UPDATE (08/24/07): Bumped up to today.
No time to post it — Allah has it over at HotAir. Looks like Vic will most likely get it easier than anticipated — and I anticipated it would be pretty easy in the first place. Well, at least he’ll be able to get back to throwing the football quicker. /sarcasm
From FoxSports:
Twenty-five days after he declared that he looked forward to clearing his name, Vick said through defense lawyer Billy Martin that he will plead guilty. A hearing is scheduled for Aug. 27.
“Mr. Vick has agreed to enter a plea of guilty to those charges and to accept full responsibility for his actions and the mistakes he has made,” Martin said in a statement. “Michael wishes to apologize again to everyone who has been hurt by this matter.”
Apparently clearing his good name just isn’t going to work out. Shocked? I’m not. I am getting a little sick of beating this dead horse, but I started blogging this story several months ago and intend to see it through. Is it just me, or is the MSM making animal abuse sound less and less hideous?
The NFL noted in a statement that the Atlanta Falcons quarterback’s admission wasn’t in line with what he told commissioner Roger Goodell shortly after being charged.
“We totally condemn the conduct outlined in the charges, which is inconsistent with what Michael VickFalcons,” the NFL said. previously told both our office and the Falcons,” the NFL said.
The league, which barred Vick from training camp, said it has asked the Falcons to withhold further action while the NFL’s own investigation wraps up.
Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players Association, said in a statement:
“We believe the criminal conduct to which Mr. Vick has pled guilty today cannot be condoned under any circumstances. Speaking personally, as I have previously stated, the practice of dog fighting is offensive and completely unacceptable. I can only hope that Mr. Vick, who is young man, will learn from this awful experience.”
If you’re interested in the entire article, click on the FoxSports link above. For now, let’s just end this post with some views from a scumbag defense attorney:
Another defense attorney, James D. “Butch” Williams Jr., alluded to the harsh public backlash against Vick since the July 17 indictment detailed the abuse of dogs on Vick’s property in Surry County, Va.
“Michael is a father, he’s a son, he’s a human being — people oftentimes forget that,” he said, adding that Vick is “very remorseful.”
“Nobody’s been rougher on Mike than Mike’s been on himself,” Williams said.
Do you think Michael really regrets his dog abusing / killing tendencies? Or, could it just possibly be that he thought he was now above the law and the only thing he regrets is finding out he’s not and that he got caught?
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“I got caught, and for that I am extremely sorry.”
My thoughts exactly Kevin.
You’re right. Vick is likely stunned that he got caught and that his friends caved under pressure. When the going gets tough, it’s every man for himself.
Absolutely! Look at Marcus Vick and Michael Vick’s previous transgressions. He may be sorry that the high rolling lifestyle is going to be put on hold.
Hi Jay,
Every man for himself was right.
Hi Sam,
Probably not for too long though, don’t you think? Seriously, I’ll be shocked if this is Vick’s wake up call.
Thanks for stopping in guys.
Hi Tammi,
What ticks me off in this matter is that the dogs he abused are going to be put down if they can’t find anyone to adopt them! Since we have two pit bulls that were once part of just such a horror as Vic was perpetuating, who are now fine pets, this is a subject near and dear to me. I’d much rather see the criminal put down, and the money we save on his incarceration spent to house these poor animals for the rest of their lives. Of course, if I hit the lottery this weekend, I’ll do it myself.
the Grit
Hi Grit,
Actually, I have the link to the story you are talking about, regarding the dogs being put down and am planning to blog it tonight after work. If I don’t end up posting about it, I’ll just link it into this comment. (I blogged on something else, so just inserted the link.)
I understand your love for the breed, especially since you have two of them. I just don’t see how they can adopt these dogs out though. Wouldn’t it be a problem with people wanting fighting dogs trying to adopt them? Of course they would lie on the paperwork, but I’d rather see the dogs put down than winding back up in that cruel predicament. Since you’ve adopted 2 of these dogs, what are the safety precautions that keep dog fighters from trying to get them? I’m really curious.
I hope you hit the lottery this weekend.
dang dont even get me started on him girl!..spit!..p.s. Do I have to re-fill my info each time I come now?..:)
Hi Angel,
I hope you don’t have to refill your info every time you come. Does your browser not offer to save it for you? How has it worked in the past?
I’m just testing… but already your site isn’t having the same issue mine is.
boo.
Hi Tammi,
Pit bulls do have their problems with other dogs. The ones we’ve had are very good with people, but they have absolutely no hesitation to tear into another dog at the slightest provocation. They also seem to have a great tolerance for pain. These traits combined with their extremely powerful jaw, neck, and shoulder muscles make them formidable beasts.
In my experience, however, they are very loyal and obedient pets once they have the chance to adapt and socialize, although this may be a very trying process. I would suggest, if anyone adopts one of these abused dogs, that seeking the help of a professional trainer is the best course. Our experience has taught us that the most important thing to do with pit bulls, if you have multiple dogs, is to remove as many potential causes of a fight as possible. This means separating them at feeding time, no chew toys, and only giving them small treats that will be quickly consumed. Also, they need to have obedience training that includes calming down, so that if regular doggy play gets too rough, they will quit when told.
