Investigation Continues With Michael Vick
Investigators met yesterday to examine evidence in the investigation of Michael Vick and his possible involvement in a dog fighting operation at his house. They came away from the investigation with no comments and saying that the investigation was ongoing.
Also, on Monday, Washington Redskins players Clinton Portis and Chris Samuels defended Michael Vick and ridiculed the fact that dogfighting is a crime. Portis said: “I don’t know if he was fighting dogs or not but it’s his property; it’s his dogs. If that’s what he wants to do, do it. You’re putting him behind bars for no reason — over a dog fight.” Hours later on Monday night, Portis issued this statement: “in the recent interview I gave concerning dog fighting, I want to make it clear I do not take part in dog fighting or condone dog fighting in any manner.”
(Thanks Steve)
May 22nd, 2007 at 12:59 pm
I just read that SI article. Those people are supposed to be role models for children! I wish the press would stop printing their trash. I know it’s news, but, words fail me. That they were laughing about it sickens me.
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:12 pm
OMG! What sick JERKS! Dogs ARE NOT PROPERTY..they are living, feeling creatures. My gosh! There is NOTHING worse than TRASH with a news reporter in front of them! If my husband so much as turns on a Redskins game this Fall, I’ll break the TV!
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:17 pm
No one ever said you needed a brain or a heart to play football. This goes to prove it. May they all fall on their pigskins.
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Trash begat trash.
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:52 pm
I have watched NFL football since the late ’60’s. No more! I just e-mailed the NFL the following:”At first, NFL players didn’t know drugs were illegal. Then they didn’t know rape was illegal. Occasionally, they believed they could get away with murder. Now they don’t know dog fighting is illegal. They have the nerve to complain that it’s unfair for Michael Vick to be investigated, that the dogs were his property to use as he wanted. Why these teams pay criminally-minded morons millions of dollars is beyond me. I have been a fan of NFL football for over 40 years, but this is the end of the line for me. I want nothing to do with an organization that rewards thugs of the worst sort.”
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:54 pm
I was so angry at Clinton Portis’ comments, that I was rendered speechless. This level of ignorance is just mindblowing. And, I think Vick should get about 5 years in prison per dog. Football is about the only sport I watch, but if this is the sort of example the NFL is setting, they’ve lost me.
Good commentary on Fox Sports about this:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6836960
May 22nd, 2007 at 2:20 pm
I imagine Portis’ agent called him and told him how much his original remarks would cost him in endorsements. That’s the only reason he modified his original statement. It’s all about ego, money, and greed.
Agreed, he’s an absolute jerk. So are Vick and Samuels.
May 22nd, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Susan says:
I have been a fan of NFL football for over 40 years, but this is the end of the line for me. I want nothing to do with an organization that rewards thugs of the worst sort.
I hesitantly say I agree. I do love football, but those who play pro are increasingly just not respectable people anymore. I remember when I was a kid, I really looked up to sports figures - have things changed, or am I just deluding myself? Pretty soon all you will be able to let your kids watch is golf.
May 22nd, 2007 at 2:49 pm
wait until one of their sponsors turns out to be a pet food company. Boy, will they suffer.
I say we all go to a Redskins game and boo him like crazy. Maybe toss contaminated dog food on the field?
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:00 pm
You people are crazy. What is so bad about dog fighting. It was ok for us to kill animals for leather, fur, trophies on a wall but dog fighting is illegal. Hell, those other animals are living creatures too. Stop whinning. There are so many more important things going on in the world. Other laws that need to be reworked and fixed that actually affect PEOPLE. Before you ask I own a dog. Love her to death. If someone wants to fight their dogs, why not? I wouldn’t fight mine but damn. You can have UFC fights but no dog fights.
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:03 pm
Let’s not even get into the cruelty that happens to race horses. Game hunting should be a crime, chicken fights should have been a crime, killing animals for fur should be a crime. Someone please just tell me why these things are not a crime?
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Methinks, Lawrence, you are very much misguided.
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Lawrence. Difference between UFC and dog fighting? How about having a choice? As for your other examples, let’s keep our eye on the ball. We’re talking dog fighting. IF you want to bring up the other issues, we can start another thread…..
