Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

[KaGee]

Nov 29 12:43 PM US/Eastern AP

Michael Vick has been fined $10,000 by the NFL for an obscene hand gesture toward fans following last week's loss to New Orleans.

Vick will never win a championship.

 

[Pony]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

Vick said

"It was very inappropriate. I was down, upset, frustrated. I just did one thing I've never done through all the games I've ever lost, no matter how frustrated I've been after a game. I don't know where it came from, but the people who know me know that's not me and that's not my character."

To which my first response was......."Yeah. Okay Ron Mexico".

That whole family is just looking better and better all the time. Kagee I agree, he will never win a championship, and quite frankily I think his career will only last another few years. He just doesnt have the body to run around and take the hits he does.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

We whipped them like a red headed step child for the second time this season and they are sore losers!

 

[CJY]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

I kind of like MV, and think he is good for the game. I am not condoning or excusing what he did, but I will take an emotional player on my team any day. Show me an athlete that does not get frustrated or upset after losing and I will show you a loser.

Fans pay to get in and most would argue this gives them the right to vocalize displeasure with the performance of a team. I struggle to disagree with that. When gestures and words are thrown at a frustrated player after just having their butt handed to them, sometimes you get a reaction that is viewed as distasteful by the fans and media. I know, the NFL says it's a no no. But hey, these are emotional athletes willing to break their necks to win and sometimes fans don't get that. They do not lose intentionally, it goes against the very nature of the reason they even made it to the NFL.

They just finished laying it on the line. They are payed to play, not take abuse from idiots. Cut them some slack. Otherwise, don't cry if athletes flip off some drunken, screaming idiots pretending to be fans.

Just my opinion.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

CJY, sounds like you don't buy that whole "professional athletes as role models" paradigm?

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

Let me get this straight- If I take my son to a game and the loser doesn't like the fans, my son gets the bird?

 

[imported_Curmudgeon]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

If I take my son to a game and the loser doesn't like the fans, my son gets the bird?


Probably wouldn't if he went with someone else ... :^

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

Another reason cartoon people only have 4 fingers. I told ya so.8)

 

[CJY]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

"CJY, sounds like you don't buy that whole "professional athletes as role models" paradigm?"

jtex,

They are, but should not be. They don't get to choose if they are or not. They only get to choose whether they are positive or negative. One incident does not make them a negative role model, at least in my opinion. This happened directly after the game when there is great emotion. We have all done or said things in the heat of the moment that does not necessarily do a good job of defining our character. It happens.

"Let me get this straight- If I take my son to a game and the loser doesn't like the fans, my son gets the bird?"

RF,

If you and your son stick around after the game to boo, to yell obscenities, or say things you would probably not say to him one on one on the street after the game, then yes, you get what you deserve. The cloak of the crowd often turns, what would otherwise be ordinary people, into idiots who believe they are superman. The people in the crowd often act out of character too. Again, it's the heat of the moment. I don't expect athletes or fans to always act properly. There is simply too much emotion involved. Mix in a bit of alcohol, and you get what happened last Sunday.

What makes a fan think they can call players names after or during a game, yell vulgar things about their families, their mothers, their kids? All of this with no rebuttal? These fans stuck around to do one thing, throw vulgarity toward the players, and in this case, Vick reacted. If you yell personal attacks toward an emotional player, be aware you may receive one yourself. Again, I do not condone what he did, but I absolutely understand where it came from.

What ever happened to, "treat others as you wish to be treated"? I guess all bets are off when it comes to sports.

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

RF,

If you and your son stick around after the game to boo, to yell obscenities, or say things you would probably not say to him one on one on the street after the game, then yes, you get what you deserve. The cloak of the crowd often turns, what would otherwise be ordinary people, into idiots who believe they are superman. The people in the crowd often act out of character too. Again, it's the heat of the moment. I don't expect athletes or fans to always act properly. There is simply too much emotion involved. Mix in a bit of alcohol, and you get what happened last Sunday.

What makes a fan think they can call players names after or during a game, yell vulgar things about their families, their mothers, their kids? All of this with no rebuttal? These fans stuck around to do one thing, throw vulgarity toward the players, and in this case, Vick reacted. If you yell personal attacks toward an emotional player, be aware you may receive one yourself. Again, I do not condone what he did, but I absolutely understand where it came from.

What ever happened to, "treat others as you wish to be treated"? I guess all bets are off when it comes to sports.

My son is 2. But it's mine/his responsibility to run out of the stadium the second the game is over? Just in case the guy next to me is a jerk....

