I Couldn't Care Less

The Michael Vick Experience

A large number of stories surface within the world of sports
that the powers that be decide
are note worthy of our attention to a nauseous frequency. The
problem is, that for the most part most of us don't care. Case in
point: Barry Bonds. The most recent installment of stories that I
don't care about is the Michael Vick Dog Fighting Saga.
In a nutshell, I am not a Falcons fan, so if he is found innocent it
won't mean much to me. Like O.J., I will always have my own
opinion of what the truth really is. If he is found guilty or agrees
to a plea bargain, I like most people will say he is a disgusting human being, I hope he never plays football again, and I hope to see him serving my a burger at McDonald's some day. Unlike most people however, I have not passed judgment yet. I prefer to let things take its course (while I don't pay any attention to it) and wait until it is officially over. Again, take the O.J. Simpson case. I thoroughly enjoyed the white bronco chase, but after that moment, I didn't pay any attention to it until a friend of mine called me over to his car as we awaited the reading of the verdict on the radio. I am sure I will get some input from a multitude of non-professional "experts" (i.e. friends, family, and acquaintances). The information will be impossible to ignore. I can assure you of one thing, though. I will continue to change the channel every time ESPN reports on it, tune down the dial to another radio station when the previous radio station reports on it, etc. I will not waste my time listening to half assed analysis on a case where the reporters are not in the loop. I am exponentially more interested in Joey Freaking Harrington's performance in Vick's absence than I am the details of Vick's absence.
On a personal note, I do enjoy the company of pets. I have a cat that things we are guests in her home and am pricing a dog. I love my pets but would not deem myself an "animal lover". Recently, I found a 10 week old Shiba Inu. A phenomenal animal if you are also considering a dog. As, I am not a sappy individual, I enjoyed the animal for about 15 minutes and couldn't help thinking how sick of an S.O.B. Vick must be if all of this is true. Absolutely deplorable if it is true. As I am not an unconditional animal lover, its kind of like kids. I like kids, but I am sure I would enjoy my own much better than anyone else's. I still cannot fathom the idea of what has allegedly occurred at Vick's Virginia residence. These are still living, breathing animals that didn't ask to be treated the way they were. Without knowing all of the information, it is certain to say dogs were harmed whether Vick is involved or not.
I do, however, have some knowledge of the dog fighting underworld. Not from a first person perspective of course. I grew up in the Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C. area and have been very aware of the aforementioned dog fighting world seldom witnessed by the general public. I knew guys who had and trained dogs to do just what we are learning took place at Vick's residence. I have never witnessed this, nor will I ever. What I do know, is that like Elliot Ness cracking down on prohibition, Michael Vick may have brought a great deal of attention to a subject the masses involved thought they would never have to deal with. Most of these people truly love their animals and convince themselves that what they are doing is not inhumane or cruel. The other misconception is that the dogs are bread to be mean. That these dogs are somehow predisposed to be vicious. Sometimes that can be true, but more often than not they are merely working on instinct and feel trapped. Have you ever cornered a stray? Their instincts kick in and will do almost anything to escape even if your intentions are good. I have heard of scenarios similar to what most of us have heard of the Michael Vick's house setup. A circular "ring" with two entrances on opposite sides of one another. Picture this, two owners on opposing points of the circle. Each holding their respective animals. Now comes the beginning of the cruelty. Sometimes they use small yet annoying pain as motivation. Pinching a sensitive portion of skin. Continually flicking the nose. Yanking on the tail. Nothing the dog perceives to be fatal or detrimental but clearly annoying with the desire for it to stop. Then the worst of what I've heard. Smelling salts. If any of you have played football or hockey and have had the misfortune of experiencing smelling salts you know what I mean. With the dog firmly secured with one arm the owner places the salts reasonably close to the dogs nose. This need to escape becomes violently more urgent. They would do this repeatedly until the dog's sense of reality and sanity is all but gone. At this point the dog will do just about anything to escape the situation. From this point on, the dog should not be held responsible for its actions. Once the owner releases its grip, naturally the dog moves as quickly as possible away from its present location. Since the opposing dog is trying to do the same thing, they end up on a collision course for one another. When they meet each believes the other is just another obstacle. Naturally, the instincts kick in and anything in its way must be averted or dealt with. The "Dog Fight" ensues.
This has just been one example of what can happen from the owners own doing. It's disgusting, irresponsible, inhumane and any other adjective you can use to describe it. It is very wrong, but once again if Michael Vick wasn't Michael Vick it would just be some @$$hole who should do time. ESPN wouldn't cover it, FOX wouldn't cover it, CNN wouldn't cover it, etc. As Chris Rock once said, "If his name was Orentho the Bus Driving Murderer no one would care". Due to the fact that Vick is a pro athlete, the story is more note worthy? Poppycock. That's right I just dropped the obligatory "POPPYCOCK" mention. I recognize that its a terrble crime. But I do not acknowledge that it is any more important than the Jose Carranza story. In fact it is monumentally less important. Yet, if you allow the major sports media entities to dictate the news to you as if their words represent divine mandate, you would believe that the Michael Vick story is the most crucial and important story in American Sports History. The terrible fact of the matter is, that long after Vick's fate is realized there will be some other not so important story they will force feed us on an hourly basis.
The details of the Vick story aside (as I said, I will worry about it when its over) the bigger issue here is, at some point we stopped watching the games and thinking for ourselves. At some point, we decided our "game time" could be spent picking out drapes or mowing the lawn, because after all we can find out all we need to know from the world in sports in the time it takes to make my Monday morning coffee. Look, everyone has different priorities. Not everyone can spend all of their free time watching and re-watching games and analyzing games and strategy. We should be able to bridge the gap a little, though. Whether its Barry Bonds, Michael Vick, Pacman Jones, the latest substance abuse policy violator, or who's a better starting QB for the Carolina Panthers, how effective is the zone defense in the NBA, or is inter league play really good or bad for the game...Don't let other so called experts tell you wants right, wrong or important. Think for yourselves. For instance, in the 2006 NFL Draft, so called draft expert mel kiper jr (I won't capitalize his name because he's a hack) was only right on 17% of the first round. I was 54% correct and my business partner Mr. Morris was 71% correct. Just an example, we ALL need to start thinking for ourselves. Whether it's about Michael Vick's fate or breaking down the X's and O's at your company water cooler on Mondays.