Michael Vick leaves Kan. prison for home confinement in Va.

Michael Vick leaves Kan. prison for home confinement in Va.

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: May 20, 2009

RICHMOND, Va. â?? A person familiar with the release details said suspended NFL star Michael Vick left a Kansas prison Wednesday for home confinement in Virginia, the latest step on a journey that he hopes will lead to his return to the NFL.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no public announcement has been made. The person said Vick left the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth before dawn, evading cameras and reporters who had staked out the building ahead of his expected released this week.

Vick had been serving a 23-month sentence for financing a dogfighting ring. He will spend the last two months of the term on electronic monitoring at his five-bedroom home in Hampton, Va.

The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback is expected to be released from federal custody July 20, but he will be on probation for three years. He hopes to persuade NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to reinstate him.

Vick, once the NFL's highest-paid player, will be allowed to leave his house to work a $10-an-hour job as a laborer for a construction company and for other limited purposes approved by his probation officer. He will be handed a new set of rules when he begins serving three years of probation after his expected July 20 release from federal custody.

The transfer from the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., will allow Vick to begin rebuilding his life, repairing his image and working toward his goal of reinstatement to the NFL.

Vick wants to work with the Humane Society of the United States on a program aimed at eradicating dogfighting among urban teens, society president Wayne Pacelle said Tuesday. Pacelle said he recently met with Vick at the federal prison in Leavenworth.

Goodell has said he will review Vick's status after his criminal case is concluded. He has said Vick will have to persuade him and the public that he is genuinely sorry for his crime, that he has been changed by his experience and that he is committed to leading a different life.

Even if he is reinstated, Vick's future in the league is uncertain. He and the Falcons have parted ways, agreeing to a contract settlement that will allow Vick to sign with another team â?? if there is one willing to endure the wrath of some fans in exchange for the services of a player who was perhaps the NFL's most electrifying performer.

A public backlash isn't the only risk. By all accounts, Vick has tried to stay in good physical shape, but there's no telling how much his skills have eroded after two missed seasons.

Vick, who turns 29 in June, said in bankruptcy court last month that he believes he can play another 10-12 years. The NFL career average is only 3.2 years and Vick already has played seven.

they should ban him from the game forever! and he should be ashamed!

i for one will boycott the NFL if they allow him to play again.

I believe that since we live in America he should be given another chance. If he can hack NFL after being away for a couple years, have at it. But I really doubt there is a team owner with enough guts to give him a chance.
And by the way, I have 2 dogs, they are my best friends and agree what he did was totally wrong but people deserve a second chance.

The potential reinstatement of Mike Vick is without a doubt the most polarizing issue in the NFL right now. One side believes that Vick has paid his debt to society and should be granted the right to play football again. The other side believes his crimes were just too much and should not be taken back in by the NFL brotherhood.

The undecided are few and far between and whichever way the NFL goes there will certainly be a loud backlash.

My opinion, and it is only my opinion, is that the NFL should judge Mike Vick's case for reinstatement on his off the field body of work. Unfortunately for Vick the picture that is painted is rather grim.

Quick Summary:

1) In 2004 Vick and his friend Quanis Phillips allegedly stole a security screeners Rolex.

2) Vick gave the middle finger to the Falcons Fans after a tough game.

3) Vick had a water bottle with a secret compartment that he claims was for jewelry, although the airport security believed there were traces of Marijuana. A year later Vick tested positive for weed, while he was awaiting sentencing.

4) Vick had unprotected sex with a woman while knowing he was a carrier of the STD herpes.

5) Mike Vick lied to Commissioner Goodell's face about his involvement in the dog fighting allegations.

This brings us to the big one, the dog fighting.

Vick took part in these activities for at-least six years before getting caught. His whole estate was the creme del la creme of dog fighting. It included rape stands, black painted roofs, which makes the buildings difficult to see from above, training treadmills and tragically an assortment of weapons that led to cruel murders of animals.

He was even dumb enough to have a side business "Bad Newz Kennels," where he actually sold some pit bulls.

To those who believe that Vick should be reinstated my question is this; what does someone have to do to be kicked out of the NFL? Vick hasn't done enough? What else could he do?

I'm sorry, but Vick has proven over and over again that he is not a good person.

"Well this is America, and it is built on second chances".

Vick is out of prison, that is his second chance; period. Playing in the NFL is a privilege and Vick has done nothing but embarrass the league over and over again. Would your current employer take you back if you did the same things that Vick did? I didn't think so.

