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28.3.17 0806
The 7 - Football - Vick makes statement
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haz
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#1 Posted on 27.8.07 1321.32
Reposted on: 27.8.14 1325.13
Below is the full text of Vick's statement today after his plea.

Did anyone here or see this??

The words are good, did he seem sincere??




    "For most of my life, I've been a football player, not a public speaker, so, you know, I really don't know, you know, how to say what I really want to say.

    You know, I understand it's -- it's important or not important, you know, as far as what you say but how you say things. So, you know, I take this opportunity just to speak from the heart.

    First, I want to apologize, you know, for all the things that -- that I've done and that I have allowed to happen. I want to personally apologize to commissioner Goodell, Arthur Blank, coach Bobby Petrino, my Atlanta Falcons teammates, you know, for our -- for our previous discussions that we had. And I was not honest and forthright in our discussions, and, you know, I was ashamed and totally disappointed in myself to say the least.

    I want to apologize to all the young kids out there for my immature acts and, you know, what I did was, what I did was very immature so that means I need to grow up.

    I totally ask for forgiveness and understanding as I move forward to bettering Michael Vick the person, not the football player.

    I take full responsibility for my actions. For one second will I sit right here -- not for one second will I sit right here and point the finger and try to blame anybody else for my actions or what I've done.

    I'm totally responsible, and those things just didn't have to happen. I feel like we all make mistakes. It's just I made a mistake in using bad judgment and making bad decisions. And you know, those things, you know, just can't happen.

    Dog fighting is a terrible thing, and I did reject it.

    I'm upset with myself, and, you know, through this situation I found Jesus and asked him for forgiveness and turned my life over to God. And I think that's the right thing to do as of right now.

    Like I said, for this -- for this entire situation I never pointed the finger at anybody else, I accepted responsibility for my actions of what I did and now I have to pay the consequences for it. But in a sense, I think it will help, you know, me as a person. I got a lot to think about in the next year or so.

    I offer my deepest apologies to everybody out in there in the world who was affected by this whole situation. And if I'm more disappointed with myself than anything it's because of all the young people, young kids that I've let down, who look at Michael Vick as a role model. And to have to go through this and put myself in this situation, you know, I hope that every young kid out there in the world watching this interview right now who's been following the case will use me as an example to using better judgment and making better decisions.

    Once again, I offer my deepest apologies to everyone. And I will redeem myself. I have to.

    So I got a lot of down time, a lot of time to think about my actions and what I've done and how to make Michael Vick a better person.

    Thank you."

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odessasteps
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#2 Posted on 27.8.07 1403.10
Reposted on: 27.8.14 1404.25

when in doubt, play the jesus card.
Reverend J Shaft
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#3 Posted on 27.8.07 1419.58
Reposted on: 27.8.14 1419.58
I, at the least, give him credit for not reading a piece of paper and for not using language (no doubt supplied by his lawyer) I would not otherwise have expected him to use to make it seem more eloquent. I still wish he would go to jail for the rest of his life, but I recognize the attempt in appearing contrite.
Zeruel
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#4 Posted on 27.8.07 1521.47
Reposted on: 27.8.14 1521.48
Did anyone see/hear the comments Jamie Foxx made on Access Hollywood? I am going to google for a transcript but I was told secondhand that he basically said that dogfighting is a "black thing" and this isn't as serious as someone getting shot so he thinks Vick is innocent.

I hope he was misquoted by my friend.


EDIT: I found something from the Access Hollywood site

http://www.accesshollywood.com/news/ah6563.shtml


    “Is he really going to jail?” Jamie asked Shaun about Michael Vick.

    “Yes, he’s going to plea bargain,” Shaun said.

    Although Vick has been almost universally condemned since agreeing to plead guilty to dog fighting conspiracy, according to Foxx, people should not be so quick to judge the NFL star.

    “It’s a cultural thing, I think,” Jamie said. “Most brothers didn’t know that, you know. I used to see dogs fighting in the neighborhood all the time. I didn’t know that was Fed time. So, mike probably just didn’t read his handbook on what not to do as a black star.”

    Video: Access Archives - Jamie Foxx


    While he has a way of lightening even the most sensitive of subjects, Jamie is sincere in his belief that the quarterback is not being given a fair shake.

    “I know that cruelty to animals is bad, but sometimes people shoot people and kill people and don’t get time,” Jamie continued. “I think in this situation, he really didn’t know the extent of it, so I always give him the benefit of the doubt.”


(edited by Zeruel on 27.8.07 1629)
StaggerLee
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#5 Posted on 27.8.07 1538.24
Reposted on: 27.8.14 1538.28
He sounded somewhat sincere, but the entire "I found jesus" thing is a cop out.

