Juiced Sports Blog*: Writing Enhanced by Flaxseed Oil » Crime N Punishment

Pacman Jones signs exactly where expected: Cincinnati Bengals

mhblatt — Fri, 07 May 2010 14:27:01 +0000

MITCH BLATT

Juiced Sports Blog over the past few years has owed a debt of gratitude to Adam “Pacman” Jones.

The kid has never ceased giving me something to post about. From his gang fight at the Vegas NBA All-Star Game, to his wrestling career, to his ongoing arguments with media organizations over how many times he’s been arrested (“I’ve only been arrested twice.”).

When he was suspended for the entire season and subsequently released by the Dallas Cowboys last January, I thought he was done for good, but now the Bengals have signed him.

He joins a franchise with a storied history–recent history–of stars like Chris Henry, Tank Johnson, AJ Nicholson, and some other famous criminals. (Good news: Tank Johnson says Pacman is ecstatic to join the crew.)

He was supposed to play in the CFL last year, but the Blue Bombers pulled out of the deal without much media coverage. “It is unfortunate that this situation became public,” the coach said in a short USA Today article. According to Wikipedia, Jones made some comments in a video, including “calling the league the United Football League when it is in fact the Canadian Football League.” (That’s grounds for not playing?)

So when are the Bengals going to trade for Ben Roethlisberger?

Speaking of him, I found this article from last October in which an employee of a nightclub claims that she was fired for demanding to see ID for one of Roethlisberger’s underage gal pals.

Michael Vick Oversentenced

mhblatt — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 03:41:00 +0000

Mitchell Blatt

Killing Dogs is Worse than Killing Humans?

PACMAN JONES-INCITED GUNFIGHT: PROBATION

LEONARD LITTLE-INVOLENTARY MANSLAUGHTER: 90 DAYS JAIL

CRAIG MACTAVISH-VEHICULAR HOMICIDE: 1 YEAR

MICHAEL VICK-DOGFIGHTING: 23 MONTHS

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Pacman Jones was sentenced two days ago for his involvement in a Las Vegas club melee that resulted in three people shot and one paralyzed. Originally charged with two counts of felony coercion, Jones pleaded no contest on a reduced charge of disorderly conduct. He was sentenced to a year of probation. Jones was also arrested five times prior to his Vegas fight.

Two days later, Michael Vick, who killed some of his own dogs, was sentenced to two years in jail for federal crimes. He still has to be tried by the state of Georgia, though, because he broke state and federal charges, so he may end up in jail for even longer.

What he did was cruel. It was heartless. I can certainly see why so many people were so vehemently against him. Certainly after viewing these images:

There were no charges filed against anyone who abused those animals though. They were just people taking part in the great sport of hunting.

Let’s see… Michael Vick put dogs in a ring and made them fight and hurt each other for his pleasure. Then he killed some when they didn’t perform well. Hunters shoot and trap and kill animals for fun. There’s really no difference, then, between fighting dogs and hunting. Both involve hurting animals for pleasure.

It doesn’t matter if you eat the animal after you kill it; in today’s world it is not necessary to hunt for food. If you accept that killing animals isn’t cruel enough to outlaw hunting, you have made one rationalization that goes toward make killing dogs acceptable.

Of course dogs are put on a different level than other animals because they are pets and more so “man’s best friend.” It’s fine with me if you love your dog that much, but Michael Vick apparently didn’t, and he shouldn’t be punished based on that fact. It’s a cultural thing, just like how cows are considered sacred in the Hindu religion. I’m going to keep eating my burgers, though, because I don’t believe in that. Michael Vick shouldn’t be forced to follow other people’s cultures if he doesn’t hurt anyone.

Finally, there is the issue of how Vick killed dogs, by electrocution and hanging, two of the most quick and painless methods of death. If electrocution is humane enough to kill humans, sanctioned by the government, what’s wrong with using it for animals?

It’s certainly more humane than shooting and animal and letting it bleed to death. Yet hunting is legal.

…

This post isn’t intended to say anything about the nature of hunting. Hunting can be viewed as either moral or immoral for any number of good reasons.

I am simply saying that, when put in context, Michael Vick’s crimes were not as terrible as they were made out to be.

Not as terrible as slamming a stripped into the ground because she had the audacity to pick up some bills your drizzled on her.

Not as terrible as bringing guns into the strip club then shooting people when they are trying to restore order.

Tommy Urbanski is paralyzed for the rest of his life.

Do you care?

Susan Gutweiler is dead. Leonard Little is still playing in the NFL.

