

What crap.

"Can I ask you a question? Where did AIDS come from? Have they caught -- or even posthumously identified -- Jack the Ripper? Why is our natural lifespan around 70 instead of 150? That's like taking a whole nother lifetime away from every one of us the moment we're born. I think these things are more important than Michael Vick staging dog fights."

Uh, yah. The guy also states Vick's dogfighting reminds him of trying to wear the flashiest bling, etc.... basically admitting they're both immature pricks. But we're supposed to read and think "after all, everybody either engages in animal deathsports, or carries enough gold on his person to recognize the combined lifetime achievements of Olga Korbut, Nadia Comenietzi (sp?), and Mark Spitz."

Hey, news flash: that's dumb too Deion. Not criminal, though at the time, all the rage among criminals. But dumb, just on GPs.

I think he's equating the culture of ego and machismo which leads to "thug style" conspicuous consumption, with culture of machismo and ego of Vick's animal treatment. He's right, but still finds a way to be dumb. The point isn't that this is all harmless stuff everybody does. The point is that 99% of people don't do either of these things, because they're infantile personal statements most of us grew out of by the 8th grade.

Americans are famously violent toward one another. We constantly have ex jocks lined up on the Sunday jock shows defending present criminal jocks. Big surprise there.

Well, Deion, you're right in a way.

If Vick has a meth lab on his property, and he is going to a party where they are selling meth, and he is doing meth, and somebody at the party yells his name and his thugs "dissuade" him from such behavior... I would say a number of things:

1) If he is not the ringleader, he is an impressive mid level guy. He has his own entourage, he owns the means of production (the property, and the meth lab or dog, depending.)

2) He is definitely guilty of criminal wrongdoing. It is a tool at the DA's disposal, if in fact there even is a "ringleader," to cut a plea bargain, in exchange for a higher level in the operation. This assumes as yet unproven higher levels in the Vick organization.

3) Best way to get Vick to think about turning over some "dogfighting king," some Ray Crock or Colonel Sanders of dogfighting, is to make it hurt if Vick does not turn him over. Then you give him six months in prison, and tell him don't do it again. And then you seriously take down the "ringleader." (After all, this guy must have "shows" open all over the region or the country. This "ringleader" must be electrocuting, hanging, and shooting dogs in the millions... this guy is bad news.) That's your plea-bargain.

4) By the way, the reason he's guilty of criminal behavior is that he committed crimes [allegedly - obviously this is pending the trial, but I don't think he even argues this.]

We can therefore surmise that the root cause of people looking at vick like he's some kind of criminal, is that he's some kind of criminal (not that he's famous.)

The reason we recognize Vick on the street as some kind of criminal, is that he is famous. These are two different things.

Anybody who believes that the famous are victims of society-wide persecution need only talk to the women Paris Hilton was supposed to be locked away with, prior to the machinations that landed her in an "alternative" arrangement. I'm sure the very famous disagree, but the incidence of arrest and incarceration, shockingly, might be even higher among the non-famous of America.

By the way, I expect Vick's admittence to re-hab, finding of Jesus, and signing of a book deal within the next couple of years, but only if he actually does time or is otherwise made to not play multimilliondollar football for a significant period of time.

PFnV

 

[captain stone]

From the article,
"
The potential impact could be devastating.

He could lose millions worth of endorsements. Nike has already suspended the release of his new shoe. He could lose millions he was supposed to get from the Atlanta Falcons, if the club decides to cut him. That’s unlikely, but it could happen if he’s convicted or makes a plea arrangement.

Or his reputation might wind up so stained that he’s never forgiven in the court of public opinion. That would be too bad for the 27-year-old superstar."

What is interesting, is not what Sanders said, but what he didn't say. At no point does he acknowledge that Michael Vick could go to jail! He discusses the financial implications but not the major implications, the loss of freedom.
Just my $0.02,

And so, the two gods of the culture of the jock, and of the culture of the ghetto, are revealed: Money and Rep. What a shock.

P.S.: I'm sure that dog-fighting existed long before hip-hop infected this country; therefore the racial components within it are probably not as one-sided as one may be led to believe. Imagine that: rednecks and gangstas with something in common.

 

[Mainefan]

It has nothing to do with race. It has to do with people. Here's a brief history of dog-fighting, from the Humane Society:

"The modern ‘sport’ of dog fighting has its origins in the Coliseum combats of ancient Rome. Emperor Lucullus was reputedly the first to initiate the practice of pitting dogs against other animals: a group of dogs would be thrown into the Coliseum, doomed to be trampled to death by wild elephants.

Following the fall of Rome, the practice of fighting dogs made its reappearance in medieval England. Beginning in at least the 12th Century, such practices as bull and bear baiting, in addition to mortal combats between dogs and lions or elephants, became increasingly popular. In Elizabethan London, on the south banks of the Thames, a popular attraction was the Bear Gardens – an attraction that even Queen Elizabeth graced. Indeed, royal approval of bear baiting included the appointment of an official ‘Master of the Bears and Dogs.’

