Way to stay classy, Michael. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2850545 --------------------------------------- SMITHFIELD, Va. -- Police conducting a drug investigation raided a Virginia house owned by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and found dozens of dogs, some injured and emaciated, as well as items associated with dog fighting, authorities said. State Police Sgt. D.S. Carr said Vick's relative, Davon Boddie, 26, lives in the house. Vick owns the property, but does not live there and was not present when a search warrant was executed in a drug investigation Wednesday night, Carr said. Boddie was arrested outside a nightclub by Hampton police April 20 on charges of distribution of marijuana and possession with intent to distribute. The search warrant was executed by a multijurisidictional task force in a narcotics probe, Carr said. "When they had a chance to go to the site, they discovered animal neglect," Surry County Administrator Tyrone Franklin told WAVY-TV in Portsmouth. More than 60 dogs were found in three buildings. Some appeared malnourished, scarred and injured, officials said. Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, issued the following statement: "The Humane Society of the United States has heard troubling reports for some time that Michael Vick has been involved in organized dog fighting, and we fear that this investigation may validate that very disturbing allegation."
in the interest of being fair, Vick may not even be aware that he owns this house..... many of these athletes could not put on paper what assets they own. they sign this and sign that and sometimes have several people acting as power of attn that it gets to be a frenzy. jil
Okay fair enough... but all of a sudden that strips him of responsibility for making sure his friends and family don't do anything illegal? I don't know about you but if I'm some multi-millionaire just signing on the dotted line I want to make sure that whoever is living there doesn't get me in trouble. Lame excuse jilozzo
Vick in trouble again I'm surprised nobody started a thread on this yet but this is serious business. Whether he lived there or not, the dogs were his, the dog fighting equipment was his and the rumors that he had been involved in dog fighting have gone on for awhile. PETA is after his ass now and they can bring a lot of pressure on Atlanta. Just what they need. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2850545 Police conducting a drug investigation raided a Virginia house owned by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and found dozens of dogs, some injured and emaciated, as well as items associated with dog fighting, authorities said. "We urge law enforcement to aggressively investigate this matter, and we further believe that anyone who harbors dogs for the purpose of fighting, deserves to be fully prosecuted for their crimes,'' Pacelle said. "Dog fighting is a barbaric activity that causes immense animal suffering and fosters violence in our communities. Our nation should have a zero tolerance policy for any form of staged animal fighting." The animal rights group PETA has asked Falcons owner Arthur Blank to suspend Vick pending the investigation and "to kick him off the team if it is found that dogs on Vick's property were neglected or used for fighting."
Vick pleads ignorance in dog-fighting case; animal-rights group skeptical April 27, 2007 http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_y...pDubYF?slug=ap-falcons-vick&prov=ap&type=lgns ATLANTA (AP) -- Michael Vick blamed family members for taking advantage of his generosity after a police raid found evidence of dog fighting at property he owns in Virginia. An animal rights group scoffed at that explanation, saying it's long suspected the Atlanta Falcons quarterback was involved in the fight-to-the-death activity. ADVERTISEMENT Embroiled in another embarrassing -- and perhaps criminal -- situation, Vick traveled to New York on Friday to take part in activities leading up to the NFL draft. Appearing at a news conference to announce his participation in the NFL Quarterback Challenge, Vick described himself as an unwitting victim of relatives living on his property in Smithfield, Va. "I'm never at the house," Vick said, according to ajc.com. "I left the house with my family members and my cousin. They just haven't been doing the right thing." Police conducting a drug investigation raided the Vick-owned house and found dozens of dogs, some injured and emaciated. Investigators also discovered items associated with dog fighting. Vick claimed he knew nothing about it. "It's unfortunate I have to take the heat," he said. "If I'm not there, I don't know what's going on. It's a call for me to really tighten down on who I'm trying to take care of. When it all boils down, people will try to take advantage of you and leave you out to dry. Lesson learned for me." John Goodwin, who handles dog-fighting issues for The Humane Society of America, was skeptical that Vick was unaware of such a large operation -- especially when police were led to the property as part of a drug investigation after arresting the quarterback's 26-year-old cousin, Davon Boddie. Goodwin said authorities found 66 dogs on the property, mostly pit bulls who appeared to be involved in organized fighting. He estimated it would cost up to $100 a day just to feed that number of animals, not to mention other hefty expenses. "Who's paying to feed all those dogs?" Goodwin asked. "Who has the money to feed 66 pit bulls that's in some way, shape or form related to that property?" He said The Humane Society has heard for several years that Vick was personally involved in the brutal, clandestine activity, which is banned nationwide and a felony in 48 states, including Virginia and Georgia. A conviction in Virginia carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $2,500 fine. "We get a lot of calls, and people were always kind of kicking his name around," Goodwin said. "But it was always difficult to put together a complete case on the guy. The word is that he has multiple layers of protection. When the search warrant was executed and they found all the things they found, it really came as no surprise." Falcons spokesman Reggie Roberts said the team would not have a comment until it got more details on the investigation. Vick's attorney, Larry Woodward, did not return a telephone message seeking comment for the