Do you care?

Craig MacTavish killed someone when he was drunk driving years ago; he’s coaching the Edmonton Oilers now.

Michael Vick will serve his time, too much time, and he will be back, possibly with enough skills to continue playing football in the NFL. Will he be given his chance?

I hope so.

Other Takes
Liberal Blog, The Reaction, Wants to Liberally Apply More Years to Vick’s Sentence
Huffington Post: Bush Should Pardon Vick
Race in the Context of Vick, Drug Sentencing, and the Media
Awful Announcing: MNF Announcers Mentioned Vick 41 Times

JSB on Vick
Vick Commanded Most Hype All Summer
Vick Must be Happy to Have Artest on His Side
The “Racism” of the Vick Case
PETA? Does “Georgia Bulldogs” Promote Dogfighting?
Vick Treats Children Better Than Dogs
Robert Byrd on Vick: BARBARIC!

LIFE AFTER PRISON?

mhblatt — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 09:18:00 +0000

Guest Post: Jarrett Carter

Will Vick Be Better Off After Jail Time? With Michael Vick facing certain jail time, it doesn’t appear he has a lot to look forward to in his professional or personal life in the next few years. But he shouldn’t sweat it, many stars of sports and entertainment have hopped seamlessly in and out of jail, and are more lucrative for it. Here’s a brief list of A-list stars and athletes whose jail time have resulted in more face time. Paris Hilton – With more DUIs than sex tapes, Paris Hilton emerged from her month long prison scandal a more focused and reserved person. Rumors have her latest camera time being on the UK version of ‘Big Brother.’ Lindsay Lohan – A Hollywood starlet that saw her film career and alcohol tolerance plummet, she’s bounced back and is ready to meet similar drunk-driving charges head on. As you can tell by this photo, she is already capitalizing off the Vick case by proudly endorsing dogs not as fighters, but as a celebrity’s ultimate rehab prop. Martha Stewart – Who even remembers that little securities fraud thing? America’s favorite homemaker is still working more than she’s eating and sleeping, and is still a raging bitch. Vick may not have been nice to dogs, but if networks can take a chance on Martha, some team will take a chance on a 31-year-old scrambling QB. Mike Tyson – We all know the story about Iron Mike, and he fought in several title bouts after his release. If it was worth money to Don King, than and aged and disgraced Mike Vick will be valuable to some maverick owner. Possibly located in Washington. What do you think? Post your opinion in the comment section.

Michael Vick Related Posts

Michael Vick Dogfighting Page
Michael Vick Case Was Racist? Some Say…
Vick Treats Children Better Than Dogs. Who Cares?
PETA To Take On Georgia Bulldogs For Promoting Dogfighting?
The Michael Vick Experience: Everybody Is Jumping!
Robert Byrd Get In His Licks On Vick In Congress

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MICHAEL VICK CASE WAS ABOUT RACE

mhblatt — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:21:00 +0000

Mitchell Blatt

I Didn’t Know “Dogfighter” Was A Race?

Whenever a prominent African-American is arrested or punished, the media always seizes on the irresponsible topic of racism. While I’m usually sympathetic to the plight of minorities who just happen to be breaking the law in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong color of skin, there’s just something about the Michael Vick situation that makes me sick. Maybe it’s because electrocuting and hanging dogs is gross. Temple proffessor Mark Lamont feels differently.

He sympathizes with Michael Vick’s plight, being antaganized by racist feds who just wanted to put a black man behind bars and racist media members who just wanted to tear down a black man and feed into racial stereotypes. The media is never this negative toward white athletes accused of crimes, he said. (For example, Duke lacrosse players?)

Appearing on the O’Reilly Factor last night, Lamont said, “Even before his ‘homeboys’ turned on him, everyone was saying he did it. Look at all these examples of black athletes who got the presumption of guilt: Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson…” Maybe that’s because the majority of top athletes are black? (Not to be racist to white guys. Or wait, am I being racist to blacks? It’s racist to say they’re good at sports? It’s racist to say the NBA is 90% black?)

Anyhow, Mr. Lamont went on to say that the Duke Lacrosse team had the benefit of the doubt from the press and the public. Oh, really?
Then why was Coach Pressler forced to resign within weeks of the allegations?
Why did the left-wing media, especially the New York Times, report completely negatively on Duke from day one? (American Journalism Review article on that topic)
Why did Nancy Grace take every opportunity to call the kids guilty, even going as far as saying that the Duke supporters should, “Move to Nazi Germany where there is no jury trial,” in a video compilation made by John Stewart?
Why did 88 Duke proffessors publish a letter in the local newspaper chastising the lacrosse team for promoting racism and sexism?
Why were the lacrosse team members threatened by protesters calling them “hooligans” and forcing them to move out of their frat house?
Why were the three accused forced out of college for a year?

