When Eagles Go Bad
I received a message from one of our Dogster members pertaining to Vick’s new contract with the Eagles.
Many people are outraged by this decision but not sure how to make their voice heard. The message below provides information to help ensure the Eagles will know how the public feels.
Maybe it would put the matter in an easier to comprehend perspective for the general public if we replaced the term “dog fighting” with “pedophilia.” Get it now, sports fans?
If you are as sick as I am about hearing from, reading and listening about Vick, and all the people blogging about Vick, and all the organizations jumping on the Vick bandwagon, please do something useful:
a) Let the corporate partners of the Eagles know that you not only are not going to support the team, you’re also are not going to buy their products & services.
Be sure to copy your messages to the corporate partners, then paste and send to the team through their contact form.
b) I talked to the Eagles’ front office today. They are preparing for “outrage.” Call them at 215-463-2500, a human will take your call during business hours, and transfer you to a line they’ve set up to record you expressing yourself. (Please be civil. The person answering your call and tasked with listening to messages will not be Michael Vick.) I’m listing that as an option, but telling their corporate partners your opinion is going to be much more effective.
Despite if you believe he served his time and should be able to live his life, or that football players aren’t role models, I still can’t understand why the Eagles would want to associate with the kind of human being that would commit such despicable acts.
Now you have the contacts you need, there’s no excuse to just talk about your outrage and not take action.
I AM FROM PHILLY AND DISGRACED BY WHAT THE EAGLES DID.
Thanks for this blog. Polite letters to the sponsors and boycotting of their products is the only way to get through to them. Once they see a negative financial impact his football days may well be over and we say AMEN to that!!!
I completely understand and get every person’s frustration on the Vick case. No doubt what he was doing was outrageously corrupt. A coworker made her perspective known on this and I must say I get her side as well. She basically said that “we allow sex offenders and others coming out of jail or prison to go back to work , so why not Vick.” I did not have an argument against this perspective. Because she has a point, let the man return to ‘work’, that is what football is to him-work. By adding this comment I am in no means agreeing with Vick or any other offender who commits crime in the world. What I am saying is, we must allow for people to continue with as much, but limited normality in their life as before. If you don’t then what will society become? Just a thought!
I believe what Michael Vick did was horrible. However, I do believe people deserve a chance to repent and in so doing, get a second chance. I am not worthy to pass judgment — condemning his act while allowing him to prove his repentance is how I will proceed.
I agree that everyone deserves a 2nd chance, but when your 2nd chance is as a high-payed professional athlete it doesn’t compare to a sex offender who requires a job to make ends meet. Yes, Michael Vick served (less than) his sentence and lost $135 M in $$ (not yet earned I might add), but he has now been accepted back into the NFL–no banning–and will make millions while he vows to speak to young kids about the perils of dog fighting. Please! My prediction is, he will be glorified in the NFL once again and his past actions will soon become a faint memory, if not already. What would really catch my attention and make me believe Michael Vick was remorseful–dedicate the rest of your NFL career to supporting shelters across the nation by donating half of your salary and volunteer your time cleaning out kennels!
I do NOT believe Mr. Vick has “paid for his crimes”- He’s a rich celebrity and got a slap on the wrist – he purposely tortured dogs that lost..he threw stolen pets in with fighting dogs to entertain his friends and himself-
I feel ill every time I see his smirk on TV- it is obvious that he thinks he is smarted than the Legal System, and it appears that he is.
I still do not understand the equating of his being given an opportunity to earn a living with a multi-million dollar professional sport’s career. If I had committed acts such as he has I would lose my license and would never be allowed to work in my profession again, not to mention I would lose my commission and get a dishonorable discharge.
Everyone is outraged by what Vick had done with these poor dogs. I too can’t stand the thought of dogs fighting to their death and that it suppose to be pleasurable to watch. I’m outraged by him and other professional athletes that abuse their status and participate in drugs, steroids, and spousal abuse. Why would anyone risk their outrages salary to involve themselves in illegal behavior? But then again, when they only get a slap on the wrist what’s to loose. No wonder our kids want to grow up to become an athlete, they will make million for playing a game and be able to get by with doing anything they want.