second day in a row. "The search warrant was issued in a matter unrelated to the property owner, Mr. Michael Vick," Surry County Sheriff Harold D. Brown said. Goodwin, who has worked with authorities on numerous dog-fighting cases, said he was told that officers also found bloody strips of carpeting, commonly used in dog-fighting pits, and "breaking sticks" -- hammer-like devices used to pry open an animal's jaw after a fight. The NFL said it is looking into the matter. Commissioner Roger Goodell has made it clear he intends to crack down on players involved in off-the-field misconduct. Goodell might be swayed by a string of embarrassing incidents involving Vick, starting with a sordid lawsuit that accused him of knowingly infecting a woman with a sexually transmitted disease and using the alias "Ron Mexico" while seeking treatment. The case was settled out of court. Last season, Vick flashed an obscene hand gesture to heckling Atlanta fans as he walked off the field following a loss. He was fined $10,000 by the NFL and donated another $10,000 to charity. In January, security officers at Miami International Airport seized a water bottle from Vick that they said smelled of marijuana and had a hidden compartment. Authorities later said there were no drugs in the bottle, and Vick explained that he used the secret compartment to carry jewelry. Just this week, Vick came under more criticism when he failed to show for a lobbying appearance on Capitol Hill in support of increased funding for after-school programs. He missed a connecting flight in Atlanta through no fault of his own, but didn't turn up for a later flight. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has asked Falcons owner Arthur Blank to suspend Vick pending the investigation and "to kick him off the team if it is found that dogs on Vick's property were neglected or used for fighting." Goodwin said The Humane Society would take a similar stand if criminal charges were filed against Vick. While the quarterback insisted he was not involved in dog fighting, he has shown an interest in breeding pit bulls. In a 2001 profile by The Sporting News, he revealed having a pit bull that already had produced one litter and said he was trying to start a breeding kennel. "There's more to me than people might think," he said at the time.
So I was reading the latest headlines on PFT, and... So I guess all this sick fuck's alibis are out the window. And to think last year, I bought a close friend's young kid a Vick jersey for his birthday, I wish I had never even thought of it now, I wouldn't even wipe my ass with the damn thing
The more interesting thing about all of this is what will Godell do about it? We're not talking about a corner or a receiver here. To some degree this is even worse then what Henry or Jones did as it involves animals.
Updated: May 4, 2007, 5:02 PM ET Web site uses Vick's name to promote dog-breeding bizAssociated Press http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2859561 ATLANTA -- More than a week after an alleged dogfighting ring was uncovered on property owned by Michael Vick, the Atlanta Falcons still have little to say about their quarterback's potential legal problems. General manager Rich McKay vowed to take a closer look after wrapping up last weekend's NFL draft, but he has declined to speak further on the case. Through spokesman Reggie Roberts, McKay and the Falcons declined comment Thursday. Police conducting a drug investigation raided a Vick-owned house in Smithfield, Va., and reported finding dozens of dogs, some injured and emaciated. Investigators also discovered items associated with dog fighting, including veterinary supplies, blood-soaked carpeting, treadmills used for training and tools used to pry apart a dog's jaws. Vick said he's never been to the home, even though he owns it and was letting a cousin live there. He blamed relatives for taking advantage of his generosity and vowed to keep closer tabs on his inner circle. While Vick said he's not involved in dog fighting, a Web site shed light on his apparent interest in breeding through a business known as "Mike Vick K-9 Kennels." The site, www.xxxxxxxx.com, said Vick specializes in breeding registered puppies ranging from rare pit bull terriers to "the highly intelligent and powerful Presa Canario." It also contains a disclaimer that any of its dogs were used for fighting. "We breed specifically for ourselves first and foremost, and when/if we do sell puppies to the public, all prospective buyers are carefully screened," the Web site says. "We do not promote, support, or raise dogs for fighting and will not knowingly sell, give, or trade any dog that may be used for fighting. "Our dogs are all family pets," the site adds, "and our puppies are all socialized and home raised." The address for Vick's K-9 Kennel was listed as Moonlight Road in Suffolk, Va. The home that was raided last week is on Moonlight Road in nearby Smithfield. The listed phone number wasn't working. For now, the Falcons seem willing to take Vick at his word. In the team's only public comments on the incident, McKay and coach Bobby Petrino both commended the quarterback for working hard in the offseason program. "There's a lot of people around Michael, and things happen," McKay said last weekend during the draft. "We've got to get it to the point where those things are not happening." The Falcons apparently want authorities to reveal more details on the investigation before they comment on Vick's possible involvement in the sordid case. Dog fighting in a felony in Virginia and 47 other states, according to The Humane Society of the United States. Commonwealth's attorney Gerald Poindexter did not return two messages seeking comment Thursday. Surry County Sheriff Harold Brown was out of the office and a dispatcher said there was no one else who could talk about the case. The NFL, which has cracked down on wayward players since Roger Goodell took over as commissioner, also was investigating the dogfighting case. In fact, Vick was summoned to a meeting with Goodell last Saturday while in New York for the draft. Vick has been involved in several embarrassing episodes in recent months. He was fined for flashing an obscene gesture to heckling Atlanta fans after a game, was stopped by airport security officers in Miami carrying a suspicious water bottle and failed to show for a scheduled appearance on Capital Hill to lobby for more after-school funding.