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:09 pm
Honestly,
Why do you think i’m misguided? Why isn’t it a crime to kill a animal for it’s fur or to hunt a deer just to hang it’s head on a wall. Logically explain to me why one is better than the other. That’s all i’m asking
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Lawrence, why are you blasting people who might agree with you on those issues? This is a website about pets, as in companion animals. (And it’s spelled whining, not whinning.)
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:14 pm
A quote for Lawrence, from the aforelinked to Fox Sports Article:
“If somebody is too stupid to understand the fundamental immorality of dog fighting, you’re never going to be able to explain it to him.”
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Because you’re saying ‘you people are crazy’ and then endorsing dog fighting - your exact quote was ‘If someone wants to fight their dogs, why not?’ I could go on all day about ‘why not.’
so, you seem to be saying you are for dog fighting but against, cruelty in horse racing, cock fighting, killing animals for fur, game hunting and animal testing.
kind of all over the place with your arguments.
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:20 pm
an furthermore, Lawrence, no one is saying - or believes - on this site that ‘one is better than the other.’ the reason we’re discussing dogfighting and not another subject is, well, the issue in is dogfighting…..
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Let me say it this way. So you reasoning for not being as vocal for cruelty to all animals is; dog are companion animals. You have some people with pigs as pets. Therefore you could consider that a companion animal. Society have singled out dogs and cats to have “companion rights.” What about the other animals. I’m just trying to say, if you are going to champion this cause then you need to champion all causes in regards to cruelty and mindless killing of animals (hunting, fur, etc…)
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:21 pm
I totally agree with all of the above comments. M. Vick should pay the penalty for animal cruelty. It should not be swept under the rug because he is a football player. He should be an example of what a good moral, and caring man is, not someone who tortures and abuses animals and that is exactly what he has done. All the animals could feel pain, from his fighting dogs, to the innocent bait animals that he has tortured and killed. He is an animal abuser, that is the bottom line and he should pay the price for what he has done, but the truth is, that time in jail or some financial penalty will never ever compare to the terror, fear and pain that he has caused all the animals involved.
Vick and Portis are not men in my eyes, they are cowards who want to look and feel big, through these fighting dogs. Football is a tough sport there is no doubt about that, but let’s see how tough they really are if they had to fight like their dogs!!!! I don’t think they would last very long, if at all.
I enjoy football and so does my family and I realize that not all the players on the teams share the view on dog fighting, as these feel do.
Diana—Cleveland, Ohio
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Excuse the typing errors. They are not education mistakes. Just typing mistakes.
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:25 pm
This was an article about dogfighting. We are commenting on dogfighting. By the way, why are you telling us what we think?
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:25 pm
again, Lawrence - you are blasting people who are pretty much in agreement with you. Perhaps we, who are not as emotionally advanced as yourself, do tend towards a closer emotional bond with animals we call companions, but I do hope you’ll forgive us our flaw. But, that in no way says we are ‘for’ other forms of abuse. Has anyone here said such a thing?
As Susan pointed out, this is a website dedicated primarily to companion animal issues.
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:25 pm
The issue is dogfighting right now because of Vick right now. Dogfighting, hunting and fur trapping goes on everyday. So what you are telling me is you only stand up for it when it’s on the news? That’s what i’m saying. You are not ignorant to the fact that these things go on everyday right. My question to you is when have or what have you done to fight for these other causes?
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:27 pm
Lawrence Says:
Excuse the typing errors. They are not education mistakes. Just typing mistakes.
not to mention the sentence fragments?
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:29 pm
We address the other issues on the APPROPRIATE website, such as PETA, not on a companion animal website. You are really quite arrogant and holier-than-thou. It is so unnecessary. And we do NOT need to justify ourselves to you.
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:29 pm
Lawrence:
My question to you is when have or what have you done to fight for these other causes?
Um, everyone here, other than you IS doing something by BEING on this website and partcipating in a constructive discussion.
May 22nd, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Folks…..don’t give this troll what he’s obviously come here to do….and that is, get everyone’s hackles up!
He keeps asking the same question…over and over…..and you have been all answering him.
He’s either here to raise sh*t……or he’s not quite gotten it, which would just make him “a few slices short of a loaf!”