He would still be the horrendous acts he was doing if he hadn’t gotten busted!!!!! Screw the Eagles for their poor choice of a team player. The only way I would have a tad of respect for Vick is if he gave 90% of the Eagles money he gets for Pit Bull recovery groups!!! Put your money where your mouth is Vick!!! I personally hope he gets fired quick and suffers as much as the dogs he tortured!!! He is scum.
The worst part is, from what I’ve read, sick creeps that shouldn’t see the light of day, like you referenced, pedophiles, HAVE been allowed back in the NFL. They have no morals and all that matters to them is money, it’s revolting, and anyone that puts money above anything like that and this dogfighting, is sick in the head. It’s amazing the horrible things currency does to people.
Someone I know sent their Eagle paraphernalia COD to the Eagles’ headquarters….they accepted it.
I believe in giving 2nd chances but I feel that a person has to DESERVE it. Vick didn’t come forward on his own because he felt bad about what he was doing – he was caught. And when he was caught, he was reluctant at first to tell the truth. I would be more agreeable to forgiveness if he showed some repentance IN ACTION; donate a huge sum of his money to the ASPCA of America and do seminars for free to teach children about the evils of dog fighting and do community service at local shelters; something that really costs him to compensate in some small way for all the pain he caused. The Eagles should have asked him to do this BEFORE they hired him. Let him prove himself first.
Right now all I see a smartass football player who got away with an unthinkable crime. If I was guilty of misconduct at my job, not only would I be fired but the chance of being rehired would be next to near impossible. Comparing him to a pedophile is unfair to pedophiles. They carry that stigma for the rest of their lives. Vick won’t.
Shame on us for allowing these pro athletes to get away with this. And double shame on the Eagles for not handling this in a manner worth of honor to those poor animals that were abused and killed by this horrible excuse of a man.
I work for a catalog call center that takes after hours calls for the Eagles fan shop. It really has surprised me that I only know of 2 people who have called saying they are either returning their items or burning their items due to Vick.
It is my job. I have to sit through endless fans call and oozing joy over his return. I feel sicker with every call.
The other note I had a call from a man who told me he couldn’t believe that people felt that way about dogs, but he was trying to. He said, “But they are JUST dogs!” I bit my tongue and simply said my dogs are part of my family. What I wanted to say was…..one hundred years ago you heard a similar phrase but it was “But they are just SLAVES” No- I am not a racist – I felt that was a good example of how wrong someone can be when they feel another being is less important, less likely to feel pain and anguish than them. People are so arrogant. So ignorant. We are pretty darn low on the food chain…..When will people wake up?
I live in South Jersey, I’ve been listening to all the radio and tv reports regarding MV. I would say it’s about 50/50 between people who are outraged by his return and people who feel he deserves a second chance.
A sports commentator and former Eagle made an interesting point that MV was raised to believe dog fighting is ok. When your parents, tell you it is ok and you’ve witnessed dog fighting since you couldn’t even talk yet it conditions you to accept what is going on even though a part of you knows it’s wrong. This particular commentator was all for forgiving Vick.
I think Michael Vick’s situation is different because he is in the public eye and kids and adults alike look up to sports figures as role models. He should be held to a higher standard then the normal guy off the street. I’m not saying that’s fair but that’s the reality of playing a professional sport.
He should not get a second chance at that particular job.
I defiantly believe in second chances for those who prove that they really need/want them. I am appalled at the Eagles decision to sign him on when he did such a bad thing to dogs. If he had somehow proved himself, such as volunteering at his local shelter or donating a sizable amount he could be paying back the hurt he caused both his fans and the dogs that lost their lives or are emotionally scared by his horrible acts.
If the general public actually knew what really happened to these dogs – you know – saw photos and the result of this sick behavior – I think even the loyal fans would see things differently. I’ve only heard some things, not details – people need to be outraged. And you are right – if he hadn’t been caught, hundreds more dogs would suffer and are suffering all over our country.
And shame on the Humane Society of the US for using this lowlife as a “role model” for at-risk youth. Let HSUS know that you won’t support them in the future either. There are plenty of other animal organizations that can use your financial donations.
Speak UP!!! be heard !!!! Here is: (1) the main sponsor’s info and (2)a place where the the owner – Jeff Lurie will appear in September.
