<p>I was going to entitle this thread "more on the moron… " but decided that was too controversial :). Should anyone be interested, the Atlanta Falcons are not going to cut Michael Vick… yet. If they did, they would not be able to attempt to recoup the $22 million in signing bonuses they have already paid him. When they do cut him, the estimated salary loss (2007-2013) will be $71 million. Then there is the estimated loss of endorsements ($50 million) and estimated legal fees ($1 million). Cha-ching. We are now up to $144 million. Anyone want to take up a collection?? Related stories in the local paper include efforts by a local vet and a Pit Bill Rescue group who said that euthanizing all of Vick’s dogs would give pit bulls a bad name (:eek:) and an article about Travis Henry, who plays for the Denver Broncos, having trouble paying his child support to the 9 children he fathered by 9 women (including one in our local area), despite the $25 million salary he earns (estimated base monthly salary- $50k). Apparently his priorities were his new $100k Mercedes and jewelry. </p>
<p>Please, do not turn this thread into another round of sparring about rape vs consentual sex. However, a discussion about judgement and responsible behavior is not off limits.</p>
Just get the names of everyone who contributed to Bill Clinton’s defense fund. They’ll probably pony up.</p>
<p>When Curmudgeon posted a wonderful story about his dearly missed dog in the “Moving Story” thread, I couldn’t help but compare his relationship with his animals to the psychopath Vick.</p>
<p>Missed the previous thread jym…but I had to laugh at the radio chatter on the topic as we were passing through Atlanta (when not ducking under landing aircraft on 85 btw…) on our way back from Chapel Hill. Pit Bull Rescue was on the air on one station describing the avalanche of Vick jerseys sent to the them by former Vick fans. The rescue volunteers were cutting them up and using them to clean dog poop…lol! How appropriate.</p>
<p>I am much more interested to know more about his current net worth. Likely he will serve time in ClubFed and return to clip his coupons? What he has cut off in earnings…not so much of interest to me. He came from nothing and seems to have learned very little with the advantages of his largess.</p>
<p>ldmom06-
Actually, I believe it was the Humane Society who was using the Vick jerseys for kennel clean-up and bedding. They had a great picture in the news if the Vick jerseys put on the backs of chairs in the waiting room, with dogs sitting on them. </p>
<p>Here’s an interesting dilemna-- what do they do with his #7?? I don’t imagine too many players in at least the not-too-distant future will want to wear that number, but they certainly wouldn’t officially “retire” it. I guess it’ll just go to the bottom of the pile, as it were, until perhaps someday the Atlanta Falcon #7 will not be so instantaneously associated with Vick.</p>
<p>Actually, its probably pointless to ask any Republicans to contribute to Vick’s defense fund- they are all tapped out contributing to defense funds for their own party.</p>
<p>You are right jym…lol…it was humane society. I also noticed the ‘hurricane coming’ sized Vick headlines in the newstand at the McDonalds near Peachtree City(?) too. What baffles me is ‘why?’. Why does such a successful person get involved in such a base, lowlife activity?</p>
Good question-- lots of people have been spewing all sorts of hypotheses. The one that really got me was some person saying that in certain situations it is considered “normal” to put animals down and considered to be no big deal. I am trying to remember what the analogy was- I think it was comparing farmers who threw kittens and puppies in bags in the river (and seemed to imply that this was “ok” :eek:) or who killed injured livestock. They suggested that it was a cultural thing. There are also the reports that Vick only pled to the dog-fighting and kennel-funding (and danced around any confession of direct harm to the dogs, as his buddies fessed up to) to avoid any direct admission of involvement in the gambling aspect of dog-fighting- which has a bigger penalty for a professional athlete (aka Pete Rose). All in all, between this, the attorney with TB (which turned out not to be as dangerous a strain as they originally thought), the awful college baseball bus accident, etc, Atlanta could use a break!
BTW ldmom-- which route is faster back to Houston- the southern route through Montgomery and Mobile down to I-10, or I-20 to Birmingham, then either to 65 or to 59down to I-10/12. Suggestions? Recommendations?</p>
<p>jym - toyed with the idea of doing I-20 through Birmingham, but it looked like it would be longer, so we stuck with the 85 to 65 to 10 route. I wish we had the time to do the north i-40 route through TN and Western NC again…sooo beautiful. We are always so rushed though.</p>
<p>Regarding the Vick case…</p>
<p>Since I hail from a rural community (town/county population <5000/15000) of farmers/ranchers, I hear what you are saying about the different way people regard and value animals. Though I’ve never known anyone personally who has thrown a bag of kittens in a pond or river, I do know there is an attitude in these communities that animals earn their keep. But putting an animal down is definitely not something taken lightly. I think it’s safe to say farmers and ranchers would find the idea of watching animals kill each other for entertainment or breeding them for this purpose wasteful and barbaric. Then again, in some cultures, bullfighting is not considered wrong. The contradictions abound.</p>
<p>I am certain there are many people who prefer their dogs to most people including family. Dogs tend to be much less dysfunctional. Pitt Bulls excluded.</p>