Wow!

University President Charles Steger Statement on Marcus Vick

January 6, 2006

Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick has been permanently dismissed from the Hokie football program due to a cumulative effect of legal infractions and unsportsmanlike play.


Virginia Tech had suspended Vick in 2004. The university provided one last opportunity for Vick to become a citizen of the university and re-admitted him in January 2005, with the proviso that any future problems would result in automatic dismissal from the team.


Head Football Coach Frank Beamer met with Vick and his mother this afternoon and informed the quarterback and his family of the University's decision. His recent actions are unfortunate and we wish him well in his future endeavors.

And, of course, he just skips scot-free to the NFL.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls0...ory?id=2282642

Well, that's the theory. I don't know where he fits in the NFL from a talent standpoint. From a threat-to-society standpoint, I think he fits in just fine.

Can hardly wait to see how the "den of thieves" (otherwise known as NFL owners) deal with this. On the one hand they can try to use his problems as leverage against him in the contract negotiations. But on the other, how many of them are willing to let him slide down in the draft order to a spot where they can legitimately offer him less than players around him?

That is sad isn't it? The guy has problems and all they think of is can we get a good player cheaper?

It isn't the NFL owners' responsibility to deal with Vick's problems. Its their job to improve their team. If they feel Vick can do that, then they need to consider drafting him and offering him a contract. There is, however, a caveat. I believe history has shown that bad behavior can mean more trouble for a team than whatever the upside is. See Lawrence Phillips. Thus, an NFL owner that thinks he 1) has an easy score in Vick and/or 2) can ignore his transgressions might very well pay dearly for it down the road.

It is amazing how professional sports organizations will take on players when if the same person were applying for an office job in the organization, and had the job skills relative to that of the player's on field skills, how bad behavior would eliminate him from any job consideration.

I feel sorry for the locker room of the team that takes a chance on this guy. They couldn't handle him under the watchfull eye of the NCAA. All hell will break loose when he is free and has a truck load of money. Also the fact that he dismisses his action as an accident instead of taking responciblity highlights his character and the doom that is instore for the team that drafts him.

I have to disagree with you. It is their responsibility. They are taking a troubled youth and going to pay him Millions of dollars. He may kill somebody or himself or many other issues could happen. They need to responsibly help this kid before worst things happen. One of the best things that could happen is that he never gets a chance to play in the NFL. Has he earned the right to play in the NFL after his cureent college issues?

This a major society problem. People have to understand and learn right from wrong. Then learn to take responsibility from themselves. If any NFL owner cannot see this kid has no clue about right and wrong and lying. Why give him millions and send him out of control?

The owners as a whole do not have a responsibility but the one who takes a chance on him DOES have a responsibility to do whatever it takes to try to modify his behavior.

Yes that is what I meant.

One quote stood out to me and it wasn't Vick's. It was his Mom's quote:

"Everybody does it in the NFL and college football," Boddie, speaking to The Associated Press by phone from her home, said. "He just got caught doing it, and since he's been in trouble in the past everything just got blown all out of proportion."

The article says a little further down, "Boddie acknowledged that her son 'did the wrong thing' when he stomped on an opponent during the Gator Bowl"

OK Ms Vick, your son did something wrong, but it is okay because everyone else does it? I can just hear my own mother right now. If everyone else jumped off a bridge.....

Ms. Vick, quit making excuses for your son, get in his face and tell him to clean up his act or the NFL really will mean, NOT FOR LONG for your son.

He has already been caught with the wacky weed once. He may have more problems than he can handle when he has that kind of money from the NFL. I hope he gets his life in order!

He might kill someone? I mean, Vick (actually both Vicks) seem to be somewhat social miscreants, but killers?

Unless you mean accidentally, a Leonard Little situation.

The NFL has long looked the other way on talented players who are troubled - as long as they remain talented. The instant Randy Moss can no longer do the job, his team will suddenly discover that he's a bad guy.

And I don't know for sure, but where does Marcus Vick fit in the NFL? You want a guy this unbalanced at quarterback for you? You need to be able to lead as a quarterback - I don't know that you can do that when guys can't respect you.

What does it matter if it is "accidentally?" Somebody still dies because of his stupidty or wrong actions. I do agree he isn't a great fit for an NFL team but one team will risk a few dollars to see if he can help them.

To be somewhat fair to Vick, Moss had similar (admittedly less severe) problems before the NFL. Yet Moss has turned out to be a great athelete, and at least a decent human being.

All companies, even NFL teams, have social responsiblities. Employing athletes that are terrible examples, regardless of their talent and ability to help the team succeed, is a failure to be socially responsible. How many kids look up to these athletes (despite Barkley's mantra of "I am not a role model")? How many kids are likely to imitate their behavior?