May 22nd, 2007 at 5:07 pm
“If man is not to stifle his human feelings, he must practice kindness towards animals, for he who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.” - Immanuel Kant
May 22nd, 2007 at 5:09 pm
“I hope to make people realize how totally helpless animals are, how dependent on us, trusting as a child must that we will be kind and take care of their needs… [they] are an obligation put on us, a responsibility we have no right to neglect, nor to violate by cruelty.” - James Herriot, Veterinarian and Author
May 22nd, 2007 at 5:11 pm
And finally…
“The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Mohandas Gandhi
May 22nd, 2007 at 5:22 pm
First, the idea that professional athletes are supposed to be role models went away years ago. It’s all about the money. That’s all the athletes care about; it’s all the ownership cares about; it’s all the sponsors care about. We put these athletes on pedestals and worship them. It’s the same with celebrities.
There are some good athletes who are strong role models, but there are a lot just like these guys.
May 22nd, 2007 at 6:54 pm
CNN.com’s Quickvote currently asks:
Should owners of dogs used for fighting face possible imprisonment?
At 6:50p (EDT), the results were:
YES - 93% or 85,153 votes
NO - 7% or 6154 votes
Total votes: 91,307
May 22nd, 2007 at 7:01 pm
I’m sometimes disappointed in my fellow human beings, but I am pleasantly surprised that over 91,000 votes have been recorded for this poll and 93% believe imprisonment is justified for dog fighters.
Now, I hope some of those who voted “yes” didn’t interpret the question as “Should owners of pit bull type dogs face possible imprisonment?” Haha…er, for obvious reasons. (A little joke, there.)
May 22nd, 2007 at 7:12 pm
Re CNN Survey:
Ah - restored faith in my fellow man.
May 22nd, 2007 at 8:11 pm
You can contact the Redskins’ owner and tell him what you think of his players’ behavior at:
Daniel Snyder, Owner
Washington Redskins
21300 Redskin Park Drive
Ashburn, VA 20147
May 22nd, 2007 at 8:28 pm
John–Thank you for that address. I will write to him. I sent an e-mail to the Redskins organization, but a letter to the owner is even better. Thanks so much.
May 22nd, 2007 at 8:39 pm
IM NOT SURPRISED BY THE NEWS OF THE DOG FIGHTING INCIDENT.HES A PIECE OF #### AND SO IS HIS PATHETIC BROTHER MARCUS VICK.MICHAEL VICK HAS TO BE THE BIGGEST LOSER WHEN IT COMES TO BEING A QUARTERBACK.THE SAD PART OF THIS WHOLE THING IS THAT KIDS LOOK UP TO THIS INHUMANE MONSTER.ID LOVE TO BE LOCKED IN A ROOM WITH HIM.I REALLY FEEL THAT THE NFL SHOULDNT ALLOW THESE TYPE OF PEOPLE TO BECOME VERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRY RICH.IF HES INVOLVED IN THESE TYPE OF ACTIVITIES,WHAT OTHER SICK AND CRUEL THINGS ARE GOING ON BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.CLINTON PORTIS NEEDS TO KEEP HIS COMMENTS TO HIMSELF.MAYBE THESE IDIOTS SHOULD FIND SOME POSITIVE HOBBIESINSTEAD PINNING 2 INNOCENT ANIMALS AGAINST EACH OTHER.MICHAEL VICK OBVIOUSLY HAS ALOT OF HATE INSIDE HIM STEELERS#1
May 22nd, 2007 at 8:41 pm
John,
And if you wish to complain about Michael Vick:
Arthur M. Blank, Owner
Atlanta Falcons
4400 Falcon Parkway
Flowery Branch, GA 30542
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:03 pm
perhaps the people who claim to love their dogs so much would feel differently about dog fighting if they knew that family pets are scooped off the street and stolen and strays adopted out of shelters to be chained down and put to use with fighting dogs- to teach them to crave the taste of blood-get the spirit of the fight in them. these are the throw away animals, once someone’s pet used to train dogs-they die this way. if your pet was stolen for this purpose would complaining about dog fighting still be hypocritical?
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:27 pm
I’ve got three words for anyone who thinks dogfighting is OK:
PROVERBS
TWELVE
TEN
“A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.”
If you like killing and torture in ANY form, YOU ARE EVIL, PERIOD.