"Ray Lewis Killed a Guy".

I wasn't there, neither were you. We don't know what happened and right or wrong the courts have dealt with it.

"In some cultures dog fighting is legal"

It isn't in the USA, case closed.

I think the NFL needs to take a metaphorical look in the mirror and say, "what type of organization do we want to be? Do we want to send a message that this type of behavior will be condoned? Do we want our fans to know we quickly forgive just about anything, or do we want to draw a line in the sand?

If I had a vote it would be to close the NFL door on Mike Vick.

"Sorry Mike, but you had your chance and you blew it. You have shown an affinity for making the wrong choices over and over again. The NFL does not want people like you in our family and anything but a lifetime ban sends a horrible message to our players, our fans and youngsters around the world".

lets not forget that these 'athlete's' are role models for our young people whether
we or they, like it or not.

frankly, i think allowing him to play tells our young people, 'hey, don't sweat it,
you can do anything you want until you get caught, then you can write a book
about it, and maybe a movie, and hell, if you can still play, hell yeah!'

that's the message we sent when we allowed that baseball player that spit in
the ump's face, and when Mike Tyson took a bite out of Evander Holyfield's ear.

i think they all deserve to be fired, condemned to a life of obscurity as a
consequence for their actions. working in the big time, earning millions is
a privilege not a right as Galaxy has already stated.

anyway, every time we accept that kind of behaviour we piss on our kids and
our future for we teach them that anything is acceptable, there is nothing
they do that they should feel shamed by.

and if they have no shame, how can they feel pride?

twenty bucks says the raiders sign him.

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Originally Posted by higher4hockey

twenty bucks says the raiders sign him.

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lmao! they probably will.

as far as whether or not he should be able to play football, i agree that it is a privilege, not a right. like herman edwards said, you don't own that jersey, you are renting it. when you are done, unless you did something amazing and they retire your jersey, they strip your name off and give it to the next guy.

will he play football again, unfortunately that's probable.

and on the second chance thing, like stated above, this would be more than a second chance.

my wife has two felonies, does she get a second chance? NO! but because some kid grew up only being football player he does? F-that. that paid a debt to society is CRAP! yes, that's the way it's supposed to be.....in a perfect world. that's not the case and everyone knows it.

i think we should go back to "an eye for an eye" mentality. screw spending billions on prisons. cut off limbs and poke out eyes. i guarantee the crime rate goes down.

sorry for the rant. is my opinion biased? NO! i'm a realist. the little people get sh!t on and the rich and famous get away with murder. the erosion of the middle class backs up my claim. oh wait, there is no more middle class.

and the bad part is all of the athletes are just pawns in a bigger scheme. capitalism makes me sick to my stomach. and so does this country. time for a change my friends.

again, sorry to get off topic. i just see all of this crap everyday and it pisses me off.


-shake

I hope New England picks him up as their backup :D:D I'm a die hard Boston anything fan, so why not, I know he's got some good game in him still. I could care less what his charges were, as Ray Lewis had conspiracy to murder charges and all they did was give him a slap on the wrist. I'm telling everyone who may not like Vick, he's on a come back and I bet he does better than half these teams in the NFL....Lions, 49ers, Oakland, just to name a few. Bet he goes for cheap too. Will get their money worth out him! :D Pacman Jones had a chance and continued to F' up. Damn, these players have all this shit and still continue to do stupid shit. Ignorance is bliss I suppose! :wtf:

Quote:

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my wife has two felonies, does she get a second chance? NO! but because some kid grew up only being football player he does? F-that. that paid a debt to society is CRAP! yes, that's the way it's supposed to be.....in a perfect world. that's not the case and everyone knows it.

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Yeah, and it is some bullshit that all these "stars" get that second chance just because they are in the people's eye. As much as one may not like it, because of who he is, he will be back in the public eye for a good while now. Like I stated above, they get to do stupid shit and only get slaps on the wrist for what they do. I hate society sometimes!

Hopefully parents aren't actually encouraging ther kids to have NFL players to be there role models. If they are then they get what they get.

well i hope his kidneys fail!

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Originally Posted by justanotherbozo

well i hope his kidneys fail!

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and the steelers win the super bowl...again!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by higher4hockey

and the steelers win the super bowl...again!!

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lol, i'll go for that, i've had many a good time in the city of brotherly love!