House Editorial: Viciousness of the Vick investigation

Posted on September 4, 2007

When the Falcons’ star quarterback Michael Vick pleaded guilty to the dog-fighting charges brought against him nearly two months ago, he basically kissed his career goodbye. He’s can face up to six years in prison and fines of more than $300,000, not to mention possible dismissal from the NFL.

The media have massacred Vick’s reputation as an athlete. Dog-fighting might be one of the lesser atrocities athletes engage in, but for some reason Vick’s face has incessantly appeared on our televisions, and he his name has constantly appeared in hard-hearted headlines since his cruel behaviors were first discovered.

Athletes who make mistakes are probably just as persecuted as any public figure. But should they even be in the same ballpark with other (please don’t hurt us football fans) more important public figures?

Who knows what other athletes do behind closed doors. There have been fairly recent cases of athlete’s affairs, drug abuse and a slew of other scandals, but none of which have been scrutinized nearly as much as the case of Michael Vick.

Hopefully PETA activists don’t hunt us down, but let’s place Vick’s predicament in proportion. Beef stock farmers continue to thrive, even though their business is to raise cattle so they can send them off to be slapped between two buns at your favorite fast food place. Hunters pride themselves on displaying that ten-point buck above their mantel, and we even refer to hunting as a sport or some sort. Cruelty to animals in all cases is wrong, and picking and choosing who we persecute is even worse.

We’re not trying to justify Vick’s extremely inhumane actions, but we think the attention the media has given him is unwarranted. There are so many potentially news-breaking stories that never get a chance to make the headlines, yet it seems that every news outlet has covered Vick’s case one way or another.

When infamous athletes step onto the field, they are subject to more than the glare of the stadium lights – they are brought into the public limelight where every move, every play, every wrongdoing is relentlessly examined. Perhaps the public should remain on the sidelines, and media shouldn’t second as referees.