News: Jets Disavow Any Interest in Mike Vick
During a public appearance on Monday Jets owner Woody Johnson made it clear that the Jets are not interested in Mike Vick.
.. Johnson said the Jets weren’t interested in 29-year-old Vick, who spent the final two months of his sentence under home confinement.
“We’ve got Kellen Clemens and now we have this young Mark Sanchez, and I think we are good on quarterbacks,” Johnson said. “We’re going to stick with what we are doing now. Kellen, this will be his fourth year, so he is ready to go, and Sanchez is pretty exciting.”
Personal feeling aside, and as shrewdly as I can put it, think about it from the Jets perspective. They’ve alienated enough of their own fans with the new stadium and PSLs amidst a down economy that they don’t even have sold out games for the 2009 season … even trying to push the marketing as they might. It remains to be seen whether games will be blacked out come September … why add the Mike Vick variable into this equation?
15 Responses to News: Jets Disavow Any Interest in Mike Vick
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Bristolstreet says:
Good for the Jets! They have enough problems without adding this dog killer.
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mole57 says:
Electric Ham,
I think more than just PETA people would be upset by it. I’m just your average dog owner (not an activist by any stretch of the imagination), and I’d be outraged if they signed him. A lot of people who are on the fence about paying a PSL could construe this as the final straw. -
MSM says:
Id bring him in to compete as a backup running back / backup QB / wildcat option (its better than the Brad Smith experiment)… people need to stop crying about what these players do off the field. None of them are role models in any way shape or form. Obviously I am against what he did… its inexcusable… but if we want to start comparing his actions to whats going on around the league…
I mean….one guy killed a man while driving drunk in Miami… Another guy brought a loaded gun to a crowded club and then had the gun go off (into his own leg, but still…) You have the “hero” McNair get shot to death (while intoxicated) by his mistress after the mistress found out he had a second mistress. All of this while his wife and kids were at home in a different city.
Social issues should be defining the structure of our team. Im never going to defend dog fighting because I have dogs and I love them but I also have problems with Bull FIghting, Cock fighting (which a bunch of Dominican baseball players are involved in) etc. etc. The point is… I don’t watch football because of the caliber of people the players are of the field, and neither should you.
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Pdubbs says:
Everyone needs to stop crying about dogs. There has been plenty of athletes that have done terrible things to PEOPLE that we forgive. I’m NOT saying its cool to go fight dogs or kill them for that matter but I think people who hate are out of line. These athletes get tons of money and do dumb things all the time.
How can we be “OK” with Branden Marshall, Donte Stallworth or Pacman and not Mike Vick ?
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heckynaw says:
The guy paid his debt to society. We are all sinners period. Everyone deserves a second chance, he knows things will never ever be the same again. If he screws up again then we can all move on and forget about him. No one here is and will never be perfect. Its up to him to make better choices from here on out.
Personally I think he could play WR until he gets his football instincts back at QB. I bet he’s still better than Erik Ainge.
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MSM, pdubbs, and heckynaw:
If I take a rooting interest in a team, I’d like to be able to actually root for the players. While I am guilty of rooting for the laundry regardless of who is wearing it, there are times when I find it very difficult to do so. If Vick ever wore a Jets uniform, I’d have trouble rooting for him.You harp about Stallworth and Plaxico — the big difference in those cases is that Stallworth wasn’t planning to kill anyone that night, it was an accident (and incredibly poor judgment to drive intoxicated); and Plaxico wasn’t planning on shooting himself in leg, he was carrying the gun (illegally, yes) as a means of self-defense. Neither is going unpunished — Goodell has already suspended Stallworth indefinitely, and Plax is soon to follow. Vick’s crimes, on the other hand, were completely premeditated and took place over an extended period of time. It was no accident, and he did again and again. He never regretted his acts (until he was caught and arrested). Big difference. He served his time in federal prison, but that doesn’t mean he should be playing for my team. (If a lawyer is convicted of a felony, he’s no longer allowed to practice law; when you commit a felony you cannot expect to have all you rights re-instated.)