By the middle of the 17th Century, the popularity in England of baiting sports with at least the nobility had declined rather dramatically; by 1835, humane groups succeeded in outlawing all baiting sports in an act of Parliament known as the Humane Act of 1835.

The growing costliness and scarcity of bears and bulls in the 1700s for baiting purposes had encouraged the practice of fighting dogs against each other for sporting exhibition purposes. The passage of the Humane Act of 1835 however provided the chief incentive for the growth of dog fighting: with the baiting of larger animals illegal, dog fighting became the primary alternative for animal fighting fanciers.

The growth of dog fighting upon the passage of the Humane Act of 1835 was made possible by the development of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. First bred around 1800, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier combined the strength of the Bulldog with the quickness and viciousness of the Terrier. The result was an excellent fighting dog capable of engaging in voracious combat for hours.

With the importation of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier into the United States at around 1817, dog fighting quickly became a popular pastime in this country.

During the 1860s, the ‘sport’ was made illegal in most states in the U.S. However, the new state laws did little to stop the ‘sport.’ With the support of much of the populace and some local and police officials, the activity continued to flourish in the late 19th and early 20th Century: books devoted to the ‘sport’ were published, breeders specialized in developing fighting dogs (Colby, Komosinsky, etc.), world championship fights with large purses were held, and such groups as the United Kennel Club provided rules, approved referees, and an organizational framework for the ‘sport.’

The 1930s and ‘40s saw a decline of the ‘sport,’ with such groups as the United Kennel Club disassociating themselves from the activity. The last decade (‘60s and ‘70s) however has seen a major growth in the ‘sport’: two new publications have been established to further dog fighting (Sporting Dog Journal, 1967; Pit Dog Report, 1970), a breeding registry dedicated to fighting dogs has been revitalized, and the number of actively involved individuals in the ‘sport’ has expanded from 2,500 in 1962 to 5,000 in 1974.

The dog fight of today differs little from the fights of the early 20th Century. The pre-fight procedures are essentially the same: the dogs are weighed (dogs only within a pound of each other are normally fought) and then washed in soap water to remove any poison or drug that may have been placed on their furs. The rules followed in the fight are similar: the dogs fight until one turns; after a one-minute rest period, if the dog that turned refuses to scratch, he is declared the loser. And the results of today’s fights are tragically the same as those of 60 years ago: most dogs, following their struggle that may last as long as six hours, eventually die, mortally wounded either by exterior lacerations or internal injuries such as collapsed lungs.

Dog fighting has traditionally involved wager. Today, betting money of up to $100,000 is involved in dog fighting conventions. In turn, the large sums of gambling money have invited a variety of other unsavory activities and individuals: the theft of dogs, drugs, prostitution, organized criminal activity, and even murder have increasingly been tied to dog fighting."

 

[BWareofDWare]

Read whatever you like, I've seen enough of Deion to know what he stands for and what his motives are. If you believe he's not defending Vick because he's black, thats your choice, but like I said if this was Brett Favre or Carson Palmer Deion wouldn't be making this situation seem as if it's less then what it is.

He said what Vick did was wrong, stupid, and immature. I am not reading "whatever I like", I am reading what Deion wrote, and he is not defending Vick's actions. You are the one that is making this about race, not Deion, which would lead me to question what you stand for and your motives, not Deion's.

 

[Asante4prez]

He said what Vick did was wrong, stupid, and immature. I am not reading "whatever I like", I am reading what Deion wrote, and he is not defending Vick's actions. You are the one that is making this about race, not Deion, which would lead me to question what you stand for and your motives, not Deion's.

I know....Why does everyone pull the "race card" on so many issues? Not to get controversial, but enough of people acting like they have been "victimized" by society. What about Jewish people who have almost been wiped off the face of the earth countless times and what about european immigrants who were worked to death when they came here? Thats not adversity?

Stop pulling the race card people, its 2007. Michael Vick is not in trouble for fighting dogs because he's black, hes in trouble for fighting dogs....

 

[feelthepain]

He said what Vick did was wrong, stupid, and immature. I am not reading "whatever I like", I am reading what Deion wrote, and he is not defending Vick's actions. You are the one that is making this about race, not Deion, which would lead me to question what you stand for and your motives, not Deion's.

Did Deion also give the impression dog fighting wasn't really a big deal? Did he also not make it seem as if Vick was just expressing his manhood? Yes! The Only reason he brought up the fact that Vick was dumb, was to covers his own behind due to the fact that if he said anything else, he'd be out of any kind of a job. Calling Vick dumb had more to do with getting caught, not for doing what he did. I could care less what you think of me, I see whats there not what I want to see. This isn't the only time Deions had something to say when a black player is being accused of something. Why does Deions opinion matter anyway and why does he need to speak on the subject? Think about it.

