" 'They' put me in the right situation"

[Chandler#81]

Late breaking news: Roger Goodell is to suspend himself for 5 milliseconds for tampering.

 

 

..and only pay himself a dollar during his suspension.

 

As a Bills fan, i guess I should join the many on this thread who scream "WE WUZ ROBBED!", but I think there were other unique aspects to this case. Vick was the Face of the League for a few years before, even with an ever-growing boatload of off field issues. The dog fighting explosion broke the camels back and ranks as one of the worst 'Feature Player' fiasco's in League history. I don't reacll the Fed getting involved in the Hornung/Karras gambling thing.. As he neared the end of his sentence, ex-Colts 'Golden Coach' took him under his wing for character rehab w/ the backing of the League. While this represents a real gray area, it's likely his reclamation project would fit his newly created 'humbled' presonna better as a perceived 3rd String Wild Cat, than jumping right back into an NFL starting QB. No one could have anticipated what happened next.

 

In short, I'm not bothered by this. And yes, I didn't want him here..

[Coach55]

 

"I think I can say this now, because it's not going to hurt anybody's feelings, and it's the truth... I didn't want to come to Philadelphia. Being the third-team quarterback is nothing to smile about. Cincinnati and Buffalo were better options."

 

Those two teams wanted him and would've allowed him to start, but after meeting with commissioner Roger Goodell and other reps from the NFL, Vick was convinced—and granted league approval—to sign with Philly. "And I commend and thank them, because they put me in the right situation."

 

 

This entire commentary is missing the reality of the situation. The whole move by Goodell was political. When Vick was coming out of prison there was a lot of questions on whether he should have been allowed to play at all. PETA was up the league's a@@ and the general population was divided. The league moved to put Vick in a city that had a high black population and an underground dog fighting problem. This way Vick could become a role model of "what not to do" and atone for his misbehavior through his required community service. The NFL really didn't have a choice in the matter. At the time they were talking Philly or Baltimore, neither of which really needed a QB. By sending him to either of those cities, they take a terrible situation and spin it positively - and clearly it worked. People have basically forgotten about Vick's issues, underground dog fighting has dropped dramatically and Vick has become a poster child for community service in the Philly area.

 

In the end, it was not a football issue. It was a marketing issue.

Edited August 18, 2011 by Coach55

[Zulu Cthulhu]

Coach, Buffalo is 41% african american, Philly is 43%. Buffalo has had dogfighting problems too in some neighborhoods.

 

..and only pay himself a dollar during his suspension.

 

As a Bills fan, i guess I should join the many on this thread who scream "WE WUZ ROBBED!", but I think there were other unique aspects to this case. Vick was the Face of the League for a few years before, even with an ever-growing boatload of off field issues. The dog fighting explosion broke the camels back and ranks as one of the worst 'Feature Player' fiasco's in League history. I don't reacll the Fed getting involved in the Hornung/Karras gambling thing.. As he neared the end of his sentence, ex-Colts 'Golden Coach' took him under his wing for character rehab w/ the backing of the League. While this represents a real gray area, it's likely his reclamation project would fit his newly created 'humbled' presonna better as a perceived 3rd String Wild Cat, than jumping right back into an NFL starting QB. No one could have anticipated what happened next.

 

In short, I'm not bothered by this. And yes, I didn't want him here..

 

You just gave a summary of facts that have nothing to do with this situation. Totally irrelevant. Then you proclaim Goddell's actions fall into a "grey area"? Sorry, it's not a grey area, it's collusion, according to the standards of free agency operating in the league today. You should be bothered by this regardless of whether you wanted him here or not.

 

Doug Farrar makes good points here

[Rockinon]

Four pages because Vick has a conspiracy theory? Really?

[Chandler#81]

Coach, Buffalo is 41% african american, Philly is 43%. Buffalo has had dogfighting problems too in some neighborhoods.

 

 

 

You just gave a summary of facts that have nothing to do with this situation. Totally irrelevant. Then you proclaim Goddell's actions fall into a "grey area"? Sorry, it's not a grey area, it's collusion, according to the standards of free agency operating in the league today. You should be bothered by this regardless of whether you wanted him here or not.

 

Doug Farrar makes good points here

 

 

Ha! That it's YOU criticising me for how I should think, convinces me I'm right.

[Zulu Cthulhu]

Ha! That it's YOU criticising me for how I should think, convinces me I'm right.

 

I don't need to convince you of anything. If you can't wrap your mind around a few facts that's not my problem. You're a great example of a moderator by the way - still holding a grudge several months later? Very professional. Very mature.

[bruceisloose78]

if this is true, so help me god I'm going to have a conniption

[papazoid]

#1- Goodell gave Vick the best possible advice he could for him as an individual.

 

#2- Goodell acted in the best interest of the LEAGUE !!

 

 

it was simply better for all involved to ease mike back into the game by playing backup for awhile and not immediately being thrusted into the limelight with a starting role somewhere else. PETA and others would have made a huge protest resulting in tremendous negative publicity on the NFL.

 

 

does it suck for buffalo...YES !!....Mike Vick is arguably the single most exciting and entertaining player in the entire league. as a person he is a piece of ****.