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StvDoe says:
Personally I don’t want Vick for the Jets.
But I think it’s absurd that he hasn’t been reinstated by the NFL. If anybody in HISTORY has paid their debt to society it’s Vick. He served 2+ years in a federal penitentiary. He lost over 100 MILLION dollars in salary. He’s been reviled by the average American. One could list 10s of thousands of people who’ve paid far less for considerably worse offenses.
Since we all love our pets his offence SEEMS truly horrific. But 100s of millions of animals are killed every week to put food on the world’s tables. Animals are hunted for sport every day. I hear no outcry that NFL players who enjoy shooting deer be banned from the game. Brett Favre is a hunter. Did one Jet fan raise this issue when we signed him?
As I said, I’m not interested in Vick, but that’s because I don’t think he’d help our team. Any team that thinks he can should be able to sign him NOW knowing he’s paid his debt and is free to pursue his livelyhood.
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Mole check it…
Did Stallworth not know he was drunk ? Drinking and driving is kind of like murder if that person is totally wasted (Stallworth) What would Plaxico do with that gun if he was in a fight …just show it to people ? prob shoot it. Branden Marshall beats his girl with the intent of ???? Vick was not the grim reaper for dogs guy.
The league is full of these guys…we root for them now.
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Mole, you are spot on in your analysis. Let’s remember that Vick lied to Roger Goodell and to Arthur Blank when initially questioned about his involvement with the dog fights and illegal gambling. This is not something that Goodell will easily nor quickly forgive. I believe that Vick rightfully faces an indefinite suspension. Perhaps you Vick- lovers can watch him play in the new UFL.
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ramble914 says:
StvDoe,
I don’t think you can make a comparison between using animals for food and sustenance, and the sadistic torturing and killing of dogs. The same goes for hunting, humans are animals and part of the food chain, we’ve been hunting for thousands of years. Some choose to buy their meat and others choose to go out and harvest it for themselves.
I agree that Vick has paid his debt to society, and should be allowed to resume his career, but he also has to answer to Goddell for lieing to his face. I would hope his suspension would be for no more than 8 games. I also don’t think he would fit into what the Jets are trying to do.
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kc. says:
like ANY of us thought we were gonna go after Michael Vick!??
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ghoston says:
Ramble,
You should read up on some of the things they do to animals, all in the name of bringing meat to the plate. I eat meat, and I am aware of how sick, twisted, and sadistic the meat industry is…sure things have changed since Sinclair published the Jungle, but it’s still a terrible industry. Also, responsible for many environmental problems, kinda hits ya twice in a way that Vick and his dogs never could.
I also happen to love dogs. And I love Vick. I really hope he’s in the new Madden so when I draft my dynasty, I can get him.
I also agree with KC. Vick would never be a Jet. He doesn’t fit what we are doing, and wherever he goes, I wish him the best. MSM was right. He’s not a role model, nor should he ever have been one…
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Bent says: Ignoring the dog cruelty aspect of this debate, I never liked Vick as a person or a player. A guy that plays well until he meets a decent defense then looks like garbage has limitations which can block the progress of the whole franchise, especially when that guy is a quarterback. At least if someone is wildly inconsistent from the start (rather than only being capable of beating inferior defenses) you can move to replace them.
I’ve never enjoyed watching run-first quarterbacks, just as I don’t like shoot-first point guards.
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How does the cruelty of the food industry exonerate Vick? (That’s almost like saying there are so many atrocities in a war, that we shouldn’t be upset over a double-homicide.)
Since some people will continue to say “it was only dogs,” there really no use in discussing his crimes any further.
He served his time, and if his former employer, to whom he lied and thoroughly embarrassed, decides to re-instate him, then so be it. However, any team that chooses to offer him a contract shouldn’t complain about the distractions and negative publicity such a move would bring with it.
Im not saying that we should get vick, but for a marketing standpoint i do not see that having a net negative impact. Sure PETA people will cry but the fact is he was one of the most electrifying players in NFL history and the football fan, the jets fan, would clearly be excited to see what he could do to help our team. (wildcat)