Something isn’t adding up with Vick, Stallworth
Wednesday August 19, 2009
Something isn’t adding up with Vick, Stallworth
by BillSmith
For the Daily Mail
Advertiser
Here are two stories. First story: Michael Vick, who once upon a time was the star quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League, was charged two years ago with dog fighting.
I do not understand why anyone in his right mind would get enjoyment from watching two dogs try to kill each other. And I cannot understand why anyone would want to train dogs to do such a thing.
According to evidence found on Vick’s property, there were 53 animals there, many of them scarred and maimed because they were used as cannon fodder for the champion dog fighters.
I own a dog, a miniature, long-haired female dachshund. She is the joy of my life and makes me laugh every single day. She is not a fighter. I cannot imagine wanting to do anything to harm her. And I certainly would not want anyone else trying to do it, either.
About 31/2 years ago, when she was a youngster, I could not break her habit of chasing cars. She was struck by the mailman and had blood all over the side of her face. I never had heard a dog scream like that.
It turned out her cuts were small. She was like her owner, a breeder.
She has not chased any more cars. She is smart.
That’s what normal animal owners do when their animals are hurt. Take care of them. They do not put them in situations where they can be hurt, maimed or killed.
So, Vick was in a heap of trouble.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) were up in arms, as were all animal lovers. I would not call myself a true animal lover, but I love my dog and certainly do not believe in being cruel to any animals.
Vick admitted his guilt and was convicted and sentenced to two years (he served 23 months) in prison at Leavenworth, Kan. Leavenworth is not a country club. Also, he lost millions of dollars.
He just signed to play football again (with the Philadelphia Eagles). Many people feel he should not be given a second chance.
I am not one of them.
I am not a Vick fan. What he did was despicable and unimaginable. But he served his time. He took his medicine, and it cost him dearly.
Second story:
Donte Stallworth is a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns. He earns $5 million per year.
Last winter, he was drinking and allegedly smoking pot at a Miami night spot. His partying lasted until dawn. And at 7 a.m., he was drunk driving his car and struck a pedestrian crossing a causeway in a crosswalk. The man was killed.
The victim, 59, a crane operator, was on his way home from work. He was a husband and father.
Stallworth’s blood alcohol level was way over the legal limit. He pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter. Actually, it was DUI vehicular manslaughter.
Stallworth insisted he honked his horn, flashed his headlights to warn the man, and drove only 40 miles an hour. Yeah, and he had only two drinks.
Stallworth’s lawyers claimed the man contributed to his own death because he was jaywalking. Can you believe that? The victim just jumped out in front of Stallworth’s car.
The wide receiver faced 15 years in prison and the end of his career. That did not happen.
What happened was his attorneys somehow worked out a financial settlement with the victim’s family, and a judge sentenced Stallworth to 30 days in jail and community service. Stallworth served 24 of those 30 days and was released.
A summation and an opinion:
Two years in prison, the loss of millions of dollars for killing dogs.
Twenty-four days in jail, a financial deal with the family for killing a human being.
I do not condone what either man did. What they did was horrific … but am I the only one who sees something wrong with this?
Contact retired Daily Mail sports editor Bill Smith at bs.i…@yahoo.com.
Advertiser
Here are two stories. First story: Michael Vick, who once upon a time was the star quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League, was charged two years ago with dog fighting.
I do not understand why anyone in his right mind would get enjoyment from watching two dogs try to kill each other. And I cannot understand why anyone would want to train dogs to do such a thing.
According to evidence found on Vick’s property, there were 53 animals there, many of them scarred and maimed because they were used as cannon fodder for the champion dog fighters.
I own a dog, a miniature, long-haired female dachshund. She is the joy of my life and makes me laugh every single day. She is not a fighter. I cannot imagine wanting to do anything to harm her. And I certainly would not want anyone else trying to do it, either.
About 31/2 years ago, when she was a youngster, I could not break her habit of chasing cars. She was struck by the mailman and had blood all over the side of her face. I never had heard a dog scream like that.
It turned out her cuts were small. She was like her owner, a breeder.
She has not chased any more cars. She is smart.
That’s what normal animal owners do when their animals are hurt. Take care of them. They do not put them in situations where they can be hurt, maimed or killed.
So, Vick was in a heap of trouble.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) were up in arms, as were all animal lovers. I would not call myself a true animal lover, but I love my dog and certainly do not believe in being cruel to any animals.
Vick admitted his guilt and was convicted and sentenced to two years (he served 23 months) in prison at Leavenworth, Kan. Leavenworth is not a country club. Also, he lost millions of dollars.
He just signed to play football again (with the Philadelphia Eagles). Many people feel he should not be given a second chance.
I am not one of them.
I am not a Vick fan. What he did was despicable and unimaginable. But he served his time. He took his medicine, and it cost him dearly.
Second story:
Donte Stallworth is a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns. He earns $5 million per year.
Last winter, he was drinking and allegedly smoking pot at a Miami night spot. His partying lasted until dawn. And at 7 a.m., he was drunk driving his car and struck a pedestrian crossing a causeway in a crosswalk. The man was killed.
The victim, 59, a crane operator, was on his way home from work. He was a husband and father.
Stallworth’s blood alcohol level was way over the legal limit. He pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter. Actually, it was DUI vehicular manslaughter.
Stallworth insisted he honked his horn, flashed his headlights to warn the man, and drove only 40 miles an hour. Yeah, and he had only two drinks.
Stallworth’s lawyers claimed the man contributed to his own death because he was jaywalking. Can you believe that? The victim just jumped out in front of Stallworth’s car.
The wide receiver faced 15 years in prison and the end of his career. That did not happen.
What happened was his attorneys somehow worked out a financial settlement with the victim’s family, and a judge sentenced Stallworth to 30 days in jail and community service. Stallworth served 24 of those 30 days and was released.
A summation and an opinion:
Two years in prison, the loss of millions of dollars for killing dogs.
Twenty-four days in jail, a financial deal with the family for killing a human being.
I do not condone what either man did. What they did was horrific … but am I the only one who sees something wrong with this?
Contact retired Daily Mail sports editor Bill Smith at bs.i…@yahoo.com.