And Jamie Foxx is an idiot.
Mayhem
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#6 Posted on 27.8.07 1606.02
Reposted on: 27.8.14 1606.38
    Originally posted by odessasteps

    when in doubt, play the jesus card.


Ahhh yes ... good to see that I wasn't the only one that rolled his eyes on that one.
Cerebus
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#7 Posted on 27.8.07 1649.47
Reposted on: 27.8.14 1651.46
Wow, he only refered to himself in the third person twice.

GURU's made up response was better.

(edited by Cerebus on 27.8.07 2144)
Zeruel
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#8 Posted on 27.8.07 1716.57
Reposted on: 27.8.14 1718.20
    Originally posted by Cerebus
    Wow, he only refered to himself in the third person twice.

    CRZ's made up response was better.


And by CRZ you mean Guru, right?
http://the-w.com/post.php/id=369144

(edited by Zeruel on 27.8.07 1817)
It's False
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#9 Posted on 27.8.07 1808.19
Reposted on: 27.8.14 1810.16
    Originally posted by Mayhem
      Originally posted by odessasteps

      when in doubt, play the jesus card.


    Ahhh yes ... good to see that I wasn't the only one that rolled his eyes on that one.


Could be worse. At least he didn't do like Mel Gibson/Mark Foley and play the alcohol card. No rehab for this man.
Cerebus
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#10 Posted on 27.8.07 1944.11
Reposted on: 27.8.14 1944.16
    Originally posted by Zeruel
      Originally posted by Cerebus
      Wow, he only refered to himself in the third person twice.

      CRZ's made up response was better.


    And by CRZ you mean Guru, right?
    http://the-w.com/post.php/id=369144

    (edited by Zeruel on 27.8.07 1817)


Yeah, that's the one...
TheOldMan
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#11 Posted on 27.8.07 2317.26
Reposted on: 27.8.14 2325.41



    I take this opportunity just to speak from the heart.


With help from his PR firm. There were some rather oddly-phrased thoughts for this to be completely off the cuff. Not that there was much else he could have done at this point, I think it's just too soon since this all fell in on Vick for him to have truly had a revelation about his life?


    I want to personally apologize to commissioner Goodell, Arthur Blank, coach Bobby Petrino, my Atlanta Falcons teammates, you know, for our -- for our previous discussions that we had. And I was not honest and forthright in our discussions


The commish, the owner, the coach, the team - what about the fans? {PR firm input:} And Mike, whatever you do, don't say you lied. We want to especially stay away from that soundbite.

Somehow "I was not honest and forthright in our discussions" doesn't sound like it came from the heart.


    I feel like we all make mistakes. It's just I made a mistake in using bad judgment and making bad decisions. And you know, those things, you know, just can't happen.

    Dog fighting is a terrible thing, and I did reject it.


As I heard someone say this afternoon (Tom Jackson?) - that's six YEARS of bad decisions, not A mistake. Again, there's no way he can get from 'dog kennel mastermind' to 'I reject dog fighting' this soon. He rejects anything that's royally screwed up his life? - now *that I believe.


    I'm upset with myself, and, you know, through this situation I found Jesus and asked him for forgiveness and turned my life over to God. And I think that's the right thing to do as of right now.


They say there's no atheists in foxholes, either. And that's all I got to say about that.


    I offer my deepest apologies to everybody out in there in the world who was affected by this whole situation.


Maybe he should have said something about being sorry for the dogs?


In any case, this is day one of a three-year image rehabilitation. In that sense, mission accomplished - but he's going to need to show his contrition in deeds. It would be a great help if his cooperation and testimony took out a nice large piece of the dogfighting network. If the prosecutors end up recommending him down under a year, I'd take it as a serious start to rehabilitation.

Of course with all the money he's made already, I wonder how much Vick will want to go through, considering he's not likely to get another bank-breaking contract even if he makes it back into the league.
dMr
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#12 Posted on 28.8.07 0342.29
Reposted on: 28.8.14 0343.05
[QUOTE]I take full responsibility for my actions. For one second will I sit right here -- not for one second will I sit right here and point the finger and try to blame anybody else for my actions or what I've done.[/QUOTE]

This from the man who brought us such hits as "I've never even been to that house"?

The fact that he puts it down to 'bad decisions' and 'immaturity' shows he has completely failed to grasp why people are so disgusted by what he did. Torturing and killing another living creature for poops and giggles isn't a bit silly,. it's sick, and he really needs to fess up to that.

Between this and the "hey, on the bright side I found Jesus" crap I couldn't be more disappointed by the statement.

Part of me really wanted him to offer a genuine, contrite apology that would set him some way on the road to forgiveness as I do think the reactions to his crime is not proportionate to his crimes when you look at what other 'stars' have got up to.

A more contrived, insincere statement he could not have made though, and if the league never lets him back that'll be just dandy for me.

