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Michael Vick—a name that brings up instant emotions in hundreds of thousands of dog lovers at its mere mention— is headed back to the NFL Pro Bowl, this time as one of four NFL Legends Pro Bowl Captains.
Few names invoke the same immediate, visceral reactions from dog lovers around the country as Michael Vick, who served 18-months of a 23-month prison sentence after he was found guilty of bankrolling a dog-fighting operation, Bad Newz Kennels. In his guilty plea, Vick admitted to helping kill 6 to 8 dogs. While Vick’s supporters claim he “did his time,” he has faced no charges of animal cruelty or served a single day in jail for his part in the torture and murder of any dogs.
Yet, somehow, the admitted dog killer is faring better than ever.
In addition to tens of millions in football salaries, Vick has, in the 12 years since his conviction garnered product endorsement deals, BET’s Sportsman of the Year Award, induction into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame, a successful clothing line, a bestselling book, a high-profile sports analyst position at Fox Sports, and now, is being named an honorary NFL Legends Pro Bowl Captain where the former quarterback will mentor players and offer advice from the sidelines.
But not if hundreds of thousands of animal lovers around the nation have any say in the matter.
One woman started a Change.org petition urging the NFL to rescind Michael Vick’s Pro Bowl Captain title. And nearly half a million dog lovers – so far – have signed.
“Just saw this on Facebook and was absolutely disgusted,” she wrote on the petition page, referring to a social media post about Vick’s inclusion. “When is the NFL going to take any responsibility for the behavior of its current and former players? To honor a man who had zero regard for animals is unacceptable and I would like your help to make sure he is not honored at the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl.”
Click here to join nearly half a million other dog lovers in asking the NFL to stop honoring and celebrating the man responsible for such atrocities and absolute disregard for dogs’ lives.
Johnna Yurick
says:He is morally incompetent. I don’t care if he did it last year, last week, or last century! He is an inhumane piece of dung, and if he wouldn’t have gotten caught, he would still be doing it!
Shaking my head big time !!!!!! Please enlighten me and the rest of public what’s the list of requirements ito make the list for a pro bowl captain pretty sure abusing dogs / dog fighting isn’t on the list or is the selection party on the same line of thinking as Vick and “ I don’t give a shit about the dogs who lost their life “ !!!!!! Not a good look for your so call glamorous game ? Lost a lot of supporters from down under
Brenda Emmanuel
says:Really people he did his time everyone deserves a chance he already pay for what he done ✅ the lord said forgive and forget
Patti
says:He did not serve time for what he did to those animals. How s it that people are ok with the fact that he tortured so many dogs with his own hands in heinous ways. Why is that ok? Why does that deserve forgiveness? He didn’t make a mistake he made deliberate choices for years to do this to these dogs. This petition is taking exception with him being honored. Is this the kind of person we choose to honor? If so I guess that says a lot about society and the people who support him.
Kristy rauch
says:21 months in prison
ginna
says:Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison for running a “cruel and inhumane” dogfighting ring and lying about it
Michelle
says:His testimony alone should make you rescind those words.
I’m more interested in his testimony in court as he stated he didn’t know dog fighting was illegal, but yet put a privacy fence up so his illegal activities couldn’t be seen & painted the sheds on his property black to prevent helicopters from seeing them.
Or as he stated that he took the legs of a little red dog and slammed the dog on the concrete ground repeatedly until the dog’s head, neck & back were crushed.
How he hooked jumper cables to under performing dog’s ears while being connected to car batteries and threw the dogs in the pool while they frantically tried to escape the inevitable.
Terry K
says:He pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison. He paid his debt to society. Also, this about a stupid FOOTBALL GAME (nobody cares about and nobody watches), not being named the honorary chairman of an ASPCA benefit. Apparently there is no such thing as redemption in your universe? Or perhaps there is no such thing as redemption for men of his pallet in your universe? Should I also assume petitioners also have no problem with keeping the “Have you been convicted of a crime” question on an employment application too?
Michelle
says:I’m more interested in his testimony in court as he stated he didn’t know dog fighting was illegal, but yet put a privacy fence up so his illegal activities couldn’t be seen & painted the sheds on his property black to prevent helicopters from seeing them.
Or as he stated that he took the legs of a little red dog and slammed the dog on the concrete ground repeatedly until the dog’s head, neck & back were crushed.
