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People who know me know that I am extremely passionate about very few things. But the Pittsburgh Steelers are at the top of that short list. I was born in Pittsburgh in the 70s and was raised a Steelers fan. I truly understand the whole “bleed black and gold” thing. Even living in Indianapolis, I have never waivered in my love of MY team.
However, the rumors that the Steelers are looking at signing Michael Vick just make me sick to my stomach. I’ve read all of the commentary. Stallworth gets drunk and drives and accidentally kills someone. How is that different? First of all, I didn’t say that I wanted Stallworth either. But second, and more importantly, it is the CHARACTER of Michael Vick that I can’t stand the thought of. I know sports figures aren’t super heroes. They aren’t supposed to be perfect. But at the same time, I can’t help but think that a person who used his bare hands to torture animals and found it funny is not the kind of person I want my kids to cheer for. EVER.
Yes, he served his time. That’s why he isn’t in jail anymore. Does he deserve a second chance? At what? Having a life? Sure. Being looked up to by thousands of kids and making millions of dollars to do something he loves doing? Nope. He lost that right. He can start his life over as a garbage man for all I care. He can make an honest living doing something that doesn’t involve me and my kids cheering him on. Would I want my kid wearing his jersey? Never in a million years.
People say that our team would be better with Michael Vick. It is true that he might elevate our skill set. But would the TEAM all like working with him? I’d rather lose every game this season than win with Michael Vick on the field.
If the Steelers sign Michael Vick, I will end my time as a fan. It will hurt for awhile because the Steelers are such a huge part of my life. But sometimes you feel so strongly about something that you are willing to take a stand. As such, I have created an online petition. No one will probably care how many signatures we get, but I will feel better that I did something rather than just sat back and watched it happen.
http://www.petitiononline.com/stlrs09/petition.html
Comment away. I encourage the discussion. Just don’t be surprised if you don’t change my mind.
Even if he is good on the field, there are others….he is not the kind of person I want my children to look up to. Michael Vick is is a monster, he does not deserve his fame, money, or life for that matter.
If you want to jump the Peyton Manning bandwagon and become a Colts fan just do it… You don’t have to blaim the Steelers. YOU’RE NOT A FAN!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOO TO YOU!!!!!
Michael Vick was punished far greater than any player who has done drugs(repeatedly), being involved in shooting incidents, driving drunk and killing someone and only serve 24 days in jail(not prison), etc etc etc. All he was was the front money. I say GO STEELERS….SIGN VICK AND LET’S GO BACK AND WIN ANOTHER SUPERBOWL!!!!!!!! MIKE HAS MORE THAN SERVED HIS TIME AND LEAGUE PUNISHMENT! GET OFF HIS NUTZ SACK AND REVIVE PRO FOOTBALL WITH VICK IN IT!
I agree w the author.Vick has no place in the NFL let alone w the Steelers. Yes, he served his time..however he should have to start OVER like anyone else. You or I would not get our job handed to us if we were in jail…work your way up. Nobody is saying that dogs lives r more important than human lives BUT a stupid uneducated HUMAN with too much money and time on his hands forced these dogs to fight each other for human pleasure…how sick is that? He does not deserve the chance to be a ROLE MODEL for our children, he had that chance and blew it. The Steelers have one hell of a quarterback in Ben and an awesome backup in Charlie. And btw Shelli…any fans that r upset about this bs of Vick coming to the Steelers r not on a bandwagon….they r the TRUE fans that know that bringing him to our team is not a good idea at all.
I totally agree. I am a steelers fan living in new york. My family is al giant and jet fans..this is something I chose to do on my own..I am called a front runner among other names. I don’t care. I bleed black and gold. If vick is signed I will no longer be a fan…lets see wat happens
I totallly agree with the author. I do not believe the Steelers will sign Vick they are too classy of an organization. I just don’t see it happening.
Vick is a hard core criminal. He got caught, period. He didn’t confess, he got caught. He did his time only because he was sent to jail. You don’t reform a person that can kill a dog with his bare hands. He made that choice, to kill animals. He will add nothing to the Steelers but grief and a lot of division between the players and the fans. When he made the choice to kill animals, he made the choice to not have the priviledge of a great livelihood in sports. The NFL should have never reinstated him, and the Steelers, they are far to good for him. No one needs to pick him up so he can just go slither away like the slime he is.
This is crap Vick did his time and he is a great athlete. He would be the best backup qb in the league and with the 0 line as bad as ours we need someone who can run out of the pocket. Also their is people in the NFL that have done way worst crimes than Vick and they get to play. What im saying is sign him when he plays and does a good job everything will blow over and the media will have a new dick to ride when someone else does something and gets caught in the NFL… 🙂
Vick paid the price for his crime & he will never recover what he lost due to his crime. However, the guy is a phenom on the football field. If you give Kordell all the time he got & he was a mediocre QB, let Vick fill the shoes of Randle El, Stewart aka SLASH & send him out of the slot and the back field. Vick, like everyone else deserves another chance. Leonard Little killed a person, as did Stallworth. How can you accept them & keep this man down for some dogs ? Pure stupidity !! GO STEELERS !!
The man paid for his crime to society. He has the right to work again and if he happens to play for my beloved Steelers, so be it. If you don’t want your kids looking up to him, then talk to your children and inform them of the situation. He is not automatically a role model. Sorry but it’s true. The NFL is filled with PEOPLE. Human beings who are not perfect. You can’t name a team that doesn’t have a player on it that hasn’t had problems at one time or another. Now, I am not condoning dog fighting and killing dogs but there is a player name Dante’ Stallworth who killed a PERSON while he was drinking and driving. Why the Hell did he do 3 months in jail for killing a grown man who was a father and family man? Sorry to tell you this but killing a person is a lot more serious than killing a dog. Someone’s father is gone. Someone’s husband, son, friend, brother is GONE! Michael Vick was sentenced to jail because he was a rich man and they wanted to set an example and because of the immense pressure from PETA. Don’t get me started on them. There is dog fighting going on now and for hundreds of years before now and all of a sudden, it’s a tragedy. Bullshit. I am not saying you are wrong this is just my take on the situation. I disagree with this petition because if the Steelers organization see a value in him, they should hire him. I doubt they will but I don’t see the problem. Where is your petition to keep Dante’ Stallworth out of the league? DOGS ARE NOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN HUMAN LIFE. Thank you.
the steelers should sign whomever they want and vink did his time he should be able to make a living at his craft
lol it amazes me how ppl act over vick! can u not get over it already????? what else does he have to do to prove he is sorry??? you all treat murderers of people better than him! its really sad … move on already i swear i hope steelers do sign him if u dnt like it jump off the bandwagon str8 ridiculous!
Btw Tee Jay, your stupid if u think that vick will improve the steelers. Ben won two superbowls, how many has vick won hmmm?
Steelers have a #7 already. Roethlisberger is the best QB that they will have. I am with the author, if they sign Vick, which I doubt they will b/c the Rooneys don’t take in criminals as the Cowboys and Bills do, I will withhold my support until he is released.
He doesn’t deserver to play for a living. I am eagles fan, but I’ll gladly stand beside you on this! NO Vicks!
Agreed. If they want another backup they should have signed Jared Zabransky, from Boise State. Vick is a star, but our team does not need a player who could potentially bring us a bad name. Vick should go European or Canadian, anything but NFL.
Its a good idea, but no matter what we think or how we feel, we have no say in what the Rooneys choose. Good luck and maybe someone will hear and read this and make a choice.
Why stop a team from improving? I hate Vick as much as the next guy for who he is, but on the ball field, he is a star.