As for Jamie Foxx, has it occured to him that it might be a better idea to say that while it may be part of the culture in some areas, that it might be a better idea to say it's a very ugly part, and one we should decry and set about trying to change rather than defend? Every culture got up to some pretty disgusting things in history, but over time has turned their back on them (and often outlawed said acts). All part of becoming a civilised society I thought....
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#13 Posted on 28.8.07 0759.59
Reposted on: 28.8.14 0800.11

    “It’s a cultural thing, I think,” Jamie said. “Most brothers didn’t know that, you know. I used to see dogs fighting in the neighborhood all the time. I didn’t know that was Fed time. So, mike probably just didn’t read his handbook on what not to do as a black star.”

    While he has a way of lightening even the most sensitive of subjects, Jamie is sincere in his belief that the quarterback is not being given a fair shake.

    “I know that cruelty to animals is bad, but sometimes people shoot people and kill people and don’t get time,” Jamie continued. “I think in this situation, he really didn’t know the extent of it, so I always give him the benefit of the doubt.”


Am I the only one who doesn't really have a problem with Jamie Foxx' comments? I'm taking what he (Foxx) said as "he knew it was bad, but not THAT bad", which I think is absolutely inarguable.

Leonard Little got 90 days in jail for KILLING A WOMAN while driving drunk. You think Mike Vick EVER remotely thought he could face serious time for fighting dogs? I think Vick thought on the crime scale this was closer to shoplifting than robbing a bank or dealing drugs or killing someone.

As far as Vick's apology goes, one thing I thought while I watched it this morning was, "wow, he looks and sounds like he's had a LOT of time to work out what he wanted to try to say."

I *would* like to know how Vick actually came to know about dogfighting. His father tossed him uner the bus last week, but I seriously doubt Vick just woke up one morning and said "when I get to the NFL and get some money, I'm going to get me some dogs to fight."
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#14 Posted on 28.8.07 0853.20
Reposted on: 28.8.14 0853.23
    Originally posted by JayJayDean
    Am I the only one who doesn't really have a problem with Jamie Foxx' comments? I'm taking what he (Foxx) said as "he knew it was bad, but not THAT bad", which I think is absolutely inarguable.


Hopefully, Access Hollywood will finally get Carrot Top's opinion on organic soybean farming. God, I hate that show.

It really didn't matter what Vick said in his apology - most people are going to see it as a self-serving attempt to salvage his career regardless if he's sincere or not.

I think it's pretty interesting that the Falcons have made it clear they are not going to cut him right away. My gut feeling is that he may serve little, if any, jail time and be back on the field sooner than anyone initially anticipated.

While not trying to make excuses for Vick - I think dog fighting is horribly brutal - it's not like his loudest critics in all of this are strict vegetarians. I'll be outraged right through my lunchtime Kung Pao Chicken and the In & Out Double Double Cheeseburger I'll have for dinner. Then again, dogs to win the cute war against chickens and cows - so there you go.
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#15 Posted on 28.8.07 0943.55
Reposted on: 28.8.14 0944.08
Yeah I don't think he could have said anything right in some people's eyes so I'm fine with what he did say. Whether he can fully appreciate the mistakes he made yet isn't as important to me as him taking his punishment. You screwed up, ok. Now serve some time, deal with everything you lost for yourself and come back a better person. That's the hope at least.

And I'd say at a minimum he won't play football for two years. His sentencing doesn't happen until almost the end of this season, so that's one gone. It's likely to be one year in jail or at best home confinement which would likely mean no football next season. So his best hope is after that the NFL doesn't tack on more time, otherwise he's looking at three years lost.

Personally I'd say two years out is enough for me, provided he smartens up and stays out of trouble. If he spends this time getting out there, helping the feds uncover more of this stuff, working with kids and charities and doing everything right, yeah I could definitily see him getting invited to play again. Whether he still can after a two year layoff will be the real question.
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#16 Posted on 28.8.07 1017.03
Reposted on: 28.8.14 1017.26
    Originally posted by Leroy
    I think it's pretty interesting that the Falcons have made it clear they are not going to cut him right away. My gut feeling is that he may serve little, if any, jail time and be back on the field sooner than anyone initially anticipated.


I believe Falcons owner Blank said something to the effect: "While it would be satisfying to cut Vick and wash our hands of him today, that would not be in the long term interests of our fans and organization". My understanding is that whatever bonus money the team can recover can be added to next year's salary cap, but only if they leave Vick on the roster, albeit in a "suspended/unable to perform/etc" status. I believe that means he'll officially get cut sometime next summer, for maximum cap benefit in dealing with the financial aspect.

