Stallworth suspended one year w/o pay.

[aQB]

Given the circumstances of the case, I feel that is pretty fair.

[Late Hit]

Inconsistent from Goodell, who's letting Vick play almost as soon as he's out of jail.

That said, I think it's a fair suspension. Hopefully it'll stop other football players driving drunk.

[Doc21]

Inconsistent from Goodell, who's letting Vick play almost as soon as he's out of jail.

That said, I think it's a fair suspension. Hopefully it'll stop other football players driving drunk.


Vick paid every Pennie he has and was in jail for a year.. What do you want? This guy just killed a person and could have been saved if he wasn't drunk regardless if he was j walking.

[thumper300zx]

Inconsistent from Goodell, who's letting Vick play almost as soon as he's out of jail.

That said, I think it's a fair suspension. Hopefully it'll stop other football players driving drunk.

Please explain what "consistency" would be in this situation???

To me, they are completely different. Dogs, gambling, and poor money habits vs. drunk driving and passing of human life.

[CC-Baez]

How is this inconsistent? Michael Vick spent a year in jail and paid his fines, which is what was ordered by a court of law. So, in a fair world, most would say, Mike vick has paid enough and should be allowed to get on with his life.

Also, I believe you are comparing apples with oranges. While what mike did with the dogs was horrible, he did not kill a human being. Stallworth did...and under the influence at that. Being held out from football for 1 year is more than fair.

With that being said, I'm happy Michael Vick is getting a second chance.
Inconsistent from Goodell, who's letting Vick play almost as soon as he's out of jail.

That said, I think it's a fair suspension. Hopefully it'll stop other football players driving drunk.

[Doc21]

Humans > dogs
1 Year with no pay < 23 month of jail & every dime you have is gone.

Please show me the inconsistency in this.

I can say stallworth got the much better deal... Much better... for a worst crime.

[peteshawtheman]

These cases have almost nothing in common: Vick's suspension stemmed mainly from the gambling operation he financed. Quit trying to find some comparison between them-there is none.

[Time4aRing]

I'm with you Doc, the man killed a person, he took a life away, and now he only gets a one year suspension. Come on, Animal Cruelty versus Manslaughter. Huge difference. Stallworth should have been suspended for at least 2 years without pay, and personally, I would have made it permanent if he wasn't so remorseful and I was the commish. Although I did fell his apology was genuine.

[JoeMcRugby]

To date, Mr. Vick, who ran a criminal & gambling enterprise for 6 straight years, hasn't missed one second of an NFL regular season game due to suspension.

At worst, Vick will serve 1/3 of the suspension time that has been levied on Mr. Stallworth.

No comparison whatsoever.

[Oregon BoltCpl]

To date, Mr. Vick, who ran a criminal & gambling enterprise for 6 straight years, hasn't missed one second of an NFL regular season game due to suspension.

At worst, Vick will serve 1/3 of the suspension time that has been levied on Mr. Stallworth.

No comparison whatsoever.
But he served time and said he was sorry..............Doesn't that count for something????

Gotta be honest with ya Joe........This whole thing sickens and disgusts me . You can run a criminal enterprise and kill someone and you can still play in the NFL??

My opinion is that ANYBODY convicted of a FELONY should NOT be allowed to play in the NFL..........PERIOD!!!!!

SCREW 2nd chances..........Commisioner Goodell dropped the ball PLAIN AND SIMPLE!!!

[chargertom]

Hey ... all he did was get drunk, and kill someone.

And he already did 30 days in jail. Oh, and said he was sorry.

I think he's suffered enough. Goodell should let him play immediately. :crazy::rolleyes:

[thumper300zx]

But he served time and said he was sorry..............Doesn't that count for something????

Gotta be honest with ya Joe........This whole thing sickens and disgusts me . You can run a criminal enterprise and kill someone and you can still play in the NFL??

My opinion is that ANYBODY convicted of a FELONY should NOT be allowed to play in the NFL..........PERIOD!!!!!

SCREW 2nd chances..........Commisioner Goodell dropped the ball PLAIN AND SIMPLE!!!



I think you misunderstood Joe's argument. He was saying the NFL SUSPENSION for Stallworth was more severe than Vick, and explained that Vick never missed a game he could've played in. He wasn't making an argument about the severity of the court judgments.