The bottom line here is that, in high profile cases, the suspects are almost always presumed guilty regardless of race. It may not be the best thing for society, but it is a fact, black and white.

What do you think? Reply in the comment section.

Michael Vick Related Posts

Michael Vick Dogfighting Page
Vick Treats Children Better Than Dogs. Who Cares?
PETA To Take On Georgia Bulldogs For Promoting Dogfighting?
The Michael Vick Experience: Everybody Is Jumping!
Robert Byrd Get In His Licks On Vick In Congress

PACMAN JONES’ ATTORNEY LAYS IT ON PACMAN

mhblatt — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 15:50:00 +0000

Mitchell Blatt

Pacman Jones’ Attorney: “He’s a Self-Centered Piece of S**t”

Months after Pacman Jones “allegedly” beat a striper and incited a gunfight in Las Vegas, the troubled athlete now speaks. As it turns out, he had nothing to do with it. (Well, actually, he did, but he did an HBO appearance where he said he didn’t.) Apparently, his performance wasn’t very convincing, because his attorney called him a “piece of s**t” after watching it.

He spoke on HBO’s Real Sports, a show that usually includes people who play sports, not ones who sit out a year awaiting their jail sentence.

Jones says he is an “easy-going person” who was simply at the “wrong place, wrong time” at Minxx strip club in Las Vegas when manager Tommy Urbanski was paralyzed and two other people were injured during the Feb.19 shooting.

Complete transcript: “You know man, I’m an easy going guy, you know, I like going to the bars now and then, punching a few people, trying to get my girl. If that bitch ain’t wanna come with me, I gotsa do something, ya know?”

“I don’t feel responsible at all,” the Tennessee Titans’ embattled cornerback said. “I don’t.”

For once, he speaks the truth.

“I never touched anybody in that I never hit no girl,” he added.

He speaks the truth again. The wonders bad grammer do to bad people. There is no doubt in my mind that he never hit no girl, because a obviously hit a girl.

“I know the truth is gonna come out, at the end of the day,” says Jones, who was charged with two counts of felony coercion by Clark County District Attorney David Roger in June and faces up to 12 years in prison.

I’m sure the truth will come out too when Pacman gets sentenced.

Jones’ attorney Robert Langford said he did not know Jones had consented to the interview but said his client comes off looking like a “self-centered piece of —.”

Finally, an attorney I don’t completly hate.

Michael Vick Dogfighting Page

PACMAN JONES VS. ESPN: GUNS BLAZING

mhblatt — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 13:48:00 +0000

Mitchell Blatt

Pacman: “I’ve Only Been Arrested Twice.”

ESPN: “No, you haven’t. You’ve been arrested 5 Times.”

I don’t know who to believe. Pacman Jones, suspended the entire season for inciting a gunfight, or ESPN, the Worldwide Leader in Sports. Pacman says he’s only been arrested twice. ESPN tells me he’s been arrested five times. Pacman set the record straight on ESPN2’s First Take earlier this week.

“Everybody keeps saying I’ve been arrested six times,” Jones said. “I haven’t been arrested six times. I’ve only been arrested twice.”

I would be willing to congratulate you on being such a great role model, only getting arrested twice in one year when most people get arrested four times, but in actuality, you’ve been arrested five times. Now, maybe my information is wrong, but for some reason, I’m tempted to believe ESPN over you:

Since he was drafted in April 2005, he has been arrested five times — although he has not been convicted of any crimes. Jones has been involved in at least 11 separate police investigations, authorities say, and is currently sought by Atlanta-area police for questioning in a shooting early Monday after a fight at a strip club there.

“I’ve been accused and people have put warrants out on me numerous other times, but as of today, I’m on no probation, I haven’t been charged with anything,

Really? You haven’t been charged with anything? Maybe you ought to talk to your lawyers again, because ESPN tells me that you’ve been charged with two felony counts of coercion and potentially one misdemeanor count of threat and battery for your involvement in the gunfight in Las Vegas. Maybe you’ll be charged with obstruction of justice as well when you don’t show up to the trial that you don’t know you have?

However, the only reason for these charges, similarly to Michael Vick’s charges, is the athlete’s celebrity:

[Jones' lawyer] Arora accused police of unfairly leaking information about Jones because of the player’s’ celebrity. He said investigative reports were released before charges were filed and before arrest warrants were issued.

