Despicable Acts Deserve Harsh Punishment

The onslaught of ugly press continues for America’s so-called sporting heroes. We’ve heard plenty about Barry Bonds and Balco, Floyd Landis and doping, Ron Artest and his on- and off-court problems, A-Rod and the mysterious blonde, Gary Sheffield and the race card... The list goes on and on. Now, the missteps of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick may very well have landed him in a whole new level of outrageous, criminal behavior.

A top-10 football player in terms of national recognition, Vick has been indicted by federal authorities for charges surrounding a dog-fighting operation at a property he owns in West Virginia. I’m fully aware that we must respect the fact that an individual is innocent until proven guilty, but rarely do the feds mess up in this type of situation, so it’s rather easy to form an opinion about it.

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My first thought was that pit bulls are a breed of dog that apparently has fighting in its genes. If that is truly the case, what’s the matter with a little friendly dog fight between dog owners? I mean, after all, we have no problem with breeding humans to be boxers, wrestlers, ultimate fighters, mercenaries, assassins and such, so what’s the problem with matching up a couple of fighting dogs for a little Saturday night entertainment?

Honestly, it didn’t take long to discard that thought. Instead, I began to envision the atmosphere of these dog fights. Any thought of a brightly lit ring surrounded by men and women enjoying a Coke and some chips was replaced by a scene with a different type of coke being consumed by a group that was betting chips rather than eating them.

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If the actual atmosphere surrounding dog fights isn’t enough to disgust you, how about the aftermath of these events? Allegedly, dogs that were beaten in the ring or were so severely injured during the battle that they could no longer compete were disposed of in a number of despicable ways. Dogs reportedly met their fates by being shot, drowned, hanged or even electrocuted. That, my friends, is sick.

I have no idea how this whole mess is going to turn out. I do know, however, that this situation presents another opportunity for those entrusted with the responsibility of policing big-league sports to stand up and levy a penalty so severe that it sends a clear and definitive message to any and all professional athletes. The time has come for professional athletes to be held to a higher standard of conduct. They don’t necessarily have to be role models to their fans. They should, however, be models of lawful behavior, on and off the field, or pay the consequences.   

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