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Hm… Veddy intellesting. I’ll provide the dots; you connect ‘em.
Former Coach Defends Vick (*and* his own nephew?):
http://tinyurl.com/38wuaf
“The young man is innocent until proven guilty. He has said that he has not done these things, and I’m here to support him. But the media is trying to destroy him. It’s not fair…”
Information On Vick’s Virginia Home (before he sold it for half its worth):
http://tinyurl.com/2v94d7
“The records show the home is registered to Vick and Charles Reamon, Jr, the nephew of Vick’s former high school football coach.”
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:46 pm
My local shelter has several of those dogs. They’re called bait dogs. The scarring on these poor little things would give you nightmares. (The shelter is working with trainers to be sure these poor guys are safe, and they hope they will be able to find people to adopt them.)
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:55 pm
I just read that Michael Vick is blaming his cousin for this dog fighting/animal cruelty. What a cop out!!!!! I don’t believe this for one minute, but even let’s us for a moment pretend and says it is true, it’s still no excuse. I own rental property and I am responsible to know what is going on at that property or I could be charged and also lose my property, so that’s no excuse. Also if , he makes that much money that he has never been to this property or very seldom goes there and can let other people live there, then he is definitely making way toooo much money.
I have absolutely no respect at all for a person/man who tries to blame someone else for his actions. Just another great example that he is giving to our young people!!! FIRE HIM NOW and put him in the ring for 15minutes with the best of his fighting dogs that hate people, because that is what he desires. Jail is too good for him and all the rest that are involved in this dog fighting rings.
May 22nd, 2007 at 10:41 pm
In response to Lawrence:
I do not buy nor wear real fur.
I do not support grey hound racing.
I do not support chicken fighting.
I do not support bull fighting.
I often sign petitions for animal rights.
I DO eat meat, but there is a HUGE difference in giving an animal a quick humane death for food consumption then torturing an animal to death for some sick pleasure.
Torturing ANY animal is wrong. Period.
That is ALL I have to say to you. People like you annoy me.
As to those football players, Clinton Portis, Chris Samuels, and Michael Vick, how about we force them to fight each other to the death while we all cheer? Then they’ll know what those poor dogs went through.
May 23rd, 2007 at 1:11 pm
I just have to say as a huge REDSKIN fan, I was so appaulled by Clinton Portis’s comment about the dog fighting, I feel like going and burning the jersey with his name on it that I own.
These NFL players make so much money they seem to develop and GOD COMPLEX.
Just goes to show ya you can take a person out of the bad environment but you can’t take the bad environment out of the person. Thats why so money of these players do such stupid crap.
May 23rd, 2007 at 1:12 pm
PPS
I do not buy that he was joking nor do I buy his apology
May 23rd, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Do those guys have endorsements? Those are the companies I’d like to write to and tell them I won’t buy products advertised by jerks like that. Hit them right in the wallet.
May 23rd, 2007 at 3:37 pm
I just found Portis in a coke ad. Guess I go to Pepsi.
May 24th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
lawrence is worthless, somebody should put him in a cage with a pitbull and see what happens to him. The mental and physical abuse of those animals is unforgivable.
July 5th, 2007 at 8:31 am
[…] Best Friends Animal Society has launched a campaign called “It’s Not Cool To Be Cruel.” With the campaign, Best Friends hopes to convince major league sports figures to crack down on dog fighting among professional athletes. […]
July 5th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
joe says:
“lawrence is worthless, somebody should put him in a cage with a pitbull and see what happens to him. The mental and physical abuse of those animals is unforgivable.”
The thing is, these dogs are almost always so people-friendly that if you did put the lovely Lawrence in a cage with a Pit Bull, he’d get licked to death and his arms would fall off from having to give so many belly-scratches. That’s what makes dogfighting doubly evil. A Pit Bull is so eager to please his master he will do whatever is asked of him, whether it is sniffing out hidden drugs, catching a frisbee or tearing another dog to pieces. Pit Bulls are good dogs IN THE RIGHT HANDS.
In the hands of people like Michael Vick and Clinton Portis they would be taught to kill, and then they would suffer horribly and die for doing what their master says to do.
November 5th, 2011 at 10:25 pm
binaural beats
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