[Coach55]

Coach, Buffalo is 41% african american, Philly is 43%. Buffalo has had dogfighting problems too in some neighborhoods.

 

 

I am not trying to say that Buffalo doesn't have a large black population nor a dogfighting problem. However, the 41% number you are quoting is very misleading. That number only includes the people inside the city limits, however in the metro area it is more in the 13% range and about ~130K people on an absolute basis. Where looking at Philly, the metro area is about 21% and ~1.2mm people on an absolute basis.

[UConn James]

that is some pretty crazy stuff. At the time, I didn't want vick anyway. But just knowing they forced talent not to sign with us is terrible. Almost makes you wonder if this isn't the first time. Probably not the same reason, but there are a million other reasons why the league wouldn't want certain players on certain teams.

 

I didn't want Vick either. I'd rather cheer for a loser than for someone who had a part --- sometimes direct, sometimes indirect --- in the killing of 49(?) dogs when they were no longer useful and the abuse of countless others. That was nothing like justice.

 

But as you write, it's the principle of the matter and whether it's happened before or since. The league office steering players away from certain teams by the very people who had suspended him and still seemingly had that power if he doesn't do as he was told.... Well, todd took the words out of my mouth here.

 

If this is true, the NFL is the same as wrestling, where they decide who wins or loses. This is !@#$ing bull ****. There's no way the league should decide where a player goes. I'm incredibly pissed off.

 

It's an accruement of this kind of story that builds into the bigger picture of a league office that tinkers and dams with franchises and uses refs so as to create their master narrative and maximize their viewership/profits by predetermining which city will win, rather than it being an entirely even playing field where teams are allowed to do their bidding for player rights without collusion and where pure sport determines the victor.

 

I am very nearly through with this game.

 

We get glimpses of the seediness from time to time, not the least of which was Goodell destroying the Patriots* spy tape after delivering a wristslap to Belicheat.

 

One more feather on the camel's back....

Edited August 18, 2011 by UConn James

[Cannon]

Goodell has got to go. PERIOD!

[SwampD]

I don't know about Cincy, but for Buffalo maybe it was as simple as Goodell knowing that, as a convicted felon, Vick would have a hard time getting into Canada, and he didn't want one of his teams without their starting quarterback for one "home" game a year.

[Roger Goodell]

Goodell has got to go. PERIOD!

 

Don't worry. I'm going to get some coffee right now.

[D521646]

What are the folks on the Cincy forums saying?

 

I don't want Vick either, talent aside his character is not what fits in Buffalo, but if this is true, it's a big scandal, IMO.

 

Tim-

[1B4IDie]

Wow.

One thing I would say is that Dickless Mauron and the cluster F in the executive suites in 2009 would have definitely messed it up.

Andy Reid runs a much tighter ship.

So I kinda can get it there, but still don't agree.

 

But Cincinnati with Paul Brown and Marvin Lewis don't exactly strike me as a loose cannon.

 

That is some serious F'ed up S. Well now at least we can take the "Theory" out of "Conspiracy Theory."

Edited August 18, 2011 by Why So Serious?

[NoSaint]

I am just reading the quotes from vick not the bloggers perspective. He wanted to come in and start right away he says that buffalo and cinci seemed to be offering that but his mind was changed whether by goodell or not it just seems that way. I am sure some other team could have offered more money and a starting position but i dont know that. I think Vick ended up in a great spot for him but I would hope that all 32 teams were open for him and it seems from his quotes that the league made it clear that was not the case.

 

Cincy was replacing Palmer? With Vick coming out of jail, no questions asked?

[BiggieScooby]

This only proves Goodell consulted with Vick. I don't see how Goodell could have prevented Vick from choosing where he wanted to go. Chances are that Vick told Goodell about Cincy and Buffalo, to which Goodell told him the Pros & Cons of entering into that situation. This GQ article takes a 1/2 quote from Vick - there is more behind this quote and Vick probably misspoke or was taken out of context. In essence Vick asked Goodell for impartial advice and his answers helped "lead" Vick in making the decision to sign with Phily.

[NoSaint]

I don't know about Cincy, but for Buffalo maybe it was as simple as Goodell knowing that, as a convicted felon, Vick would have a hard time getting into Canada, and he didn't want one of his teams without their starting quarterback for one "home" game a year.

 

I know we have these comments every time a free agent with a record comes up but is there any evidence at all that Canada wouldnt let a superstar in?

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Imagine how big of a story this would be if it were the Patriots and Jets getting colluded against, instead of the Bills and Bengals.

[DrDawkinstein]

I didnt want Vick at all, regardless of performance.

 

I also agree with Goodell that Vick should've avoided franchises like Buffalo and Cincy which are so poorly run, and in a constant state of flux/failure.

 

That being said, it is definitely wrong for Goodell to advise any player which teams to go to and which to avoid.

 

The Pats* lost their 1st round pick to the cheating scandal. IMO, in light of this controversy, the league should award us (and Cincy) an extra 2nd round pick in the 2012 draft. Maybe even a first.