Stallworth Sentence Points Up Why Goodell Should Not Punish Michael Vick Further
Open Mike | by Mike O'Hara | 06.17.2009/9:46AM
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In trying to achieve some personal clarity regarding the relative sentences given Michael Vick and Donte Stallworth, I am reflecting on a recent comment made on Detroit radio by Congresswoman Candice Miller.
I say Michael Vick, the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback, should be reinstated immediately by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Vick was punished enough before he served 19 months in the federal pen for a conviction related to dog-fighting. He has a few more weeks to serve on home confinement in Virginia, but Vick has done his time. Let him go back to work – to the NFL, and play quarterback again for any team that wants him.
What Vick did was callous and cruel, but there should be no further punishment by Goodell.
That Donte Stallworth, a wide receiver with the Cleveland Browns, will be punished by Goodell is a given. On Tuesday, Stallworth pleaded guilty in a Miami courtroom for a DUI accident that killed a construction worker. For that, Stallworth will serve 24 days in jail. There are other consequences, but jail time is the key element.
Why Vick got 19 months of hard time for premeditated acts that killed dogs, and Stallworth gets 24 days for a premeditated act – choosing to drive after drinking is a premeditated act – is beyond comprehension on any level.
One dynamic is clearly present: the animal rights lobby is better organized and mobilized than any lobby protecting the rights of a construction worker hit by an automobile.
Maybe Rep. Miller (party affiliation meaningless), who represents Michigan’s 10th district, has the answer. She has a long record of public service, including Michigan’s Secretary of State.
In her radio interview, Rep. Miller was trying to impress on listeners her flexibility in the political world.
“Thare a lot of grays in my rainbow,” she said, adding that it’s “not all black and white.”
Grays in the rainbow!!! Not all black and white!!!
Well, now. For the record, there are seven colors in the rainbow, ranging from red to violet. There are no grays.
Color me baffled.
But back to Vick and Stallworth.
Stallworth also agreed to pay the family of the man he killed a considerable – and confidential – sum. Under the agreement, the family will not pursue a civil suit.
Stallworth also was lauded for cooperating fully and taking responsibility immediately for his actions. But the fact is, he chose to drive with a blood alcohol level of .126, well above Florida’s legal limit of .80.
He was sentenced to 30 days, but will serve only 24 under Florida rules governing his sentence. He also will be under house arrest for two years, forfeit his driver’s license for life – he’ll get it back eventually, trust me – and must perform 1,000 hours of community service.
Goodell is likely to suspend Stallworth for at least eight games.
What Goodell will do with Vick when he is released from federal custody on July 20 – just before training camps open—is anyone’s guess, but he has done enough.
In July of 2007, with Vick’s court case looming, Goodell told Vick not to report to the Atlanta Falcons. On Aug. 24, he suspended Vick for the 2007 season under authority of the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
On Nov. 20, Vick reported to jail, three weeks in advance of his sentencing date of Dec. 11.
Had he been active and not been suspended by Goodell, Vick no doubt could have delayed his sentencing until after the 2007 season.
Under that scenario, he would have collected his 2007 base salary of $6 million.
In 2004, he signed a 10-year, $130-million contract with the Falcons. That included $37 million in guaranteed money. He has forfeited most, if not all. Of is fortune.
If he signs with another team for the 2009 season, Vick likely will get a bare-bones deal for something less than $1 million. It’s a lot of money, but it’s not $130 million.
Vick has no one to blame but himself, but further punishment by Goodell would serve no purpose. It simply would be piling on.
For me, it’s black and white.
Comments [6] |
I respectfully disagree, Mike. Like gj pointed out, this was a calculated criminal enterprise, carried out over 6+ years, and invovled the intentional killing and torture of dozens of dogs. That is sociopathic behavior. Vick went to great lengths to conceal this from the authorities and he NFL. Vick lied to Goodell’s face about it. I don’t see how the NFL owes it to him to reinstate him.
As for Stallworth, he had a momentary lapse of judgment that had severe consequences for the victim and himself. I don’t see how the fact that the victim was a construction worker has any relevance to Stallworth’s guilt - it’s not like he could pick his victim. Stallworth got a relatively light sentence because prosecutors were going to have trouble proving that his intoxication was the actual cause of the accident - since the victim was also intoxicated and walking across the street in a section without a crosswalk.
I’m not saying Stallworth should get off easy, but I think Vick has a lot more to prove to Goodell before he should be re-instated.
Posted by Jdwfool on 06/18/09 at 11:13 AM ET
I’m sorry Mike, but this is one of the rare times I disagree with you.
I hold these people accountable just as I would be in my profession (healthcare): if we get popped on a felony, we lose our license to practice - not only in Michigan, but we’ll never get a license to practice in any other state.
I’m sick of the thuggery, convicted felons, and excusing of these adults making extremely poor choices. They are horrible role models for our children and its time they move on to pursue the career paths denoted on their college diplomas.
Posted by Steve on 06/20/09 at 04:08 AM ET
If two people are both doing something illegal, should one be punished excessively just because the other party died? The victim in the Stallwotrth case was running across a busy street outside of the crosswalks to catch a bus. As minor as this crime may be, this case shows the consequences of a persons choices, intoxicated or not. Two people broke the law here. Jaywalking IS a crime!
Posted by Greg on 06/22/09 at 02:09 AM ET
The NFL needs to pull its head out of its own ass, look at pacman jones and tank johnson, they let them back in, and they we worse then vick.
Posted by maximus on 07/08/09 at 12:48 PM ET
Wow I disagree. Detroit has had a number of syndicated radio shows that are now nationwide. As far as music there is really something for everyone. If you like WIOG maybe you would like 93.1, 95.5, 102.7, or 97.9. They all are a bit different but those are POP station like you listened to in Flint. I have Sirius as well the problem I have is the reception in my car is not that great because it is run through my radio.
Posted by Limo Miami on 07/28/09 at 02:14 PM ET
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Well, sure, I’ll rebut. I have no idea what should be done with Donte Stallworth; it seems like he bought justice, but from my understanding of Florida law, they would have pleaded him down anyway, and he might have done a couple years but not been liable for all the other goodies like paying his victim’s family and all the community service. But I don’t understand the meme that Vick’s “done enough.“ He wasn’t just involved in dogfighting. He ran an ongoing criminal enterprise, for several years, in violation of state and federal laws. He bankrolled it, housed it, and maintained it. He was Mr. Big. Some folks, I guess, sneer that the do-gooder animal rights activists are being appeased, but Vick didn’t go to jail for killing dogs; you can do that at your home with impunity. He went to jail for running a racket, like any organized gangster. I imagine they should give him a chance to prove he’s no longer a sociopath. I’ll bet he’ll prove he is.
Posted by gjdodger on 06/17/09 at 09:25 PM ET