Michael Vick Suspended Indefinitely
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As quickly as he came into the league full of expectations and hype, as quickly as he rose to the tope of NFL stardom, and as quickly as it was all taken away with charges of torturing dogs and gambling on dog fights, the NFL proved to be even quicker. Michael Vick has been suspended indefintely from the NFL just hours after pleading guily to bankrolling dogfighting and collaborating in the killing of dogs. Vick, who had tried desperately to assess what the punishment from the NFL would be in the days before deciding to plead guilty, did not receive any inclination from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about a length of suspension.
It had been widely speculated that the punishment would exceed that of Adam "Pacman" Jones, but that banishment from competition would not be likely. Goodell called Vick's actions "not only illegal but also cruel and reprehensible" and regardless whether he personally placed bets, "your actions in funding the betting and your association with illegal gambling both violate the terms of your NFL player contract and expose you to corrupting influences in derogation of one of the most fundamental responsibilities of an NFL player." It adds the next harrowing chapter in the sad fall of Michael Vick, and presents many questions regarding his fate, and how it is inextricably linked with Arthur Blank and the Atlanta Falcons. But for this season, and all those in the forseeable future, the Michael Vick experience will be linked to one infamous case of bloodsport, and star-crossed associations.