How he hooked jumper cables to under performing dog’s ears while being connected to car batteries and threw the dogs in the pool while they frantically tried to escape the inevitable.
Christina
says:I’m not sure we can call this man human. He’s an absolute disgrace to the human race. He did not real time or had no real punishment. The NFL is a greedy, self centered, egocentric bunch of dung. This is a disgrace
Xerxes’ Mom
says:For those of you who say he paid his debt…did he?
Was there really any justice?
He did what? 21 months? Was it for the abuse & murder of the animals or something else? I’ve read several stories & they differ.
Had the justice system done the right thing, they would have done to him what he & his friends did to those poor dogs with the exception of killing him. He should have had to experience every ounce & every kind of pain those poor dogs did.
Because of his and others actions with dig fighting, the Pit Bull breed has been ostracized and now is the victim of breed discrimination. You wouldn’t believe some of the hoops a person has to go through in order to have a pit bull as a pet.
Check shelters across the US. Most of the dogs are pit bulls and/or pit bull mixes. It is really sad.
Some say that He’s reformed he’s an animal advocate now. Is he? or is he just trying to make himself look good in the eyes of the public?
Is he really sorry for the horrific things he did or allowed to be done to those dogs?
Was advocating for animals a part of his probation? Did he get probation?
I thought that he wasn’t allowed to have or own pets anymore.
He has a Belgian Malinois that he supposedly rescued. Maybe he did.
The dog deserves better. I fear for the dog. Who knows what might happen to it should he get angry. How do we know he’s not grooming it to fight ir so some other horrific act?
And…I was one of those that signed the petition.
He deserves no honor and he definitely isn’t any kind of legend or even someone I’d want my children to admire & respect.
Forgive him you say….not my place to forgive. He didn’t do anything to me. What I won’t FORGET is the ultimate cruelty of which he bestowed upon defenseless animals. The things he did to those poor dogs physically make me ill. Even now. After all this time.
As for the NFL….guess there is honor among thieves. It’s all about the $$$.
There is no humanity.
RJA
says:Michael Vick did not pay even a single day for what he did to those dogs, he was charged with and convicted of racketeering. Nor did he ever express remorse for the cruelty. He also did not just kill dogs, he thought up some of the most horrible, evil ways to torture them, and he threw family pets in to fighting dogs to be mauled to death. Some father he is!
There are many true heros deserving of such an honour. This is not a role model for kids, or someone to be celebrated, and he certainly doesn’t deserve endorsements. What a sad state we are in anyway, when someone who is good at playing with a ball, is deemed deserving of millions of dollars, and the adoration of millions of people. If there were any justice, firefighters, soldiers, nurses, etc. would get that money.
Rita
says:Please get Rid of him.He,has No love for animals he,watched them fighting&knew they would be killed&all them babies were Murderedbe NFL player.People dont want to look at Michael Vick’s,for torturing all them Dog’s. He”s Evil&Has No Heart.Im a Animal lover&it Breaks my Heart for all them baby&what they had to go threw.Evil Monster
Barb
says:He not only watched them fight and be killed, he actually swung a dog by it’s legs with another piece of shit and banged the dog on the ground until it died. Horrific!! I can’t imagine what else he did. Athletes are role models for children and it makes me sick to think that this vile person is being honored by the NFL.
Cynthia Johansmeyer
says:Fox deserves him
Annabel
says:He only stopped his dog fighting because he got busted. He lied on his polygraph, he stabbed,strangled,shot, hung,starved,punched & tortured his dogs
and he got away with it.
So bad0
Deborah Rodriguez
says:This pos does not deserve to get any kind of rewards. It’s like saying do what you want you have the money to get away with it ..who will stick up for these poor animals? God only knows what else he’s doing that the public does not know about…its such a shame that people get away with type of cruel and disgusting behavior just because he’s a superstar in the NFL …he’s a super pos and will always will be ..people don’t forget this kind of behavior..he’s a criminal and will always be one …
Rose Scotellaro
says:This monster needs to get honored with a lifelong sentence in solitary. No regard for the animals he killed, he thoroughly enjoyed every moment and as he stated “yeah I killed dogs”. This is the comment of a sociopathic SOB, that should have served 20 years for each dog he tortured and killed. Is this the man we want our children looking up to as a role model? Pull him and all his endorsements and forget about this piece of garbage. There are true heroes out there to choose from!
Why are they rewarding horrific, sadistic, disgusting, mentally disturbed behavior!!!