Meanwhile, what Vick did was a lot more involved than killing dogs. One has to understand that this was a very organized operation. It will never be known the extent it affected not only animal life, but human life. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there were people that lost lives sometime within those circumstances (not saying Vick would be involved directly, but perhaps the result of unpaid bets and other situations).

Goodell gave a pretty harsh statement, saying Stallworth tainted the reputation of NFL players. And the suspension provided was already more than what Vick got, which doing the math (in jail, he can't play anyway), was really nothing.

[Late Hit]

Please explain what "consistency" would be in this situation???

To me, they are completely different. Dogs, gambling, and poor money habits vs. drunk driving and passing of human life.

Intent, and responsibility level.

Michael Vick intended to run a dogfighting organisation for personal financial gain. He was directly involved in the brutal deaths of many animals. He was 100% responsible for what happened.

Stallworth did not intend to kill a man. He drove drunk, a horrendous crime as we can all agree, and hit something in the road that should not have been there. Unfortunately this was a man rushing to cross a road. For the end result of a man's death, Stallworth is probably somewhere between 50% and 75% responsible.

[thumper300zx]

Intent, and responsibility level.

Michael Vick intended to run a dogfighting organisation for personal financial gain. He was directly involved in the brutal deaths of many animals. He was 100% responsible for what happened.

Stallworth did not intend to kill a man. He drove drunk, a horrendous crime as we can all agree, and hit something in the road that should not have been there. Unfortunately this was a man rushing to cross a road. For the end result of a man's death, Stallworth is probably somewhere between 50% and 75% responsible.

Human + alcohol = surrendering your judgment to something else. Everyone knows it.

No pass for being stupid. Vote -- who didn't know this by the time they were 16 (driving age)?

That said, the law does allow for a bit of a pass and he got it. The circumstances were reviewed, the pedestrian was careless, and Stallworth was charged with a lesser punishment.

Then, even if you gauge a % for intent, you are comparing dissimilar crimes.

It's interesting how different the opinions are of the court judgment and NFL's (Goodells) judgment. Certainly some room for discussion.

I think the frequency of events has a lot to do with the attention and perspective. When you see something freaky happen, which was certainly the case with Vick, it gets a lot more press and attention. You also get special interest groups (PETA) involved and the issue gets amplified. When you hear someone got hit by a drunk driver, dies from smoking, or has a heart attack at a young age, it's something that (unfortunately) happens quite often, so the story isn't as "shocking".

[Balboa 1961]

It's not just PETA. My wife and my daughter are not members and they will never attend a game that Vick is playing.

[Oregon BoltCpl]

I think you misunderstood Joe's argument. He was saying the NFL SUSPENSION for Stallworth was more severe than Vick, and explained that Vick never missed a game he could've played in. He wasn't making an argument about the severity of the court judgments.

Meanwhile, what Vick did was a lot more involved than killing dogs. One has to understand that this was a very organized operation. It will never be known the extent it affected not only animal life, but human life. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there were people that lost lives sometime within those circumstances (not saying Vick would be involved directly, but perhaps the result of unpaid bets and other situations).

Goodell gave a pretty harsh statement, saying Stallworth tainted the reputation of NFL players. And the suspension provided was already more than what Vick got, which doing the math (in jail, he can't play anyway), was really nothing.


I caught what he was sayin Thump. I still believe that if you're convicted of a felony, you should not be allowed to play in the NFL.

I was kinda piggybacking my opinion off of his.

[thumper300zx]

I caught what he was sayin Thump. I still believe that if you're convicted of a felony, you should not be allowed to play in the NFL.

I was kinda piggybacking my opinion off of his.

Re-reading your post, I don't know what I was thinking. I must've misread it, or maybe mixed up your message and accidentally replied to it instead of someone elses :)

[Late Hit]

Then, even if you gauge a % for intent, you are comparing dissimilar crimes.

I don't particularly disagree. The law has punished both men's crimes as it sees fit, however we're not talking about the law now, we're talking about the NFL. A man who made a mistake sits for a year, while a brutal dog murderer gets right back into the action. And these people are the role models for your kids.

[OC Chargers]

Anyone else would have been banned for life but because the guy is a former Cheatriot Goodell gave him a slap on the wrist. If he was a current Patsy, he would have been given just a $5k fine and continue playing this year.

[supersteven]

I dunno about that. That video released collaborated with Stallworth's story. The guy was jay walking and came out of nowhere.