Joey Porter: Michael Vick (and pit bulls) deserve a chance -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com I get what he's trying to convey, but he really needs a communication advisor.
Exactly. I get what he's trying to say, but he seems unable to formulate the correct words. Analogies always trip up those who are inadequate at communication skills and expression.
I think its safe to say that Joey probably frequented Vick's dog fights... Despicable really... Pit Bulls are some of the nicest dogs around if they aren't trained to be vicious killers through torture and intimidation...
Reading the whole article made me think that it wasn't as big of a deal as I did originally... Of course schmucks like Mike Florio will quote one sentence and make Joey look like an inconsiderate ***...
I agree. I don't think Joey was dissing pitbulls at all, thus his personal reference of having them. He even flies them if necessary. I think what he meant with the cocker spaniel analogy is that those who judged Vick and prosecuted him have the bias against pitbulls. I don't agree with that, as sentient beings such as pitbulls are equivalent to a cocker spaniel in terms of abuse. This, to me, was not an indictment of pitbulls by Joey, but of the widespread opinion of those who he believes Vick's prosecutors share. Again, he has a problem with self-expression.
BTW, that was some damn lazy journalism by Harvey Fialkov... At least write a damn story around the quotes to give it some context... They actually pay this clown to write this?
What I took from this quote was that Porter was downplaying the whole incident, like dogfighting isnt a big deal just because they are tough pitbulls instead of cute cocker spaniels... Watching what they do to those dogs is just sick... I don't see how a self-professed doglover and pit owner could defend that...
Not for long. The Sun-Sentinel will soon join many newspapers in print in going out of business. Their last ditch effort is to resort to yellow journalism. They will be solely online in the future.
Yup, that's what I took from it too. "He should. All it was was dogs." A few NFL players have made excuses for Vick and the dog fighting. Personally I think it's a disgusting crime that should strip a player of his right to play in the NFL.
guys that have beaten their wives play in the nfl...just sayin vick would have been better off raping a woman, not that i agree with what he did or disagree with his punishment..but he deserves a chance to play in the nfl
You could be correct. I can see that inference. I don't think Joey has the communication skills to be direct, and he was possibly guided by the questions, and in a Q and A session, the reporter has the control of order. I do think what Vick did is beyond sick. I think that the lack of empathy for a sentient being is a crime in itself. I am curious though. Why do you think Joey Porter attended Vick's dogfights? Did you think this prior, or just now because of this "interview?"
sounds to me like what he is saying is in a nutshell people are being hypocritical by wanting to punish vick further, as many areas don't allow pitbulls and don't seem to give a crap about them.
There is a major difference between beating a woman, which is bad enough, and training dogs to kill each other for "sport". I don't see how the two are even remotely comparable.
Yeah... Basically that he broke a federal law that the government should punish him for, not the NFL. His punishment was jail time, when he does his time then that's that. The NFL should not be able to not allow him to play in the NFL. If teams don't want him, that's one thing... But not allowing him is a completely different thing...
Mainly because of his previous comments regarding dogfighting and Vick. He has defended him from the beginning.. Plus, I think his pitbulls killed a small horse once... He obviously trained them to be a little aggressive.
Ok, I can sortve get what you are saying there... It could go both ways. This interview really didn't make anything all that clear.
I can agree with that... Normally, in any job interview, a felony conviction is a MAJOR black mark on your resume and I would doubt that you would be able to get many jobs outside flipping burgers at Micky D's. But this is the NFL, where Pac-Man Jones can make a mockery of everyone and anyone and still be welcomed back to make millions while playing a game, so Vick will undoubtedly get a second chance. I think he deserves to get a second chance, but he must show the community that he genuinely wishes to contribute to society rather than inflict harm upon it...
Other than both being examples of bad behavior, I don't see it. Beating a woman is never okay and the offender should go to jail, but it's nothing compared to the way dogs are treated during these fights. The dogs are abused and pumped full of steroids during it's early life and then they suffer serious injuries during the fight as both dogs rip each other apart. Then after the fight is over, the losing dog (if it hasn't been killed already) is pretty much executed in a number of inhumane ways. From the Vick indictment: To me that is over the top cruelty and not equal to just hitting a woman. Now if those things were done to a woman (or any person for that matter) then I could see the comparison, but if we're just talking about hitting a woman I don't.
yeah its a couple of quotes, so its probably intended to let the readers imaginations run wild..... Having said that I don't think I agree with joey either way
We're getting off topic here, but men who hit women have a systematic disregard for pain and inflict emotional abuse. It is rare for a man to "hit" a woman once. The systematic way in which an abuser "imprisons" his victim really is not so different, IMO.
Maybe, but in the world of dog fighting a dog is going to die every time. I'm not trying to minimize the impact that physical abuse can have on a woman, but there is a difference between beating her and killing her. There is no distinction in the world of dog fighting. JMO though, agree to disagree.
Beatings lead to killings, L2G. We can agree to disagree, but I wish more people were knowledgeable about domestic abuse. On one hand, it's admirable that you've not been exposed; on the other hand, lack of knowledge often equates to lack of understanding of its potential impact. JMO of course!
Based on those few questions I don't think it's safe to assume Joey ever attended Vick's dog fights. If you are basing it on something else, then maybe.
I am basing it off of Joey's stance on this Vick issue since the beginning.. He has always maintained that this wasn't a big deal, which, if you heard the details, it definately was... The only reason I can come up with as to why he would downplay Vick's actions is if he were directly involved in it on some level...
I don't remember the comments exactly, but I recall him basically saying that he didnt think that dog fighting was that big of a deal and that a lot of people are into it.. I will try to track down the old quote.