As officals, we are in a uniquely important position to counteract such behavior. When a kid comes on the field with a sharpie to autograph the ball after a touchdown, give them a flag. If they stomp on another player, toss 'em. We have a hugely important part in helping keep this from happening. Some part failed in Vick's development, be it the parents, teachers, coaches, officials, or whatever.

Regardless of those failures in the past, the NFL teams are still responsible for fostering good citizenship. Just because someone turns 18 does not mean the are done growing up.

And now "brandishing a firearm" at a McDonald's no less. I really hope that this guy doesn't go pro. He doesn't deserve one cent from an NFL.

Why can't pro, even college, athletes get it thru their heads that they are role models and need to behave accordingly?

Sept. 2, 2003 — Suspended for one game by coach Frank Beamer for undisclosed reason.
Feb. 17, 2004 — Arrested without incident and charged with four misdemeanors - three for allegedly allowing the underage girls to have alcohol and one for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old at a January party. Released on $2,500 bond.

May 14, 2004 — Convicted of three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and sentenced to 30 days in jail and fined $2,250. Found innocent of having sex with the 15-year-old.

July 3, 2004 — Charged with reckless driving and possession of marijuana after a traffic stop about 25 miles east of Richmond at 2:30 a.m. Police said he was clocked at 86 mph, 21 mph above the speed limit, and that the vehicle stunk of marijuana.

July 6, 2004 — Indefinitely suspended from football team for off-field problems.

Aug. 3, 2004 — Suspended from the university for the 2004 season on same day he pleads guilty to reckless driving and no contest to marijuana possession in New Kent. Is fined $300, has driver's license suspended for 60 days and is placed in a first offender program on the marijuana charge, requiring that he perform 24 hours of community service, undergo drug counseling and random drug tests, and give up his driver's license for six months.

Sept. 13, 2004 — In plea deal, pleads no contest to one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Receives 30-day suspended jail sentence, is fined $100, ordered to perform 24 hours of community service and stay away from the teenage girls.

Jan. 17, 2005 — Cleared to rejoin football team and re-enroll at Virginia Tech.

Oct. 1, 2005 — Leads No. 3 Hokies to 34-20 victory at West Virginia, and makes obscene gesture to fans who have been calling him names related to past problems throughout the game. He apologized a day later.

Dec. 17, 2005 — Pulled over by police in Hampton for driving 38 mph in a 25 mph zone and driving with a suspended license.

Jan. 2, 2006 — Leads Virginia Tech to a 35-24 win over Louisville in Gator Bowl. In the game, he stomped on the left calf of Cardinals All-American defensive end Elvis Dumervil, the NCAA sacks leader. Claims the incident was accidental and that he apologized to Dumervil, who denies ever receiving apology.

Jan. 6, 2006 — Is kicked off team at Virginia Tech for legal trouble and unsportsmanlike conduct in Gator Bowl.

Jan. 9, 2006 — Turns himself in to police, is charged with pulling a gun on three teenagers during an altercation in a restaurant parking lot.

If ANY pro football team, ANYWHERE, drafts this goon, they should be given psychiatric evaluation.

Bob

Ugh, Marcus was arrested in Suffolk, VA today on 3 counts of Brandishing a Firearm @ 17 year old @ a Mickey Ds. This kid is sinking fast, what a waste, hope he somehow wakes up!

But he's not a monster...yet.

Social & emotional disorders characteristicly appear when youngsters become 20-somethings instead of teenagers. Psychiatrists hesitate, nay refuse, to diagnose schiz & paran before the patient is 21. This for a reason. The extent of social necrosis isn't observable until the patient is outside the family's protection.
My late brother was exactly like M.Vick, even did some similar things on the field, I think it was to some guy playing for Houston. But everyone made excuses for him, even the Criminal Justice System, and he was bounced around until it was too late to fix anything.
This is such a complex and interwoven problem that it is impossible for me, with 40 years of hindsight, 20+ years of education, 12 or 14 years of playing and 12 years of officiating to follow any of these threds of extra-curicular violence to its cause.
Someone out there with more money and motivation than good sense is going to try to fix this guy with money and it ain't going to work.
Instead he needs to be subjected to a complete psychiatric intake reviewm hospitalized until a program to address his social necrosis is in place, treatment has proceeded and a successful prognosis is the consensus of the treatment team.
Now ... who's gonna pay for it?
Who is both socially and financially responcible for his being this way. The family that birthed him; the school system that passed him along or the society in general that over-arches both of the microcosms.

Oh did I not sat it:
Good ridance. Society & sport do not need this type of person nor this kind of behavior.

I can't see why schizophrenia was brought into this at all.

But regardless of that it is certainly diagnosed in people before the age of 20. It's known to occur in children younger than 10 as well.

Too bad
 

Too bad Jimmy Johnson's not still coaching in Miami. He could pick up MV to go along with Lawrence Philips, Cecil Collins, and Demitrius Underwood.

Marcus Vick proves the theory that there just aren't enough people these days getting lobotomies.