At this point with all the bad news of the last year I would think that Michael Vick would be hiring like a PR expert or something to help dig him out of the hole. Here are some of MY suggestions as to how he could begin to handle all this stuff: 1. Check himself into rehab. That always tamps down the speculation for awhile until he comes out again. Training camp's not until like August so he could lay low for the summer months and avoid all those hot and sticky mini-camps. He'd have to claim a twinkie addiction or something. Maybe caramel mousse. If he gained like 15 lbs we'd all buy it too. 2. Open a strip joint. All the other problems will seem so miniscule then. It'd be like consolidating debt only with moral turpitude instead. 3. Get caught betting on baseball. He could use the occasion to point out that he never bets on football. It didn't work so well for Pete Rose to do the opposite but Pete didn't have Vick's other problems. 4. Open a petting zoo... Yeah right.
Canine issues Humane Society asks NFL to boot dog-fighting players Posted: Friday May 4, 2007 8:16PM; Updated: Saturday May 5, 2007 12:14AM http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/05/04/bc.fbn.falcons.vick.ap/index.html ATLANTA (AP) -- A prominent animal-rights group called on NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to ban players who are involved in dog fighting, saying it was especially troubled that evidence of the deadly activity was allegedly found at a home owned by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick. The Humane Society of the United States sent a letter to Goodell on Thursday, calling on the NFL to "collaborate with us in an organized effort to eradicate animal cruelty and illegal animal fighting activity from the ranks of the NFL." "We believe that the current situation involving Michael Vick is indicative of a larger subculture within the NFL of dog fighting and other forms of violence against animals," wrote Wayne Pacelle, chief executive officer of the Humane Society. While conducting a drug investigation last week, Virginia authorities raided a home owned by Vick, though he wasn't the one being targeted. The investigators reported finding dozens of dogs, some injured and malnourished, and evidence of dog fighting. The Humane Society has alleged that veterinary supplies, blood-soaked carpeting, treadmills used for training, scales for weighing the animals and tools used to pry apart a dog's jaws were confiscated from the property. Pacelle said his group "tracks 10 underground dog fighting magazines and a laundry list of Web sites, and we can assure you that this is a major underground criminal industry." He also repeated the group's claims that it suspected Vick was involved in dog fighting long before last week's raid. The NFL has said it is investigating the case, and Goodell summoned Vick to a private meeting while the quarterback was in New York last weekend for the NFL draft. "I'm not familiar with the letter," league spokesman Greg Aiello said. "We are looking into the incident." Falcons spokesman Reggie Roberts said the team had no comment on the Humane Society's letter. Vick has maintained that he never visited the home, even though he owned it and allowed a cousin to live there. He blamed family members for taking advantage of his generosity and said he felt like a victim too. The Humane Society is skeptical of Vick's explanation. "The problem of illegal animal fighting and other forms of animal cruelty is widespread, but they have a particular significance where high-profile sports personalities are concerned because of the influence the behavior and habits of these athletes have over fans," Pacelle wrote. Vick isn't the only player facing the wrath of animal-rights advocates. Defensive lineman Jonathan Babineaux is facing felony charges in the death of his girlfriend's dog. The player has denied responsibility. "We hope you will collaborate with The HSUS to combat animal cruelty and animal fighting in order to send a clear message to the public that the NFL does indeed intend to hold its players to the highest standards," Pacelle said in his letter to Goodell. "By setting an example of compassion for the public, the NFL has the chance to tackle the problem of animal cruelty and animal fighting from the top down and to truly make a difference for our communities." While Vick has denied involved in dog fighting, he does have an apparent interest in breeding animals such as pit bulls and Rottweilers. A Web site for "Mike Vick K-9 Kennels" includes a disclaimer that any of its dogs are used for fighting, which is banned nationwide and is a felony in 48 states including Virginia and Georgia. Another Web site for an Atlanta-area breeder, Sanders Kennels, shows a picture of Vick holding a Presa Canario puppy, an animal that it says is "bred for loyalty, protection, guarding, and peace of mind. They can and will protect."