The other problem is in keeping them in your yard. I highly caution against anyone attempting to keep such a pet in an urban area. These dogs are too powerful to constrain in a cramped environment against the temptation of eating your neighbor’s poodle that is presented too often. In an environment with enough lawn and few roaming dogs, the best thing to have is an Invisible Fence, which is a buried wire that broadcasts a very faint radio signal. The dog’s collar has two electrodes that stay in contact with it’s skin, and a radio receiver that sends a powerful jolt of electricity into their neck if they come too close to the wire, much like a stun gun. I tested this on myself when we first got it, and it hurts like Hell but does no permanent damage. The advantage, particularly with large dogs, is that there is no physical barrier which they can test, and eventually escape from. Once they get shocked a couple of times under controlled circumstances, the invisible line becomes a psychological barrier that they rarely dare test.
In any case, this breed is definitely not a good choice for anyone who is not willing to devote the necessary time to training and supervision. Also, like any dog, there may come a time when your pet decides to have a go at your throat, so, considering the size and power of this particular bread, one should take into consideration how a personal confrontation would come out.
That’s all I can think of at the moment. Anyone with questions can find our email address on out blogs, both of which we are proud to have listed in Tammi’s side bars.
the Grit
That’s the kind of stuff that makes for hilarious YouTube viewing.
Is it on video? Lol! Anyway, there is a fun board type game called Taboo, where the opposing team sounds a buzzer every time the team playing says a forbidden word. Well, when we were still living in NE, we modified it a bit by putting a shock collar around the ankle of the person describing what they were suppose to be describing, but when they said a forbidden word, instead of a harmless buzzer, they would receive a shock. Needless to say, whoever had the list of forbidden words concentrated much harder. I have to admit, when it was girls against guys, my friend and I were a little “trigger” happy so to speak. Good times. 
Back on topic, I wish all future pit bull owners had access to your advice. You don’t try to sugar coat the truth when it comes to handling this breed of dog.
Oh yeah Grit … the part where you claim there is no permanent damage … is that your personal opinion, or can your wife verify that?
Hi Tammi
Turn him over, stick a fork in him, Vick is done.
Hi Grit
Thanks for the info on Pit Bulls. Very informative.
Pit Bulls seems like a good choice to guard the homestead from intruders, but they would not be my first choice as a companion dog.
I prefer the Labrador breed where the chance of being attacked is zero. The neighborhood kids are also safe which cuts down on those pesky lawsuits.
LC
Hi LC,
I hope he’s done. I mean, it’s not as though he’s had no second chances.
We prefer Boxers and Boston Terriers to guard our homestead. The Boston can put a pretty severe tongue lashing on an intruder, and the Boxer at least looks scary!
Of course, in reality, we must really count on the well being of the 2nd Amendment to protect ourselves.
According to the ASPCA, once pit-bulls are taught to fight they can never be successfully socialized. They don’t even try, and instead put them to sleep.
Sad :(.
Hi Kevin,
I just cannot imagine participating in something as horrific as dog fighting. It is just stupid.
Have a good weekend.
Hi Tammi,
That was long before YouTube
Hi LC,
Actually, they aren’t really very good guard dogs. You have to go to great lengths to teach them to attack people. Of course, with all the bad press they get, combined with the fact they look mean, the need for them to attack intruders is most often not needed. As to companion dogs, my experience is that the best are mutts rescued from the pound. Oh, and you should know that there is always a circumstance under which any dog will attack you. The odds of having it occur are much smaller with some breeds, but never reach zero.
Hi Kevin,
If I recall correctly, that is only true if they have been taught to attack people. Of our two, one is a female who was used as breeding stock then turned out once she got too old. The other one is a male who, best we can tell, didn’t have enough of the killer instinct and was turned loose after at age two or three. Considering the number of scares on his head, I find it difficult to understand what the monsters breeding these dogs to fight consider vicious. Still, when he was rescued he had no hair due to mange, weighed less than 30 pounds, and was so infested with ticks that he was anemic. Fortunately, my wife is a most excellent veterinarian, and today he is just shy of 80 pounds and is a most vigorous dog. Neither of them, while in our care, has intentionally bitten a person. We have one other dog that they have yet to attack. We also have, on a regular basis, dogs that are weekend guests that my wife is treating, and none of these have been attacked, although we exercise extreme caution at these times. Of course, we may just have been lucky, and I, again, want to point out that owning dogs of this type is a serious responsibility that is not to be taken lightly!
Hi again Tammi,
Even more insane, in my opinion, is cock fighting! On the other hand, our ancestors have done much worse, reference the Romans and the Norse.
the Grit
Hi Grit,
Yes, there is insanity in our ancestral lines. That’s for sure.