Hmm.. After going back and looking at old articles I think I was mixing up the quotes with Clinton Portis....
Of course, it's prudent to realize that Vick didn't go to jail for fighting dogs, or for animal cruelty. He went to jail for bankrolling an illegal gambling ring that crossed state lines, thereby making it a federal issue.
Me neither. Beating a woman is worse. I'm sorry I love dogs, I really do, but I do not elevate them to the level of Human Beings. What Vick did was horrendous and wrong. But I did grow up around dog fighting (never participated, never watched, but it was around), it is quite common in certain areas in every single city. That's just a sad fact. That's why you see what can be considered callous statements. Fact of the matter is, Ray Lewis was involved in the death of a human being. That to me is infinitely worse than dog fighting. Just my view. No need to agree with it. EDIT: Forgot to add, even though they may be used to it, they should know not everyone is, and keep their mouths shut. but hey, it's a free country.
I don't believe that is what he meant at all. This is what "I" got out of it. 1. Vick should be allowed to return to the NFL because he has paid his debt to society. (Which, as much as I hate Vick for what he did, I agree with) 2. When he talks about Pitbulls vs. cocker spaniels he is saying, why are people pretending to be so upset about this? He was fighting Pitbulls a breed most people do not like. It is not like he was fighting cocker spaniels which are a popular breed. Once again, I agree with his line of thought. The pitbull breed has a bad rap and it is unbelievable that human beings fear the breed as much as they do. I own two Pits and just today I was having a conversation with a co-worker. That person asked me if I have kids, when I said yes they told me that I have to get rid of my Pits. It is only a matter of time before they attack my kids. Funny thing is, my kids are grown and have spent their entire lives around Pits and Dobes (and they have never been attacked). You are nnot allowed to own a Pit in Denver and if you are passing through you need to have your Pit in a kennel while in a car. The fact that Joey has to lie in order to travel his dogs his another example of the stupidity we Pit owners face. "my 2 cents"
I cringe each and everytime I see him in front of a camera. Its a train wreck waiting to happen each and every time.
I don't care if it's a Pit Bull or a Cocker Spaniel or Dalmation, I'll never hold the dog at fault, the real animals are the individuals who torture and break these dogs to evoke the killer instinct in them. These animals are loyal companions through natural selection and all they want is to please their owners and if their owners abuse this trust and loyalty for thier own dark satisfaction then they deserve to go to prison and have to fight for their lives every day. We as humans are the most dispicable of all creatures at times.
is this seriously an article? its true what hes saying... lawmakers want to destroy pitbulls and not let people have them, but then get all protective if someone else is hurting them, it is hypocritical... im not advocating dog fighting, i love dogs, i love pitbulls (my uncle has the BEST pit bull ever)... i hate dog fighting with a passion... but it is a hypocritical situation with lawmakers...
Now, that's not the point...the point with Vick is that in the eyes of the NFL, by being involved in this crime, he tainted the image of the NFL...that's why he deserves continued punishment, not because or in spite of the fact that he was already punished by the government...besides that, there is so much more to this story than the actual punishment he received...according to VA. laws, he should also receive additional time from them, but there is a real question as to whether VA will actually pursue any charges...why is that ?? That's fodder for a different day though... At any rate, the idea with pit bull fighting is that it is cruel and inhumane. Joey's comments don't exactly purvey that sentiment. He seems to be blaming Vick's problems on some sort of pit bull bias... Now, the one thing I know about pit bulls, unlike most other breeds (but certainly not all breeds) is that even with a loving upbringing, there are cases where they've gone crazy and attacked some one or another animal 'unprovoked'...that doesn't happen normally with cocker spaniels... Back to Vick, if you look at this case, the preponderance of evidence suggests that he may or may not have taken part in the cruel treatment, but he financed and was aware of what was going on. That's why he was charged and is serving time. Is that okay ?? I don't think so. I think his actions are unconscionable, even if just for that fact that he had knowledge of what was going on... In that regard, is there a difference in how a law should be viewed ?? If a driver speeds, he's guilty of speeding. If he wrecks or causes another person to get hurt, he's guilty of careless or reckless driving...if an owner of a dog breeding facility allows dog-fight training to go on at his facility, he or she is guilty of breaking the law just as the speeder is...in any case, Vick has been given and is serving his sentence for breaking the law. Afterward, he should be punished for damaging the image of the NFL...In my opinion, and keep in mind I view his actions as unconscionable as beating his wife or girlfriend or killing a person or being involved in the death of someone else so it may be skewed, but he certainly deserves additional "punishment" by the NFL, whatever the next step is in his particular case. I don't know whether he has any prior issues off the top of my head, but I believe he does, so that has to be taken into account by the commish... Yes, I've owned a pit...I'm an animal lover (two black labs, a chow mix and 4 cats, all adopted or 'assumed' when abandoned by others)...I didn't have any problems with Sammy (my pit) before he passed on, but I know of many that have had issues...people who raised their pits to be real pets... Is there a pit bias, probably so. Does that make raising these dogs to fight ok ?? Absolutely not...it just happens to be pits, if it were cocker spaniels, sheppards, or any other breed I'd feel the same way... Joey's comments, and I can see what he may have been trying to say and as others here have commented, that he certainly didn't get his point across very well, are inappropriate in this case. It has nothing to do with the government disliking pits. It has to do with illegal gambling and tax evasion of those gains...that's what the federal government is in this for. The state of VA apparently has laws about dog fighting but as of yet have chosen not to pursue them or not to pursue them to the fullest extent...that's their choice...but linking a bias for pits to Vick's not getting a fair shake is ludicrous. Joey needs to shut up at this point...