2009.05.25
Give me a break, Tony
Have you seen the essay that Tony Dungy wrote about Michael Vick in the new Sports Illustrated? After praising the dad of QB Josh Freeman, Dungy wrote, "What if Michael, who says his father was not a positive influence on his household when he grew up, had had the same family support system that Josh had? Would he have ended up in this situation? I really don't think so." Give me a break. Vick was sent to prison for reprehensible choices he made as an adult. Are you telling me a man got involved in killing dogs because he didn't have a great dad when he was a kid? Sorry, Tony, but you don't need a super dad to know killing dogs is wrong. -- Mark Berman
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Point nicely missed, Mark. Whether Tony is right or wrong, to diminish the essential role of a strong father to guide a young man in his choices is just plain wrong. Yes, in one sense, you're right; you don't need a super dad to know killing dogs is wrong. But what a "super dad" can do is to mold the entire character of a young man so that the likelihood of him making the many accumulated choices that eventually lead to dogfighting is significantly diminished. Sure, out there somewhere is the exception to the rule, some thug who grew up with a good dad, of course--but the point that Tony makes is that with a strong father figure, the odds are so much greater that a young man will turn out to be a decent individual rather than a Mike Vick thug. You misread Tony's words, and misjudge the difference a good father can make. Try again, Mark.
Comment by Byron — May 26, 2009 @ 9:31 am
I have to agree with Mark here. While I don't doubt that the absence of a father, or mother, figure in a child's life can impact how they turn out...something has to be deeply, disturbingly wrong in a persons's head for them to willingly, openly kill, execute, and torture dogs and do it for the shear pleasure of it. It's not like he needed the money, as many other people who engage in dog-fighting do. No, he had money, lots of it, and he still CHOSE to shoot, electrocute, and fight dogs for the pleasure of doing so. Father or not, Vick is severely messed up in the head, and I don't personally think any amount of prison time or counseling can correct that.
Comment by Other John — May 27, 2009 @ 9:30 am
Michael Vick has made America aware of the horrible way we treat animals: hunting deer for the fun of it, eating them (a person can go their entire life without eating meat: there are other sources of protein), wearing furs, etc!
It took something extreme like what Michael Vick did for us to realize just how badly we treat animals!
Wait.........no, I don't think what he did made us realize it at all. All it did was made people feel like they're right in hunting animals for the fun of it, wearing animal skin as belts and shoes, and eating animals for the taste of it, and that they're 100% right and Vick is wrong.
Oh well! Haha! Nevermind!
Comment by Nelson — May 27, 2009 @ 3:49 pm
Why is it that you People are so fanatical about Michael's past participation in Dog Fighting, and you close you eyes to Cock
Fightning that is still very active in the State of Virginia,
just as brutal, attended by many of our Law Makers!
Mr. Vick was very, very wrong, but I will give him an opportunity
to prove that he regrets his actions.
Comment by Bob — May 27, 2009 @ 8:15 pm
Mark,
If I'm not mistaken, Michael's involvement with dog fighting started at an early age, back in Hampton. I don't think you can argue a strong father figure might have made a difference then. I also agree that Vick did some things that were very wrong, but I don't think he should be singled out, when a large percentage of his peer group was doing the same thing. I never met Vick personally, but everyone I know that did never saw the "evil psychopath" that others seem to label him with. I'm not condoning what he did, but I'm not going to make him pay for the rest of his life, with much worse crimes are out there going unpunished.
Comment by Jerry — May 28, 2009 @ 10:18 am
Father's in this country are truly dropping the ball. Mike Vick is an adult, but to think that better role models as a child wouldn't have affected his decision making as an adult is incorrect. Ask any therapist, and the first life experience they would point to is the relationship the patient had with their parents. All that said, there are still plenty of children with good parents that screw up, but ask yourself this, which scenario do you believe would give your own child the best chance to succeed in life? Tony Dungy is a role model for all fathers.
Comment by Jon — May 29, 2009 @ 7:49 pm
Great Article, Its what is wrong with America today. Dad's are dropping the ball, and 24 million kids will go to bed without their biological father in their home. It does make a difference because it makes kids angry! The show their anger however they can..even as adults. I totally disagree Mark.
Comment by mike — May 30, 2009 @ 9:20 pm
Mark, you are wrong. Coach Dungy is right. Chances are a 1000 to 1 that Michael would not have chosen to become involved in dog fighting with proper guidance and teaching from his dad.
Regarding your reader's comment about cock fighting....any law maker who refuses to take a strong politcal stand against cock fighting (or who supports it in any way) should be be put in a small pen with a dozen angry roosters.....naked. Would that be humane?....and they should be barred from the State House.
Comment by Richard — June 8, 2009 @ 2:11 am