A Look At Some Of The Topics, and Trade Rumors From Across The Country along with stellar commentary from the Sports Freak 58
NFL-
Vick Released
Suspended NFL star Michael Vick ended his federal dogfighting sentence Monday, freeing him to lobby for a return to the field.
Vick's attorney Lawrence Woodward told The Associated Press outside Vick's suburban Virginia home that the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback had been released from federal custody as scheduled.
That means Vick no longer has to wear the electronic monitor he's had while under home confinement for the last two months of his 23-month sentence.
Vick hopes to soon meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who has said he would review Vick's status after Vick completed his sentence.
Goodell has said he wants to sit down with Vick, but it's unclear when that face-to-face meeting will take place.
"Michael did an egregious thing," Goodell told The Associated Press in April. "He has paid a very significant price for that."
He said people are forgiving when someone who has done wrong shows remorse and is prepared to live a different life.
"That's something he has to prove to myself and the general public," Goodell said. -espn.com
I'm with Goodell that Vick has to prove something to the public, and I know that Vick has already spoken to PETA. He will have to be their spokesperson to stop Dog fighting, by getting the street and getting his message out. Apparently, dog fighting has been cut in half since Vick's arrest, since it brought so much attention to the problem. I guess the bigger question is, Does Vick Deserve To Play In The NFL Again?
I personally think he should be able to play, and let PETA use his celebrity status to do something good. You can't take back all the awful things he did to those dogs, so you might as well let him try to stop kids who are thinking about getting involved in dog fighting.
I've seen many pro and college athletes in person, but nothing was like when I saw Vick with Virginia Tech play at Boston College. Vick ran for over 200 yards, he was amazing, it is a damn shame it ever got to this point. If Goddell suspends Vick for another two years or more, then Vick might not have anything left when he comes back, who knows if he still possess the same speed? Lot of questions, all falls in the hands of the commish. - SF 58
Wilfork And Pats Still No Deal
There has been no significant movement in long-term contract talks between the Patriots and nose tackle Vince Wilfork, according to a league source. -- Boston Globe
The Pats seem to keep everyone and when they lose someone they find someone else to fill in the holes. However, if they don't lock up Wilfork and he left that would be a major loss, might be more wishful thinking on my part.- SF 58
MLB-
Pirates Pull Offers For Wilson and Sanchez
The Pirates yesterday pulled back their contract extension offers to Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez and, though they remain open to new negotiations, there was no indication any are forthcoming. "That time has come and gone," general manager Neal Huntington said of the offers' lifespan. "They feel like we're awfully light both in years and dollars. In our minds, the conversations are at a standstill." Neither of the player's agents, Page Odle for Wilson and Paul Cobbe for Sanchez, has responded with a counter-offer after each player rejected the team's initial offer late Friday, though Wilson's rejection was not as emphatic as Sanchez's. Wilson's offer was for two years and $8 million, plus a club option for 2012. Sanchez's was for two years and $10 million, plus the voiding of his existing 2010 vesting option that could pay him $8 million. -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
If I am Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez I would pray that I got traded, but would not resign with the Pirates no matter what. Aside from the Naitonals the Pirates are the worst organization in baseball. You actually have two loyal players in Wilson and Sanchez, and you try to low ball them? They trade Niger Morgan this season for an injured Elijah Dukes, which made no sense. Of course, Morgan is on a tear now with the Nats, the Pirates seem to be confused. Maybe Pirates GM Huntington should walk around town stop by Heinze Field and the Igloo to speak championship GMs, no excuse for the Pirates sucking year after year. - SF 58
Gonzo To Red Sox?
Adrian Gonzalez, a durable player, could be traded at the deadline if Padres general manager Kevin Towers gets the right deal. The Red Sox have always liked Gonzalez, who is only 27 and who has an affordable contract that calls for him to earn $4.75 million next season and $5.5 million in 2011. -- Boston Globe
This would be a huge move to get Adrian Gonzalez, and the Red Sox seems to always pull them off. San Diego better get an arm and a leg for him because they are starting to turn into the Pittsburgh Pirates of the West. - SF 58
"The House That Juice Built"
When Long Island man Steve Lore trademarked the phrase "the house that juice built" to express his disgust over steroid use in baseball, the Yankees' legal team came out swinging. They are demanding that the phrase -- plus Lore's T-shirt design that shows the Yankee top hat logo with the bat replaced by a syringe -- be banned. -- NY Post
What a great idea by that guy, and if he gets banned for making those shirts that is a complete joke. He isn't using their Yankee Symbol, and the phrase has been changed, I don't know how they can ban him. They might just make him take it off the cap, but if no trademark is involved it should be allowed.
