Thursday, July 19, 2007

Jeff Schultz: Did Vick know what was going on?



Wednesday, July 18, 2007, 08:08 PM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Just ask yourself this question: Do you think he knew what was going on?

For a moment, let’s forget about the 18-page indictment, which names Michael Vick 51 times.
Let’s forget about the cooperating witnesses and the double-secret sources that claim Vick funded, operated and actively participated in training dogs, fighting dogs and executing dogs.

Is there really any way possible that he didn’t know?

Can a person be that oblivious? These are his friends. This is his house. Did he go there, even if rarely, and NEVER look out the back window and say, “What’s with those little black houses in the yard?” Did he never see any dog-training equipment? Or blood splatters? Did he never notice receipts for medicine or vet visits or “rape stands” or pry bars or, like a million bags of dog food?

Did he never once travel to this house of horrors on Moonlight Road and think, “Man. Sure is a lot of dog poop around here.”

He knew. Of course he knew. And that’s enough.

The Falcons are trying to figure out where to go with Michael Vick. Try this: Run in the other direction.

No more coddling. No more enabling. No more spinning. Just go.

The NFL may or may not suspend Vick before his trial. But owner Arthur Blank and this little enterprise of his shouldn’t wait for the mother ship to act.

Suspend Vick if you want to look tough and send a message to fans.

Announce Vick is going on an indefinite leave of absence if you want to seem compassionate and supporting, as if he was dealing with some rare disease or family emergency.

Just pick an exit strategy and move on.

He knew. Of course he knew. And when you know, you’re not just a good guy surrounded by bad people. When you know and do nothing, you’re one of them.

I don’t want to hear about due process right now. Would anybody in any other walk of life be allowed to continue working if these charges were leveled against him by the federal government?

A police officer being accused of assault would be put on administrative leave.

A truck driver accused of reckless driving would be suspended, pending charges.

A teacher accused of having an affair with a student would suddenly disappear.

If Blank doesn’t know what to do, he should ask himself this question: If this was a guy selling hammers at Home Depot and not your star quarterback, what would be your first move? I’m guessing it wouldn’t be a directive, “Go sell more hammers.”

This isn’t Mayberry or some backwoods county filing charges. This is: “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. MICHAEL VICK, a/k/a ‘Ookie,’ ” and three lesser-known bottom-feeders.

The federal government doesn’t hand these things out like parking tickets. Read the indictment.
It’s detailed. It names manners of executions, amounts of wagers, even names of dogs.
Did I mention Vick was referenced 51 times?

If the Falcons don’t act now, let’s call this what it is: They want to win games. It wouldn’t be about letting the legal system play out, or standing behind Vick, because that’s certainly not what team’s initial statement read like (we’ll get to that shortly). It would only be about seeing Vick first on the depth chart and Joey Harrington second and Blank thinking, “Oy.” It would only be about thinking Vick can get you to the playoffs and Harrington can’t and maybe people will talk about something other than page 17 of the indictment: “In or about April 2007, PEACE, PHILLIPS and VICK executed approximately 8 dogs that did not perform well in ‘testing’ sessions at 1915 Moonlight Road by various methods, including hanging, drowning and slamming at least one dog’s body to the ground.”

For all of the club’s talk about the “Falcon Filter” and serving the community, doing nothing would prove the Falcons to be as shallow as any other franchise.

Just guessing: If this were a backup lineman, not the quarterback or the franchise cash machine, there would be no hesitation.

Do nothing and this should be the Falcons new slogan: “Do the right thing — when it’s convenient.”

The Falcons’ initial statement embraced generics. It referenced the indictment being “troubling,” the team being “tested,” officials being “disappointed,” but franchise being “prepared to deal with it.”

There was no, “Michael is innocent,” or, “We’re behind him.” The closest was the final sentence: “Our plan is to continue to do everything we can to support our players and coaches.”

They’ve got other players. None are named in a federal indictment. Stand behind them.

No comments: