April 26, 2007

Ron..ahem...Michael Vick has not been charged with this crime yet. The news article disgusts me at a lot of levels. I hate dog fighting and dog abuse in general. If Mr. Mexico (Mr. Vick) owns the house he needs to make sure that his "boys/posse" are taking proper care of everything going on there. Maybe it is the Dallas Cowboys version of the "White House" where they would all bring their mistreses and hookers to do drugs. Only on a more friendly basis where they just smoke pot and mistreat dogs and make them fight. Whoever is responsible for this needs to be held accountable. If it is not Vick, he needs to distance himself or get punished by the NFL as Pacman and Henry have. Millionaires acting like 13 year olds needs to stop and be held accountable. Hypothetical for anyone that disagrees: If you are being paid millions of dollars to do the thing that you love on a part time basis, would you risk it all to let your "friends" have control of your image and ruin it? They are not friends if they do that. Get rid of them and clean up your already crappy image.

posted by urall cloolis at 11:38 PM on April 26, 2007

I can't wait to see what you have to say if and when it's found out that Vick doesn't have shit to do with this. I have to agree with Bishop. Mike Vick owns the property but does not live there. What's so hard to understand about that? He's a property owner that rented out the property to a relative but this has nothing to do with him except that he's the landlord. End of story.

posted by BornIcon at 05:36 AM on April 27, 2007

Obviously it doesn't matter to the new commish weither they are charged, indicted, convicted, or sentenced. Which doesn't make it right. Can we at least wait until Vick is tied to the crime before we string him up?

posted by yerfatma at 07:47 AM on April 27, 2007

Bishop, if you owned a house and your cousin used the house to run a house of prostitution, would you still allow them to live there? Doubtful. I agree with you that Vick may not have known about it, but I am not convinced. This also has nothing to do with race that outrages me, nor does the fact that ANYONE smokes pot. What pisses me off is that the guy has 60 dogs on his property that he mistreats and uses for fighting. He (the cousin) is an asshole no matter the color of his skin. I hate the Ikilledadog Dog races, which are primarily run by caucasians. Do not make this about race, it is about the mistreatment of animals that outrages me, whether Vick was aware of it or not. Maybe he should open up his eyes and find out what is going on with all of his investments and properties and what he has his name on. Whether you like it or not, it DOES reflect poorly on him and he will take some of the criticism because he IS famous, regardless of the color of his skin. Do you think it would be national news if the owner of the house was an accountant? It goes along with the fame, like it or not.

posted by urall cloolis at 07:54 AM on April 27, 2007

Dog fighting is a nasty crime to those poor animals. One of the first fires I was on after being hired here in Massillon was a basement fire. As I crawled along in the basement by myself, my captain left to go get an airpack because he didn't put one on before we went in, I opened a door and was face to face with two pit bulls. My ass clenched like never before or again. We also found five, four week old puppies inside the basement also. Along with bottles of steroids, needles and little tread mills for dogs that went up an incline. Each tread mill had a metal bar that ran over the top, so they could hook a chocker chain to it. The dog either ran or choked. These people were locked up for some decent period of time, I can't remember how long, it was six years ago. Anyone doing this to a dog should be locked up for a long time IMO. The pups and the two adult dogs went to the humane society.

posted by jojomfd1 at 08:17 AM on April 27, 2007

What's the big attraction to dog fighting? Seriously - is there a million dollar undergroud circuit somewhere, like the Kumate, that is just not known about? And we're right to not go nuts on Vick. That he gave his cousin money and his cousin decided to invest it in the lucrative dog-fighthing league (DFL), doesn't mean Vick's the cappo di tuti cappo of it all... Though I do picture a huge airline hanger in Omaha surrounded by limos, Hummers and Ferraris where Vick, Caron Butler, Ron Artest, Vern Troyer (this has to be what he's doing now), Gostface Killa, and the rest - International ballers, gangstas, and hustlas, wagering millions. Actually - isn't that how the Westminster dealy started? I'm pretty sure it is.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:05 AM on April 27, 2007

The pups and the two adult dogs went to the humane society. where hopefully they were humanely disposed of. I'd hate to think of a family "saving" this dog from the humane society only to have some innocent person killed or maimed later when the dog re-enacts it's combination of a) natural instincts b) training

posted by bdaddy at 09:21 AM on April 27, 2007

I call for an immediate link to the Ron Mexico name generator Ask, and ye shall receive.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 10:03 AM on April 27, 2007

"Hypothetical for anyone that disagrees": I can't wait to see what you have to say if and when it's found out that Vick doesn't have shit to do with this. The problem is he already has something to do with this case. He owns the property, end of story. As any home owner knows, you are responsible for what goes on with your property whether you live there or not. It is Vick's job to keep tabs on his properties.

posted by Steel_Town at 10:46 AM on April 27, 2007

I agree with steel-town. He is legally responsible for this stuff. It is a bad deal, b/c for all we know he had no involvement in any of this, but since it is his name on the piece of paper, he will be held at least somewhat responsible. He is going to get tagged as a jerk for actaully showing kindness to his family, unless of course he was directly involved in the animal abuse/fighting. In retrospect, i'm sure that he wishes he had just given the property to his relative. Then he wouldn't be in this mess. What's a house really worth to a guy like Vick?

posted by brainofdtrain at 12:46 PM on April 27, 2007

Not living in the house is no excuse. The DEA has set precedent by confiscating houses in which meth labs were found, whether it was the owners or renters responsible. I think any homeowner should have the sense to know that they are ultimately responsible for what happens on their property. And it's not like this house is a backwoods shanty or trailer parked on the fringe of society. It's a freakin mansion in what is probably an affluent part of town. I can see why Vick's agent didn't want to talk. He gets paid a shitload of money to make sure things like this don't happen. "Hey mike, y'know that cousin of yours who lives in one of your spare mansions?" "You mean the one with the 60 big dogs?" "Yeah, that one. You might want to ask him why he's got all those dogs." "Say, that's a swell idea."

posted by tahoemoj at 02:04 PM on April 27, 2007

Is it his nephew or cousin? All I've read about this just says his relative. Regardless, tahoe made a good point. Doesn't Mike pay people to be able to make sure things like this doesn't happen? I mean, nothing is ever forseeable so unless he has Dionne Warwick or Cleo on his payroll, how is he supposed to know what someone else is doing? As steel_town already said, "as a home owner, you are responsible for what goes on with your property whether you live there or not. It is Vick's job to keep tabs on his properties." He's right on.

posted by BornIcon at 03:54 PM on April 27, 2007

The media can't decide whether Davon Boddie is Vick's nephew or his cousin, and reports have stated there were 30 dogs or 60 dogs. Today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution calls him a cousin and says this:

Boddie lived with Vick in Atlanta in the summer of 2005. In an interview with the Journal-Constitution at the time, Vick said Boddie "is a good cook, like my little chef. Sometimes, we'll send him to the store; he knows what everybody likes. He does a pretty good job because I'm real big on seasoning food so it's got that flavor." A search warrant was granted in Surry County Circuit Court after Vick's cousin was arrested April 20 with marijuana in a car he was driving but did not own and on his person. Boddie also had a 9mm hand gun in the car.

A map to the house puts the place solidly in the middle of nowhere. If Vick was spending time there, it's a hell of a trek from Atlanta.

posted by rcade at 04:29 PM on April 27, 2007

It does seem like Vick has more than a distant cousin-type relationship with this guy, doesn't it? It's not like he's some faceless tenant in an apartment complex that Vick owns. I don't claim to be an expert on liability in Virginia, nor, I'm sure, does what I think matter to the D.A.'s office. But it sure seems like Vick, legally responsible or not, had ample chance to get to know the type of person who was inhabiting his house. To distance himself from the type of person who would engage in illegal dog fighting? I really think that's the point of Goodell's policies isn't it? You're a famous, highly paid young man who is under public scrutiny constantly. Whether or not you commit, are accused of, or are convicted of a crime doesn't matter. Players in today's NFL need to have the sense to distance themselves from the unsavory elements of society who might hurt the players' and the league's image. It's time to stop playing dumb. Vick knows this guy, whether he's a cousin, uncle, or friend. He knows him well enough that they used to live together, and now the guy lives in one of Vick's homes. At the very least, he's abusing dogs, probably to commit a crime as serious as running a dog fighting syndicate. Don't most of us agree that Mike wasn't completely in the dark on this one? By allowing Boddie to continue living on his property was irresponsible to say the least. Criminal, well, I'll let the authorities decide that.

posted by tahoemoj at 05:10 PM on April 27, 2007

For instance, if your tenant stores drugs in the unit he rents from you (even if that rent is not usual or if you don't have a lease), you're not a drug dealer, are you? However, if there is enough of the drugs on your premisis(landlord) your property may still be forfeited in a lot of places.

posted by jojomfd1 at 09:40 PM on April 27, 2007

This discussion will certainly not turn toward the 'some one's out to get Vick' angle. If it did, only about 2 people would discuss it. If Vick wasn't involved with these people he would not be in this thread or in the news negatively in the first place. Maybe Vick's cousin has the place set up like a kennel of some sort. Maybe he told Vick he was in the dog selling business. NO highly doubtful with emaciated and injured dogs all over the place, tied to axles buried in the ground and rape posts set up...TRY AGAIN. He got railroaded by some over anxious security guard at an airport He was found in posession of a three part water bottle that smugglers use, a red flag. He certainly wasnt drinking water out of it.

posted by urall cloolis at 11:39 PM on April 27, 2007

Please link to the Vick quote where he said, "I don't even know this guy". Kinda my point. Once again, with feeling. Vick knows this guy. Just like most of us know some sort of criminal or deviant. And no amount of searching for an excuse for the person's behavior makes it right. A criminal was residing on his property, and like I said before, not a faceless apartment tennant, but a person with whom Vick has spent extensive time socially. I'm not saying Vick committed any crimes. I'm saying he has obviously surrounded himself with some less than savory characters, and possibly turned a blind eye to their, oh how shall I say it, moral flexibility. This is what the new NFL commisioner is trying to pound home. The players are answerable for the actions of those in their entourage because those actions reflect upon the league. Players need to distance themselves from people who pull shit like shooting people at strip clubs or running dog fighting rings. He's related to the guy in the same way you're related to one of your family members that have most likely been arrested I have family members who have been arrested on felony charges. None of them were living on my property at the time. How 'bout you? Too damn funny. There's nothing remotely funny about it. Nobody is blindly trying to kill Mike Vick's career. Most people I know have cheered for him from the start as an exciting, talented athlete. He has soured public opinion with his own actions and arrogance.

posted by tahoemoj at 04:45 AM on April 28, 2007

We have enough athletes doing things that warrant the 'hey here's a perfect chance to call someone an asshole' post. Do we really need more? Then post it, and quit bitching about everything everybody else posts. It is really getting old. Which a lot of pro athletes/rich folk use to carry jewelry/big bills etc. Hand made for a precision fit to keep you secret safe. The bold words are form the products description. I am sure no would want to keep anything else secret in an airport other then jewelry and big bills, huh? He's related to the guy in the same way you're related to one of your family members that have most likely been arrested. By the way isn't this the same thing you are complaining about?

posted by jojomfd1 at 12:47 PM on April 28, 2007

Then post it, and quit bitching about everything everybody else posts. It is really getting old. No, this shit is getting old. Then the disappearing acts which will undoubtedly happen when it's proven Vick is not guilty of any crime will be old. Then the next thread about some BS that somebody didn't do will be old as well. Rcade said, Your larger point -- black athletes are treated differently than white athletes when suspected of wrongdoing -- is valid. It's no secret I'm black. Then jojomfd said, quit bitching about everything everybody else posts. It is really getting old Are fucking serious. Someone else said something similar in another thread. Something to the effect of "black athletes are treated differently, film at 11:00 (indicating this is nothing new). So while 1 of the more respected members of this community admits Black athletes are looked upon differently (in the media and here I presume) again someone else (who is not Black) says, stop bitching about and take it. To that I say you must be fucking crazy. As long as "black athletes are treated differently than white athletes", I will continue to make an argument for fairness across the board. Some folks here can go into the landis thread and say things similar to "I know he's caught cheating, but I still hope he finds a loop hole to get around it" (after the fact of being found guilty). These same people are not scorned or overly scrutinized. I come into a thread and want equal treatment (not special treatment, just equal) for a black athlete who isn't proven guilty of anything concerning the link title and I'm asking to much? It was even mentioned that Vick should be banned or suspended without any type of due process/investigation or what have you(just because he surrounds himself with people like this that he doesn't live with by the way). As long as this occurs know that I will be right here calling for fair treatment. If you don't like it or "it gets old to you", SKIP MY POST. Every time some bullshit like this is posted, I have to read about weed, hookers, food stamps, jail, suspensions, posses, bling, gang colors, and the mention of other black athletes who have recently been reprimanded (see some posts above in just this thread for proof). With this being the case, whoever makes the CHOICE to read what I post, will be reading about the facts and not speculation. The fact is Vick doesn't live there, hasn't been charged with anything, and as of this day isn't criminally guilty of anything concerning the accusations in this link. Can a black man get a damn trial before he gets hung out to dry? Or his he now guilty of every thing he is accused of because he gave the crowd the finger once or better yet, is he guilty because you say so? By the way isn't this the same thing you are complaining about? Why wait until I do it to point it out? Point it out every time you see it. Oh wait, if it's done to a black athlete they probably deserve it. I get it now.

posted by Bishop at 09:04 PM on April 28, 2007

Bishop, you can not be serious. You rally for all black athletes regardless of what they have done or have involvement in. You rally for those that are proven criminals and try to deduce the point by stating we arent giving attention to white criminals that are or are not even sports related. Guess what- this is a sporting related forum. You have even stood up for the woman who falsely accused the Duke lacrosse team. Lets hear what you have to say about how Vick's relative was railroaded in the accusations of Dog abuse, neglect and promoting dog fights. That is the true story here and what outrages people, not Mike Vick. I do not see anyone here asking for Vick to be suspended, just outrage over the perception that he must or at least SHOULD HAVE known something about it. Nobody is calling for his head, just that he has shitty judgment and has made a lot of stupid mistakes. But I guess we just think that cuz he is black and we are all racists. That arguement only goes so far so many times. Then it gets stale and worthless when it may in fact apply. Have you ever heard of the "Boy who called Wolf"? That is what your arguements are becoming.

posted by urall cloolis at 11:43 PM on April 28, 2007

It was even mentioned that Vick should be banned or suspended without any type of due process/investigation or what have you(just because he surrounds himself with people like this that he doesn't live with by the way). I just went through all the posts in here two more times and still can not find this statement. However with the new commissioner, he may just do things like that.

posted by jojomfd1 at 04:51 AM on April 29, 2007

Suprised noone bothered to follow this story up... VICK'S DOG DENIAL IS FISHY Michael Vick claims that the apparent dog-fighting activities at his property in Virginia occurred without his knowledge. But evidence available on the Intergoogle suggests that Vick was actively involved in the breeding of dogs that could be used for fighting. Our own Taco Bill found the web site for Vick's K-9 Kennels. The Vick in question is clearly Mike Vick. The site shows an address of Moonlight Road in Suffolk, Virginia. Coincidentally, Wednesday's raid occurred at an address on Moonlight Road in Smithfield, Virginia. Also, the site identifies the company as "Vick's K-9 Kennels c/o MV7, Inc." The owner of the property that was searched is Mike Vick and MV7, LLC. And consider these two pictures, put together for us by Taco Bill. The image on top is from the property that was searched. The image on the bottom is from Vick's web site. The concrete pad, the cages, and the "landscaping" look very similar. Of course, Vick's web site doesn't say anything about dog fighting. On one page, the site declares: "We do not promote, support, or raise dogs for fighting and will not knowingly sell, give, or trade any dog that may be used for fighting." But the dogs that Vick's operation is selling are naturally aggressive breeds like pit bull terriers, Rottweilers, and the Presa Canario. (We have a cousin by that name.) At a minimum, Mike Vick has been involved in breeding and selling dogs that could be used for fighting. He admitted six years ago that it is one of his interests. And at the property owned by him in Virginia many scarred dogs were found, along with evidence of dog-fighting paraphernalia. So if Vick is telling the truth, his family members have -- without his knowledge -- converted Vick's pride-and-joy breeding operation into an exercise in cruelty. And despite the fact that Vick had enough of an interest in breeding pit bulls to set up these facilities, he has paid no attention whatsoever to the abomination that his cousin and/or other family members have created from Mike's avocation. Please. The "I don't know nothing" defense won't fly here, in our view. Even if there is no direct evidence of Vick's knowledge or involvement in dog fighting, plenty of men and women have been convicted of crimes via the introduction of circumstantial evidence and the application of basic common sense. As Jackie Chiles might say, "You get me one dog lover on that jury, and Mike is going away for a long, long time." Meanwhile, the Humane Society will be all over this one. John Goodwin, who handles dog-fighting issues for the organization, told the AP that the Humane Society "has heard for several years that Vick was personally involved in the brutal, clandestine activity, which is banned nationwide and a felony in 48 states, including Virginia and Georgia." Regarding Vick's claim that he knows nothing about the evidence of fighting, Goodwin said that it would cost $100 per day to feed the 66 animals found on the property. "Who's paying to feed all those dogs?" Goodwin said. "Who has the money to feed 66 pit bulls that's in some way, shape or form related to that property?" Those are good questions. And Goodwin isn't the only person who'll be asking them. http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm Those who are trying to play the "Because he's Black" card are way off base here... I personally find this type of behavior to be unconscionable, and as mentioned, who the F is paying $40,000 a year to (kinda) feed these dogs? BTW, the "Vick's Kennels" still has dogs for sale listed on their website... Anyone want to pay $1000 for one? Dude was running these Kennels as a business, and as such is directly responsible.

posted by LostInDaJungle at 04:22 PM on April 30, 2007