Michael Vick is All But Done

Remember when this was his big problem? Good times.

The endgame is at hand for Michael Vick. Two days ago on 12 August, Jason Cole at Yahoo Sports reported that a full-season suspension was on the way for Michael (hat tip to AOL Fanhouse for spotting). This is a public relations nightmare for the NFL and Roger Goodell's quandary is simply whether to deal with him now before the legal battle gets ugly but without him having actually been convicted (or acquitted but that's looking less likely, see below) or to wait until the barbaric details of the case come out and reflect on the league before saying yeah ok we should suspend him, at a minimum.

Roger may be getting some good news.

Yesterday, the Washington Post and everyone else reported that the other two co-defendants, Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips, are scheduled to enter plea agreements. This of course means 'guilty' with terms. Last month, the third co-defendant Tony Taylor changed his plea to guilty with no terms, just a promise to tell all and a hope for leniency in sentencing. They got the first guy that did not want to go down on account of Michael and:

...Vick's name appears throughout a "Summary of the Facts" filed along with the plea and signed by Taylor.

The [summary] says for the first time that the dogfighting ring's operations and gambling money -- sometimes thousands of dollars per fight -- "were almost exclusively funded by Vick." It says Vick paid more than $30,000 to purchase the property near Smithfield, Va., where the operation was based, and attended dogfights. The indictment said he helped execute animals that performed poorly by hanging, drowning and electrocutions.

So they got this guy to tell them everything he knows then they went to Purnell and Quanis and said this is what Tony said what do you think? And they said ok what do you want.

They got the goods on Michael.

Today, the Post (and everyone else) is reporting that Michael is in plea negotiations, that he has until Friday to deliver an answer and that more charges are in preparation. Translation: the feds' deal is what it is and it is not changing, take it or leave it and if you don't take it not only do we have a a bunch of new charges for you but we also have a shitload of testimony that is not helpful to your case.

On top of all this, the NFL's own investigation continues (op. cit.) but they pinky swear they had nothing to do with moving things along and it's definitely fair to say the league knows everything the cops do.

All good news for Roger and his new Department of Football Justice.


Complete Vick brothers coverage on Curly R here.



Fake movie poster from http://www.grouchyoldcripple.com/archives/004015.html.