These football players get a LOT of money just to play a game. Give me a break about the stress. Any other job you would get fired for giving a customer the bird. There is no excuse for this.

"He was stressed." So what? I get stressed all the time. Should I go around flipping off the people I do business with?

 

[CJY]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

"But it's mine/his responsibility to run out of the stadium the second the game is over? Just in case the guy next to me is a jerk...."

If you are sitting next to a jerk that is yelling obscenities toward players and you choose to stay there, why be so offended if the player makes a gesture? What the fan is saying is not offensive to you and your son?

"He was stressed." So what? I get stressed all the time. Should I go around flipping off the people I do business with?"


My guess, if you did business with people that called your son, your mother, you or other members of your family names because of your poor job performance, you would probably react in a way you would have never imagined. How many times have you been in that situation in your professional life. I could probably get you pretty fired up over simply saying things regarding your 2 year old. You honestly cannot imagine another person saying something about your family or you that you would never react to?

I am not making excuses for him, but as I said before, I understand where it came from.

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

I am not making excuses for him....

It seems that is exactly what you are doing.

 

[CJY]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

OK, if that's what you think. I have zero problem disagreeing and accepting it.

Is there a reason you ignored the rest of that post though? I am positive I could get you to do or say things out of character if I approached you on the street. I guess it would then be ok for all others to make judgements about you, the person, based entirely on your reaction.

How many times has Vick played the game of football? He has been in the spotlight since V Tech and probably before, at least locally, and never once has he done something similar. I guess those games don't count when judging his character...do they? Just one, emotional response to irate fans is all that is required. Very nice.

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

OK, if that's what you think. I have zero problem disagreeing and accepting it.

Is there a reason you ignored the rest of that post though? I am positive I could get you to do or say things out of character if I approached you on the street. I guess it would then be ok for all others to make judgements about you, the person, based entirely on your reaction.

How many times has Vick played the game of football? He has been in the spotlight since V Tech and probably before, at least locally, and never once has he done something similar. I guess those games don't count when judging his character...do they? Just one, emotional response to irate fans is all that is required. Very nice.

Peace bro.

I didn't respond to the entire post because I didn't think we were going to reach a concensus.

As far as this post, past behavior doesn't excuse bad behavior. The fact is that he is a highly paid professional and should be held to a higher standard. I agree with the fine.

Let's not end up in a knife fight behind the bar over this insignificant disagreement.

Cheers.

 

[CJY]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

As far as this post, past behavior doesn't excuse bad behavior.

Agreed.d just as I believe a single incident does not define character. I too, agree with the fine, and would be ok with a greater one.

Let's not end up in a knife fight behind the bar over this insignificant disagreement.

Agreed.d

 

[technostingray]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

I wonder if there is any similarities between this display and the Michael Richards thing. Public image and personal character are often very different and usually kept very seperate. Do you suppose that Michael Vick never had the urge to flip the opposing fan off before? Or, that it is the first time anyone ever flipped off the TV Camera? Intelligent people do stupid things. I wonder how this Fine compares to the reprecussions that Michale Richards will suffer.

 

[CJY]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

Apples and oranges?? For that reason, MR may be finished in Hollywood. That is, if he was not before this episode.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

"CJY, sounds like you don't buy that whole "professional athletes as role models" paradigm?"

jtex,

They are, but should not be. They don't get to choose if they are or not. They only get to choose whether they are positive or negative. One incident does not make them a negative role model, at least in my opinion. This happened directly after the game when there is great emotion. We have all done or said things in the heat of the moment that does not necessarily do a good job of defining our character. It happens.

good answer.

 

[technostingray]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

Apples and oranges?? For that reason, MR may be finished in Hollywood. That is, if he was not before this episode.

What a shallow comment for such a deep thinker. Despite the singular references there is comparative logic in these instances and to top it off it lies in the success and failure of individuals and how that relates to their real character not how the public and of course the great CJY perceives them.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Michael Vick Fined $10,000 for Gesture

I think apples and oranges is a valid opinion regarding a comparison of the two incidents and the consequences thereof. NFL fined Vick because he was representing the NFL. He still has a job & built-in opportunity to "redeem" himself. Richards had nothing to lose. His display won't affect his comedy-circuit career**. Just getting his name & face in the news provides a boost to his TV/film career - in Hollywood there is no such thing as "bad publicity."* It's all upside for him, whereas Vick has nothing to gain.

* - [edit: make that, "no bad publicity, unless your name is Tom Cruise]

** - [second edit...I see below that some clubs have banned Richards, still I bet the ruckus will make him more popular than ever. I bet he makes the talk-show circuit before you know it.]