I agree with you Knot. It's said that America has sunk to this level of value.

Yes, these days you don't hear much about Dennis. I do have to admit, though; in his playing days he was one heck of a defensive presence on the court. I think Dennis Rodman's strange behavior was an attention grabber. At one pont a few years ago, he hosted the Country Music Awards! What does he possibly know about country music? He was picked simply because he was strangely popular with America at the time! The producers were probably hoping that he would do something really outlandish. Michael Vick is another caliber of talent in a different sport. Had this story never even broke, can anyone honestly tell me of a team that would not have pursued Vick if he were an unrestricted free agent? I think you would be hard pressed to.

Did you feel sorry for Mel Gibson who drove drunk and the story wasn't he did this but what he said upon being pulled over. It isn't actually illegal to say anti semtic things although clearly really undesireable. We have freedom of speech afterall. Yet he was attacked by the media and people ingeneral not for driving drunk which was the actual crime but what he said. Unlike Vick (and don't get me wrong I am not a fan of Mel) Mel didn't blame the circumstances of his life for his actions he took the consequences plead guilty. He did say he is a drunk and will reutn to a program of recovery and apologised for his behavior and words. But he was tried by the media and the emotions of people too. Did you feel sorry for him for the same reasons..other then it made football look bad of course..Mel made recovery drunks look bad.

What I object too and what everyone should obejct to that up until now when he found Jesus..he has blamed the circumstances of his upbringing...the 'culture' of Urban Black Youth....this has been his excuse..put aside that he is NOT a poor Urban Black Youth..in fact he is a very wealthy famous black guy who lives on a large property ...the racism in his statement is what I find shocking and if was an excuse used by say Imus (I was a poor white guy and feel threatened by black people) could you imagine the response....just like we rejected the notion that Jewish people are to blame for the screwed upness of the world as Mel claimed.

as if the circumstances of his youth or any other persons youth is an excuse for what he does as a wealthy adult and the obvious trying to play on peoples emotions. He was trying to get people to think poor black guy didn't know better..How freakin sick is that..

is there someone aware in our culture that dogfighting is illegal and animal cruelty is also illegal...whilst I agree less should be made of football and more of his actions and perhaps we should look at WHY people would act this way..why did he even think this was OK..but still as a wealthy guy the I am one of the Boyz from the Hood thing just is WRONG!!!

Vick Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge - AOL Sports

Here is more news about Vick.

That was exactly the point I was trying to make, sir. What he did was just plain wrong morally and legally. Vick must pay his due. I just don't think the penalty will be as severe as some people do or want. I like your reference to the Mel Gibson incident. That was another case of "the real crime being overshadowed by a stupid indiscretion". Nothing Gibson said againt the Jewish faith and its people violated any law of which I am aware. It was just stupid of him to have made the comments. That's all. In the meantime, the real crime was the drunk driving was never even addressed! I really do agree the "I'm from the 'hood; that's what we do" crap doesn't fly.

Actually I'm gonna have to slightly disagree with you there. I knew several people "from the hood" who said they fought their dogs. The difference between what happens "in the hood" and what Vick did was a multi-million dollar bankroll and 50-70 dogs. That's when it got outta hand.

There will always be people fighting dogs,chickens,pigs,bulls and anything else that they can get to be aggressive.

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I used to work with a guy that fought chickens. He didn't see any problem with it, but I do and I told him so. The guy is a master craftsman and was great to work with. He even encouraged me to practice speaking spanish to him, but as much as I liked him, the cockfighting thing really bothered me.

I'm waiting now for Vick to claim to have found jesus, check into rehab and claim to have been molested by a priest. But not necessarily in that order.

You are correct, sir. But not all people ( urban black or otherwise) feel the need nor want to engage in such behavior.Where it got out of hand was in a name. Michael Vick. Why? Because there is not one person above the age of thitenn in the whole state of Georgia who can say that they have never heard of this man. Add to that the millions of fans of professional football. If he were John Q.Public; would this have even been reported?

Exactly. Say we have a Paris Hilton who is ticketed for drunk driving on a Hollywood street. And then over in any little town of the USA, a guy gets pulled over for drunk driving on another street. Who gets in the news? Certainly not the guy, except maybe in the local paper there, if the town is that small.

he should be banned.