 

[patsacolachick]

He said what Vick did was wrong, stupid, and immature. I am not reading "whatever I like", I am reading what Deion wrote, and he is not defending Vick's actions. You are the one that is making this about race, not Deion, which would lead me to question what you stand for and your motives, not Deion's.

Oh please he was totally trying to justify what this scumbag did as Vick just wanting to prove he is bigger and badder than anyone else, making it seem as though this is somehow normal. Sorry Deion, there is just no defense or justification for this, AT ALL, EVER.

 

[PonyExpress]

I've owned dogs my whole life. A few I've had to put down for being vicious; many I've buried on my own land. I hate pit bulls and other dogs bred to kill. If I had my way, they would be outlawed. I realize the dog fighting story has touched a nerve with America. Many I know, especially the women in my life, are beyond outraged and want to see Vick imprisoned. My own take is subdued. Maybe because I've been abroad alot this cruelty doesn't seem as outrageous to me as the casual slaughter of human beings that happens everywhere in the world, and the terrible rapes, injustice that is commonplace. My real concern in this case is the likelihood that organized crime and drug gangs were involved in this underworld bloodsport, compromising the integrity of the players who participated.

 

[BWareofDWare]

Did Deion also give the impression dog fighting wasn't really a big deal? Did he also not make it seem as if Vick was just expressing his manhood? Yes!

He did not give the impression that dog fighting wasn't really a big deal. He gave the impression that we need to put the same passion in bringing those to justice who commit heinous crimes on dogs as those who commit heinous crimes against humans. He did make it seem as if Vick was expressing his manhood, and he also said that that's WRONG.

The Only reason he brought up the fact that Vick was dumb, was to covers his own behind due to the fact that if he said anything else, he'd be out of any kind of a job. Calling Vick dumb had more to do with getting caught, not for doing what he did. I could care less what you think of me, I see whats there not what I want to see.

He said what Vick did was wrong, stupid, and immature, in clear reference to the dog fighting ring. You are the one saying nonsense like "Calling Vick dumb had more to do with getting caught." That is 100% seeing what you want to see, when that isn't the case. You are just making stuff up at this point to try and make your argument.

This isn't the only time Deions had something to say when a black player is being accused of something. Why does Deions opinion matter anyway and why does he need to speak on the subject? Think about it.

He is speaking on the subject because he writes for that newspaper. You should read his article from the week before where he rips that cracker Kobe Bryant.

 

[BWareofDWare]

Oh please he was totally trying to justify what this scumbag did as Vick just wanting to prove he is bigger and badder than anyone else, making it seem as though this is somehow normal. Sorry Deion, there is just no defense or justification for this, AT ALL, EVER.

I don't know what part of calling Vick's dog fighting ring immature, stupid, and wrong you don't get. Read his actual words.

 

[TealSox]

My real concern in this case is the likelihood that organized crime and drug gangs were involved in this underworld bloodsport, compromising the integrity of the players who participated.

This is a point that is being ignored thus far.

The NBA has a problem with a referee that had a gambling problem that put him in the lap of the mafia. How close is Vick's actions, if found guilty, riding toward possible corruption in the NFL?

Can I venture to say that nothing good comes from fighting dogs?

---------------------------------------------------------------------

I applaud Al Sharpton for speaking up against the matter rather than take the side I would have expected him to. Thank you for doing what appears to be the right thing!

---------------------------------------------------------------------

So are we making a big deal of this? I found myself asking whether I'm letting the media make a situation bigger than it should. Obviously the consensus of the nation and the media is that this is a huge deal. Then you have Portis, Emmitt and Iverson diverting the real issue to there being a witch hunt for celebrities and what not.

I have to say now that it is a big deal and might be a bigger deal than we can realize. If it wasn't a celebrity like Vick, I think the nation and the media would care for a brief period of time and it would end up in the back of our minds months later. Because it is Vick, he has become the lightning rod for animal cruelty and the "thug" nature in sports maybe to some degree. It is also a big deal because sports celebrities involvement in this behavior is rare; especially when you consider the penalties.

Maybe the Pacman and Tank Johnson issues make this bigger. Maybe those guys make this less astonishing. And then, there is the chance that this is the final straw for the fans.

For what it is worth, I truly think that people aren't going to carry the issue of dog fighting any further than the media brings it to us. Out of sight and out of mind. The fact of the matter is, it will come to us longer because it is a celebrity and Vick will take more criticism because he will be made the source of all that is wrong with the NFL.

And I won't feel bad if he is made an example if it sends a message to every player, high school star, college prospect, etc that no one is above the league. It is a privilege, not a right!

 

[TealSox]

Bomb sniffing dogs searched the courthouse. Ironic that a dog is used to prevent an incident that could harm M. Vick.