The Yankees shouldn't be upset at Mr. Lore, they should be upset at themselves and baseball in general for never having a drug policy until it was too late. Everyone loved the homers when Big Mac, and Sammy "Baseball been very very good to me" Sosa were crushing homers to get fans back in the park, so now they should have to deal with the aftermath. I think everyone one was jolted because baseball is "America's Pastime", and is is clean and pure. Well, maybe up until 1980, but things change, lot more money, news ways to get bigger, stronger, and faster. For whatever reason MLB ignored it, and here is what you get.- SF 58
NFL-
Vick Released
Suspended NFL star Michael Vick ended his federal dogfighting sentence Monday, freeing him to lobby for a return to the field.
Vick's attorney Lawrence Woodward told The Associated Press outside Vick's suburban Virginia home that the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback had been released from federal custody as scheduled.
That means Vick no longer has to wear the electronic monitor he's had while under home confinement for the last two months of his 23-month sentence.
Vick hopes to soon meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who has said he would review Vick's status after Vick completed his sentence.
Goodell has said he wants to sit down with Vick, but it's unclear when that face-to-face meeting will take place.
"Michael did an egregious thing," Goodell told The Associated Press in April. "He has paid a very significant price for that."
He said people are forgiving when someone who has done wrong shows remorse and is prepared to live a different life.
"That's something he has to prove to myself and the general public," Goodell said. -espn.com
I'm with Goodell that Vick has to prove something to the public, and I know that Vick has already spoken to PETA. He will have to be their spokesperson to stop Dog fighting, by getting the street and getting his message out. Apparently, dog fighting has been cut in half since Vick's arrest, since it brought so much attention to the problem. I guess the bigger question is, Does Vick Deserve To Play In The NFL Again?
I personally think he should be able to play, and let PETA use his celebrity status to do something good. You can't take back all the awful things he did to those dogs, so you might as well let him try to stop kids who are thinking about getting involved in dog fighting.
I've seen many pro and college athletes in person, but nothing was like when I saw Vick with Virginia Tech play at Boston College. Vick ran for over 200 yards, he was amazing, it is a damn shame it ever got to this point. If Goddell suspends Vick for another two years or more, then Vick might not have anything left when he comes back, who knows if he still possess the same speed? Lot of questions, all falls in the hands of the commish. - SF 58
Wilfork And Pats Still No Deal
There has been no significant movement in long-term contract talks between the Patriots and nose tackle Vince Wilfork, according to a league source. -- Boston Globe
The Pats seem to keep everyone and when they lose someone they find someone else to fill in the holes. However, if they don't lock up Wilfork and he left that would be a major loss, might be more wishful thinking on my part.- SF 58
MLB-
Pirates Pull Offers For Wilson and Sanchez
The Pirates yesterday pulled back their contract extension offers to Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez and, though they remain open to new negotiations, there was no indication any are forthcoming. "That time has come and gone," general manager Neal Huntington said of the offers' lifespan. "They feel like we're awfully light both in years and dollars. In our minds, the conversations are at a standstill." Neither of the player's agents, Page Odle for Wilson and Paul Cobbe for Sanchez, has responded with a counter-offer after each player rejected the team's initial offer late Friday, though Wilson's rejection was not as emphatic as Sanchez's. Wilson's offer was for two years and $8 million, plus a club option for 2012. Sanchez's was for two years and $10 million, plus the voiding of his existing 2010 vesting option that could pay him $8 million. -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
If I am Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez I would pray that I got traded, but would not resign with the Pirates no matter what. Aside from the Naitonals the Pirates are the worst organization in baseball. You actually have two loyal players in Wilson and Sanchez, and you try to low ball them? They trade Niger Morgan this season for an injured Elijah Dukes, which made no sense. Of course, Morgan is on a tear now with the Nats, the Pirates seem to be confused. Maybe Pirates GM Huntington should walk around town stop by Heinze Field and the Igloo to speak championship GMs, no excuse for the Pirates sucking year after year. - SF 58
Gonzo To Red Sox?