Mary Goldman
says:And as usual the NFL will do absolutely nothing and he will still be named captain
Carol
says:No Micheal Vick should NOT be honored for anything! What does it say about the human race allowing such brutal, torture? It shows that it is ok. IT NOT OK. Michael Vick still is mean and cruel to all animals and that kind of sickness that enjoys seeing one animal brutally attack another and tear flesh from the bone while Vick is smiling and actually enjoying what he is watching is a real sickness. He needs to be thrown out of the NFL all together PERIOD!! He is a waste of good air. SHame on the NFL for even thinking of honoring such a piece of shit that he is.
Richelle
says:Disgusting I have no respect left for NFL it’s one scandal after another with these assholes being paid far to much and getting away with or bank rolling some illegal shit and people lap this shit up as their loser worshippers One dickhead after another. True sportsman ship has fallen by the way side due to scandals
[email protected]
says:110% correct. I’m boycotting all his endorsements. I’ve never bought another thing of Nike’s, ever. I use to for many year support Nike. If you wanna win this battle, don’t support anything or anyone of his endorsements.
Kat
says:Just why does the NFL continue to turn a blind eye to what the players do off the field, whether it be violence towards woman or the torture of dogs for so called sport! Appointing Michael Vick as captain for Pro Bowl is an honor he does NOT DESERVE! Anyone cold blooded enough to participate in the torture and killing of these dogs for sport and profit has no business representing any part of the NFL in any game. I ask for boycotts of the game and a strong show of protestors during the game!!
What kind of message does this send out, especially to children. So now we “reward” animal torturers???? What is next….we reward murderers and paedophiles??? People in the sporting community are blatantly ignoring his horrendous crimes because he makes money for them. SHAME on you all, you are all as guilty as he is!!!!!!!
Kathy Esposito
says:Why should he further his life and career when all those innocent dogs and cats are dead and tortured? He shouldn’t be able to gain 1 cent on his name plus his brother is still possibly still doin it?NOOOO WAY!!!
Melissa A. Strader
says:This man does not deserve to breathe much less be held up as some kind of hero. He is a pathetic coward and it simply shows how sick and twisted our society has become to hold this monster up in respect. Screw Michael Vick and screw the NFL. This world is in deep shit if he is an example of what you consider an honorable human being. He is a monster and a murderer!!
Preston
says:These people are what I think is the worst part of our country! Unforgiving!!! He’s paid what he owes! Did they mention the fact that he went bankrupt!!! He lost everything! When is enough enough!!!!! Half of you probably don’t even watch football! Also 500,000 people! What are the odds that none of them has a criminal records? Also these are the people that will help an animal before they do the same for their fellow man. Shameful selfish people!
Preston you must be one of Vicks PATRONS at his MANY DOG MURDERS THAT HE ORGANIZED FOR FINANCIAL GAIN!! BANKRUPT!!?? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? THIS BASTARD HAS MADE MILLIONS SINCE BEING RELEASED AND NOT ONCE SHOWN ANY REMORSE FOR HIS DISGUSTING ACTIONS…YOU ARE NO BETTER THAN THAT PIECE OF SHIT!! ALL PIECES OF SHIT STICK TOGETHER RIGHT PRESTON?? YOU HOLD ON TO THAT HERO YOU FUCKING LOSER!!
RJA
says:Did you even read the article? He did not pay even a SINGLE DAY for what he did to those dogs, he was charged with and convicted of racketeering. Nor did he ever express remorse for the cruelty. There are many true heros deserving of such an honour. This is not a role model for kids, or someone to be celebrated, and he certainly doesn’t deserve endorsements. What a sad state we are in anyway, when someone who is good at playing with a ball, is deemed deserving of millions of dollars, and the adoration of millions of people. If there were any justice, firefighters, soldiers, nurses, etc. would get that money.
Doglover
says:This guy is a piece of shit and should ever be allowed to be celebrated in any way and should never be a mentor to any … the NFL should be ashamed of sponsoring this dick.
Lynne
says:Vick should not be allowed to be inducted into the Virginia Tech sports hall of fame. He should be shamed for what he did to dogs and animals.
Valerie
says:I do not think that he should be worth anything let alone play football. Only thing he is worth doing is KP duty in a kennel..
Cheryl warren
says:Vick doesn’t deserve to b captain…he’s a criminal who was in prison. Not a good role model!!!