Vick is suspended this season, and sentencing is set for Dec. 10 (I presume to give Vick time to impress Federal prosecutors with his snitchin' abilities). If he doesn't come through with enough useful info to get recommended downward, Vick is almost certainly looking at 12-18 months. Which would get him released in early-to-mid 2009. And then it seems certain that Goodell is going to hit Vick with a year after that for gambling involvement (see Paul Hornung and Alex Karras for precedent). This leaves Vick (in my view) as out three seasons minimum, unless he can really do some good in exposing his fellow dogfighters. I wouldn't have a problem with him getting knocked down to probation or house arrest (and saving a year of his remaining career) under that scenario.

    Originally posted by JayJayDean
    Am I the only one who doesn't really have a problem with Jamie Foxx' comments? I'm taking what he (Foxx) said as "he knew it was bad, but not THAT bad", which I think is absolutely inarguable.


I see Foxx's point as what the average person might think, but OTOH maybe Foxx should consider that someone so deeply involved in dogfighting ought to know a little more about details like "what we do, this is now a Federal offense", as you would think new laws about the 'hobby' would be of great interest to the dogfighting crowd in general? It's hard to make an argument of ignorance work without saying that the person is an ignoramus.
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#17 Posted on 28.8.07 1950.52
Reposted on: 28.8.14 1951.15
Shouldn't the fact that the act that Vick participated in is disgusting and morally reprehensible be a much bigger factor in one's decision making about participation than what kind of punishment and/or odds of getting away with it? Foxx's comments don't make any sense because they don't seem to have anything to do with the morality of the act, just the level of punishment associated with that act. I don't think not knowing the potential punishment is any justification.
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#18 Posted on 30.8.07 0435.16
Reposted on: 30.8.14 0435.24
    Originally posted by JayJayDean
    Am I the only one who doesn't really have a problem with Jamie Foxx' comments? I'm taking what he (Foxx) said as "he knew it was bad, but not THAT bad", which I think is absolutely inarguable.

    Leonard Little got 90 days in jail for KILLING A WOMAN while driving drunk. You think Mike Vick EVER remotely thought he could face serious time for fighting dogs? I think Vick thought on the crime scale this was closer to shoplifting than robbing a bank or dealing drugs or killing someone.


No problem with the second half about there being more serious crimes, but every problem with the first half about it being a cultural thing, or Vick being ignorant of the punishment.

If a culture, or certain demographic is habitually doing something illegal, that doesn't make it acceptable. The fact that (if memory serves) Bad Newz Kennelz had in their advertising some blurb about how the animals were all well treated and so forth implies that Vick knew it was pretty bad too.

Of course the fact that Vick was dense enough to call his stable Bad Newz Kennels instead of Uncle Michaels Pretty Pooch Pampering Clinic, without thinking this may arouse the suspicions of the feds implies he may not have been that savvy, but I digress.

In my opinion, 12 months (which he seems likely to get) is about right for the crime commited. The fact that other, far more serious crimes occasionally attract lesser sentences is awful, but speaks to a larger problem on the judicial/sentencing side of things, and not one that should directly impact on Vicks case. You can't say Person X got next to nothing for serious crime Y, so that has to be the cap for all lesser offences now.

My main problem, on the Leonard Little side of things, is actually the moral outrage that a huge number of fans (and throw in the media) have expressed to Vick, that was never shown in the Little case. It's fair enought that the league have now decided they need to take a stronger stand on off-field behaviour (I don't think retro-active bans for Little et al would be practical). The fact that some fans who pretty much ignored cases like Leonard Little's are condemning Vick to all hell suggests some pretty messed up priorities if you ask me.

I have no problems with a lengthy (or even permanent) ban for Vick, as his crime was serious and prolonged. I take your point that it seems unfair in light of past bans (when the league was bizarrely willing to turn a blind eye), but if this sort of punishment becomes the norm, then maybe there'll be a whole lot fewer cases like Vicks, and more importantly Littles, in the future.
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#19 Posted on 30.8.07 1055.58
Reposted on: 30.8.14 1056.26
Let's not forget the media's role in this:

Defensive end commits crime: not sexy
Quarterback commits crime: very sexy

Surely there would have been more outrage about Leonard Little at the time if it had gotten the same kind of coverage that Vick has received this year. Quarterbacks get press because everybody knows who they are - nobody knows the name of the defensive end except the hardcore fans of the team.
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#20 Posted on 30.8.07 2136.53
Reposted on: 30.8.14 2136.53
Ah yes, the "I have found Jesus" statement. I love how that is supposed to make him a good guy in peoples perception of him. I heard a great statement today I'd like to share. This was from the sports radio station here in Seattle.

"There should be no way that Michael Vick ever play football ever again. You have teachers that commit crimes against children that never get to teach again and pilots who have a drug/alcohol offense and never get to fly a plane again. Vick should never get a chance to be in a position to be a hero again for his crimes. If he wants to sell cars, great but he should never get the chance to ever again hear 70,000 people chant his name"

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