Adrian Gonzalez, a durable player, could be traded at the deadline if Padres general manager Kevin Towers gets the right deal. The Red Sox have always liked Gonzalez, who is only 27 and who has an affordable contract that calls for him to earn $4.75 million next season and $5.5 million in 2011. -- Boston Globe
This would be a huge move to get Adrian Gonzalez, and the Red Sox seems to always pull them off. San Diego better get an arm and a leg for him because they are starting to turn into the Pittsburgh Pirates of the West. - SF 58
"The House That Juice Built"
When Long Island man Steve Lore trademarked the phrase "the house that juice built" to express his disgust over steroid use in baseball, the Yankees' legal team came out swinging. They are demanding that the phrase -- plus Lore's T-shirt design that shows the Yankee top hat logo with the bat replaced by a syringe -- be banned. -- NY Post
What a great idea by that guy, and if he gets banned for making those shirts that is a complete joke. He isn't using their Yankee Symbol, and the phrase has been changed, I don't know how they can ban him. They might just make him take it off the cap, but if no trademark is involved it should be allowed.
The Yankees shouldn't be upset at Mr. Lore, they should be upset at themselves and baseball in general for never having a drug policy until it was too late. Everyone loved the homers when Big Mac, and Sammy "Baseball been very very good to me" Sosa were crushing homers to get fans back in the park, so now they should have to deal with the aftermath. I think everyone one was jolted because baseball is "America's Pastime", and is is clean and pure. Well, maybe up until 1980, but things change, lot more money, news ways to get bigger, stronger, and faster. For whatever reason MLB ignored it, and here is what you get.- SF 58
Posts
Love it when you spray to all fields Sportsfreak!
ReplyDeleteFirst off with regard to Vick, George Dohrmann at si.com pretty much sums up my feelings. He shouldn't be allowed to play again. This is hardly the first time Vick has been in trouble. With the drug allegations, the Ron Mexico lawsuit, and most importantly the dog fighting ring conviction. The main thing with me is I don't understand why people think Goodell is obligated to give Vick a "second chance"? Vick already lied to Goodell (and Arthur Blank) when these allegations first came up 2 years ago! Vick had the chance to come clean then, and he pulled a Pinnochio. I say, let him have his day in court, and try to explain/convince Goodell why he deserves another shot at the (Chad Pennington) PRIVILEGE of playing in the NFL. With that said though, I still think the story ends with him banned for at least another season, if not permanently...
Regarding Wilfork, I'm of the opinion that anything a team tries to do defensively, will only be as successful as the defensive line, specifically the defensive tackle/s allow it to be. I know Wilfork has only been to one Pro Bowl, but he seems like a pretty vital part of what New England does defensively. The last thing I would want to do is alienate, or let go of him.
The Pirates haven't been the same ever since Bonds left after 1992, and they really have no excuse what with the relatively new stadium and the luxury tax money they've been getting for some time now.
If not Gonzalez, you know the damn Red Sox will make some kind of move.
If any owner or team goes after a fan for expressing his or her outrage/objection to the steroid era, then they are officially announcing that they have zero character. Not that they had that much in the first place, but the owners are just as responsible as the players and media for allowing the steroid era to mutate baseball the way it did. The whole situation is everybody's fault, and the last thing anybody in MLB should be doing, is trying tp punish fans for expressing their displeasure.
Great commentaryt as usual Angelo, and I'm with youon most points. I just think for Vick doing suck an awful tihngs, he needs to pay his debt to society as much as we can, and he could do that in the nfl. Goddell has been real hard on players, so it would surprise me if he gave him a lifetime ban, but we shall see.
ReplyDeleteFYI, I'm obviously promoting those steaks and burgers, but they are amazing, no seasoning necessary, delivered to your door in dry ice, get some chicago in san fran!
I just might take you up on those steaks and burgers Sportsfreak. Always love a taste of my home away from home, Chicago.
ReplyDelete