“Police keep saying they want to treat him like everyone else,” Arora said.

“It’s infuriating. He isn’t being treated like everyone else,”

Okay, so maybe he isn’t being treated like everyone else. Maybe he is being given preferential treatment for being an athlete.

Jones is accused of threatening the life of club employees, punching a man who police identify as his own business manager, and walking away from the club with a man wearing a baggy black T-shirt and blue jeans.

Not to be callous, but hey, you deserve to get punched for associating with Pacman Jones. That’s not a big deal, though. What I’m really outraged with is the fact that he walked away with a man wearing baggy clothes! Baggy clothes?! Do you know what those things can do? The pants can start falling off your butt and expose your boxers! Worst crime in the books!

I just thought it was funny that that tidbit was put in along with the rest. Threatening lives, punching someone… and wearing baggy clothes. I think this story is an upbeat and refreshing change from the whole Michael Vick mess.

VICK PUTS CHILDREN OVER DOGS

mhblatt — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 14:09:00 +0000

Mitchell Blatt

And Really, Who Wouldn’t, PETA?

Support for Michael Vick in Atlanta is high when you consider he is a ruthless dogfighter who kills dogs by electrocution and hanging. In large part, this is due to the fact that Atlanta is a predominately black city (61%), but also because the residents can quote specific things Vick has done to help the community. He donated a ton of money to the schools. He visited an innocent boy who got shot in a drive-by. He seems to have a soft spot in his heart for his community. Animal rights activists might ask, “How can a seemingly nice man be so heinous to dogs?”

Because dogs aren’t human? There’s a big difference between an eight-year-old boy getting shot and a dog getting mauled. The humanity in a boy makes some people feel more sympathetic to them. They talk. They feel. They are individuals. Dogs are more like property. You pay for them, then you own them. When it comes to kids, I guess you do have to pay to make them, but that’s a different story.

Even so, it is still pretty disgusting for someone to kill a dog by slamming it into the car. I want to make it clear that I believe what Michael Vick did was wrong. (In fact, it was BARBARIC!) But, the way you hear the national media and protest groups cover it, you would think that he has been arrested five times in the past year and incited a gunfight that resulted in one person’s paralysis. (That was Pacman Jones.)

Dog-owners are a crazy breed that seem to value their dogs over their kids. They send their dogs to dog hotels and buy them sweaters. They get mad about dogfighting rings, but don’t care about rape. If we were a civilized nation, we would put Vick on the backburner and start protesting over Pacman Jones.

Michael Vick Related Posts

THE MIKE VICK EXPERIENCE: EVERYBODY’S JUMPING

sjacobs — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 21:16:00 +0000

When the Atlanta Falcons made a blockbuster trade with the San Diego Chargers in 2001 for the rights to the number one pick, in what eventually became Michael Vick, it was a stunning, but sly move. Atlanta was getting the unanimous number one player in the 01 draft, and they were also getting a big time play maker who had championship experience with Virginia Tech, in addition to major marketing potential.

Vick was never all that consistent, but his teams won. In his second year as a starter everyone was hoping onto the Michael Vick Experience, a mega promotion courteous of Nike, and a reach out to a star blossoming before our eyes.

Do you remember all the people who claimed he would change the quarterback position forever? Or how after his brilliant run through virtually the entire Minnesota Vikings squad got him the label, “the most exciting player in sports.”

Electric. Evolutionary. And now his career might just be gone in a flash. Its developments tied to dog fighting, first reported by Sports Illustrated a few months ago. Back then it was all speculation, but now, the FBI is going after him, and all of a sudden, America’s poster boy athlete, Atlanta’s franchise superstar, is facing more than just a career shortened by fraud. He’s facing a potential prison sentence, and a fall from grace as fast as any athlete ever.

Vick used to elude oncoming defensive lineman. Now in his attempt to avoid jail time, he’s going to have to come up with one heck of a case that he had no part in this whole dog fighting epidemic. Now, he’s been told not to show up to training camp. Pretty soon, he’ll probably be told that he can’t play this season at all.

This from the guy who had the potential to be bigger then life. He had the opportunity to make Atlanta a great team for years, to anchor the ship for a whopping $130 million, which made him the second highest paid player in the NFL. Now though, his unique accomplishment of being the first quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards means nothing. His unique style of play. Doesn’t matter. His ability alone affecting how team’s would game plan the Falcons. Rendered meaningless.