Lincoln Financial Field – name on stadium;
Lincoln National Corporation, 150 N Radnor Chester Rd, Suite A305, Radnor , PA 19087m – Phone (484)583-1400 — (fax)484-583-3962
web — http://www.lfg.com
—————————
Appearence___
Calendar of Events
Off the Record with Jeffrey Lurie, Joe Banner, and Tom Heckert
EVENTS, EXHIBITING, NETWORKING
Thursday, September 17, 2009
5:00 PM – 5:30 PM Registration
5:00 PM – 7:30 PM Program
Lincoln Financial Field
SCA Club Lounge
One Lincoln Financial Way
Philadelphia, PA 19148
Join the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and the Philadelphia Eagles as we kick off the 2009 season!
The Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce invites you to join Eagles Chairman & CEO Jeffrey Lurie, President Joe Banner, and General Manager Tom Heckert, for an exclusive behind-the-scenes opportunity to hear from the top members of the Eagles Front Office. Emceed by Eagles Insider Dave Spadaro, the Eagles’ executives will reveal why the Eagles are rated one of the best franchises in all of professional sports.
Following the program, network with fellow members of the Greater Philadelphia business community during a cocktail reception at Lincoln Financial Field. The event will also include appearances by the Eagles Cheerleaders, and the team’s mascot, SWOOP.
BE HEARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vick is a disgusting excuse for a humann being, and I totally agree with those who say he is not sorry for what he did, he is sorry he got caught. I too, am tired of seeing his smug face with that smirk. He looks like he knows he got away with something. I live in South Jersey, and it sickens me to see that people here are actually supporting this. I think that playing in any major league sport, NFL, MLB, NHL, etc is a privilage. If you commit any kind of crime, you should be done, period the end. You can have your second chance starting at the bottom just like everyone else!
all i’m hearing about is second chances. B.S.!!! vick got his second chance the day those prison doors opened and he became a free man. shame on the NFL for allowing a convicted felon to play such a privilaged game.
What’s so hard to be witness to is the absolute empty apology that he keeps spouting. “I made a mistake…”
FOR SIX YEARS?!!!!!
Those people who support him know nothing about the details of what he did. They have no idea that he purposely built hundreds of kennels on his property and he built rape stands and he sat around coming up with different, cruel, inhuman ways of killing dogs when he thought they were less than, etc. for six years. Six years!!! After the first month of dog fighting, even the very first fight, you know whether you’ve made a mistake or not. He obviously, in his soul, believes what he did was perfectly ok.
Also, those who support him will never read anything, like on this website, to even find out details. It’s like putting your hands over your ears and saying “la la la la. I can’t hear you.”
And don’t let the Humane Society off the hook here. They are taking the easy way out when dealing with him and no one is taking them to task.
I posted about reading in the paper, an article about Vick visiting a neighborhood outside of Atlanta. Only 50 people were invited, although the place could have held well over a 100, no one but the invited knew he was going to be there and the media was not allowed in while he spoke.
Apparently, from what residents said, if kids from that neighborhood knew he was there, they would have wanted to go hear him speak. Isn’t that the whole reason he’s hooked up with the humane society? The humane society is a huge let down.
Please people, when the Eagles visit your city, show up in force to protest. Spread the word amongst all of your animal loving friends. Please make our voices heard. I’d love to protest but my team will be playing them over in Philly so I can only boycott the sponsors.
I hope Vick gets some horrible karmic payback. Or, I hope there is some animal loving, angry linebacker that plows into Vick so hard that he can’t get up and suddenly can’t feel his legs. Now that would be justice.
If not the NFL, what would be the appropriate job for someone who has paid our legal system due? I believe in 2nd chances, third chances and if need be more than that. If playing football is his skill set, let him go for it. If we want to be critical of him for returning to his prevoius job, let’s get huffy with ALL the wrong-doing done in the NFL and ALL sports.
List of corporate sponsors w/contact info, updated regularly:
http://tinyurl.com/ozfe8k
I just got done submitting my thoughts to the eagle’s website and found it quite helpful to have the link right there. I hope the owners of the team suffer great losses in profits because this is just absurd that the NFL even allowed him back and for a team to take him just says that the eagles aren’t bothered by sadistic dog killing cold hearted criminals and not only are they not bothered, they want to shower him with fame and fortune !!!