Well sort of, but there was obviously a racist backlash around the original protests so it's not totally bankrupt to extrapolate forwards. And the reason a guy like Vick supersedes everything is because he's really, really good and people care more about the anthem than they care about some dogs.

But, hey, I can't put words in his mouth and I'm not gonna jump in the middle a years-old beef I wasn't around for, mostly.

Hard to feel sorry for Vick but if it was just a regular guy from Chester or Camden, he would have paid a hefty fine and got like 6 months IS probation.

The police are more interested in the money they can confiscate and fine the breeders. Sad to say dogfighting and pitbull kennels are a huge problem in the PA/DE/NJ and MD/VA areas.

Vick got less flack in Philly because people knew he was just a product of that environment.

I think Vic is the only real counter point you need. It shows the kraveness of NFL owners putting winning over everything else.

NFL put $$$$ over anything else. Kap isn't signed cause there is a (probably legitimate) concern signing him would cost an owner $$$.

This wasn't the case with Vick 2 years removed from his conviction. People had settled down enough and Vick had rehabbed his image it was correctly calculated signing him wouldn't cost $$$ due to outrage.

Are you guys really saying if you were an NFL owner in this politically charged atmosphere you would risk millions of $$$ and make yourself a political target to hire a backup QB who hasn't been good in 3 years?

No, not at all. It's not binary like that. I just thought that maybe dogs weren't that special to you... like i think about chickens. So maybe the emotional impact of seeing dogs being slaughtered because they lost a fight didn't affect you the way it affects others.

There are two main differences between Vick and Kaep.

Vick committed horrendous crimes. Kaep exercised his first amendment rights.

Vick apologize profusely and tried to make amends in his life. Kaep has no need to apologize because he did nothing wrong. But Americans who watch football largely think that he did.

I'd have to disagree. I think some random white football player would get the same treatment in this case. Maybe worse. Let's imagine that Tony Romo was caught killing dogs and doing all the things that Vick did. I would guess that the racist perception of "well, we expect blacks to do this, but holy ****, how can a white dude do it?!" would lead to Romo being eviscerated.

Vick also did a plea agreement to reduce his sentence, which could have been more than twice as long. It wasn't just the dog fighting. It was the brutal murdering of the dogs, along with conspiracy, etc. His lying about it didn't help much either.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Ne..._pleads_guilty

regular guy from camden likely would not have the means to organize and promote such an operation. vick's money gave him the resources to take it to a higher level.

I may be wrong though.

Nah, you're just a ****ty person.

wil taking a pro-animal-abuse is a heel move we should have all seen coming.

Philly in the house.

The NFL is a business first. An owner must weigh his options when it comes to the bottom line. If that calculation comes out to be a net positive, it makes sense to take it.

That's how the free market works. You don't make Tebow your QB because you think he's morally righteous. You take him if you think you can win games.

The Korean thing was a joke.

Fwiw I do view dogs like chickens. They are just animals. I hear pigs are extremely intelligent and make good pets. I don't feel bad for the millions of them a year that get slaughtered. That's how I view the Vick thing, except I do have a slight issue with the dogs feeling unnecessary pain before their deaths.

I also agree kaep did nothing wrong. He may express his view. He may also pay the price for his view.

The NFL is a business and unfortunately in our society your political views mean something. Kaep was brave in taking his stance and was probably well aware he was risking backlash that could cause him financial harm. That's exactly what happened.

No, you're just a virtue signaller.

I don't value animal life that highly. They are just animals. I like dogs, I like cats. I have a house full of pets right now, actually. I don't value their lives that highly. If one of them died today my life goes on very easily.

Sorry.

Needless and cruel suffering doesn't bother you more than slightly?

I think your definition of "pet" is very different from other people's.

Animals suffer every day. They are animals. That's the nature of animals.
And?

People take the well being of their pets too far. It is their pet so I will not say anything, but my position is not wrong because their feelings are different.

I like my pets but if it came to saving one from downing or saving a human I despise I would save the human. Most people would choose the pet.

What I'm saying comes off as mean. It's not meant to be. I'm just more practical when it comes to the value of animal life. Animal life is not all that important, and that's just the truth.

Marshawn Lynch has taken a seat.



Looks like 'NFL fans and owners' don't have what it takes to chill players' speech.