PETA wants him gone for the season. People have been showing up in New York City where the NFL offices are, protesting Vick’s actions. It may be innocent until proven guilty, but it sure seems like a lot of people are quickly jumping off the Michael Vick Experience from hell. A guy so many people rooted for, his jerseys sold like hot-cakes, he is now public enemy number one in sports. Even though Barry Bonds is extremely disliked, his actions, his supposed steroid use happened on the field, and in the locker-room. The charges staring Vick in the face are so much more than that.

In fact, Vick is in such hot water, that it may be in his best interest never to play football again. Strong words I know. Never is not a word to throw around lightly, but Vick is really in despicable territory. He has failed to make a single statement since he was charged, and the evidence seems to build against his case more and more every day.

Mr. Electric was an unbelievable player to watch. I got the chance to see him in person once at a preseason Falcons game a few years ago. He played like a video game character, at a different speed, almost as if he was operating under a different law of gravity.

But now, he’s been brought down to earth. His reputation has been shot, and his chances of ever recovering from this, no matter what happens are unbelievably diminished, and even more likely unfathomable.

This from the man who was given the keys to the car that would change the landscape of the quarterback position forever in the National Football League. Now, people can’t even look at him, and he’s not just a sports story, he’s a front page national nightmare.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank who has stood by Vick for a long time now, as these allegations came to light, was ready to suspend him for four games, before the NFL intervened and asked them to wait. Blank sees it, and so does everyone else: it’s one big mess, and its not going away anytime soon.

Michael Vick Related Posts

Does Vick Deserve a Fair Trial Before Suspension?

mhblatt — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 11:47:00 +0000

After Commissioner Roger Goodell said last week that Falcons QB Michael Vick would not get suspended for being charged with dogfighting, Vick has now been barred from training camp following massive protests. Goodell has already suspended Pacman Jones (16 games) and Chris Henry (8 games) so for charges as serious as dogfighting, it seems obvious that Vick should be suspended.

However, the move has drawn protest from some black fans. ESPN aired a segment that took note of the racial chasm in opinion (55% of white fans want him released, compared to 26% of black fans) with one man comparing Vick’s suspension to the Duke lacrosse rape case in which the team’s season was canceled due to what turned out to be false charges. A logical point, however, the rape case involved an unverified story by one stripper while the dogfighting case seems to be more straightforward with photos and multiple testimonies available.

At any rate, the two players Goodell has already suspended (Pacman and Henry) have not been proven guilty for their offenses either. (If you were involved in something as innocent as a gunfight, or maybe just DUI, you’d be reprimanded, too, by your employer before proven guilty, and you wouldn’t have an entire network dedicated to airing your complaints.) That said, Jones and Henry’s suspensions came after multiple offenses. Jones was pretty experienced in the barfight, being arrested five times in Nashville, before taking his show on the road for a gunfight in Las Vegas. Henry had been arrested multiple times for offenses including providing alcohol to minors and had been suspended prior by the league for substance abuse.

This, being Vick’s first major offense, was ostensibly the only reason he was not suspended immediately. However, following the protests, it would have been a public relations nightmare not to have done something. Goodell still hasn’t made a decision on the extent of Vick’s punishment, saying, “It is for the justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, but it is my responsibility to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, violated league policy.” His first court date is July 26.

55% of Whites Want Vick Released, 45% Want ESPN to Write a Decent Poll Question

mhblatt — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 13:00:00 +0000

55% of whites want Falcons QB Michael Vick released due to his dogfighting charges. That, according to an EBSPN poll made to (investigate?) racism. Only 26% of blacks want him released. The only news here is: People are mad about dogfighting. Shocking.

The fact that 55% of whites want him released just shows irrational judgment early in the case by an unforgiving, celebrity-hating public. With everything that the rich and famous get away with, the public always has animosity towards them. Pro athletes always seem to get away with crimes or get off with light punishments, so the public always wants the worst for them.

Thinking about it logically, it would be a huge overreaction to release Vick this early in the process. His opening hearing is this Thursday. His case will probably be heard within a year. It is being dealt with by the FBI, not the police, so it is more likely that he will be given a significant punishment than in most athlete’s cases. If he is found guilty, as he probably will be, he will go to jail for up to six years and be released by default. Just let the case play out. A fair question to ask would be, “Should he be suspended?”

College Football Scores, Stats, Stories for Saturday, September 8 Oklahoma asserts their dominance, West Virginia runs, runs, runs, Nebraska holds on over Wake Forest, and Michigan takes on Oregon.