No deal. Please let the prosecutors say "No deal."

I'm torn on this...

While I'd like to see him take a plea deal just to get this over with, I'm wondering exactly how stupid he is.

Going to trial with 7 witnesses testifying against him and the high likelihood of RICO, Interstate Gambling, and Tax Evasion charges being filed against him would make for good entertainment at the least.

Too bad Court TV isn't allowed into Federal trials.

If Vick was a second string cornerback or offensive lineman, he would be getting measured for his orange jumpsuit.

But Vick is a franchise player; the starting quarterback.

He'll walk with a fine, which he can easily afford.

But Vick is a franchise player; the starting quarterback.

He'll walk with a fine, which he can easily afford.

The legal eagles I hear talking about this on sports radio think he is going to have to do some real prison time. I heard one this morning say he would be surprised if Vick got less than a year in prison.

I hope the giant [expletive deleted] spends a long time in the big house and never plays football again.

For the Feds to be this hell bent on tagging someone, they must have some serious dirt on him.

I remember when this story broke, "someone close to the investigation" made mention that Vick did not cooperate with the investigation at all and was even belligerent to the authorities. I think that was the nail in the coffin.

This isn't some local DA trying to get reelected here, and it isn't about hurting little puppies either. They are out for blood and I think they are going to get it.

>His future in football far less certain.

Nope. His career is over.

To Paul:
>Nope. His career is over.

I respectfully disagree that his career is totally over. If he plea bargains and can avoid a lengthy jail time (>month), I think he can orchestrate a comeback, but probably not with the Falcons.

Assuming he pleads or is found guilty, his post sentence attitude will tell if it can happen. If he stays a first rate a$$hole, then he'll be toast. If he comes out humbly to the media and begs forgiveness, then he may very well have a "heroic" comeback.

If that happens, it will of course be hyped as The Man's continuing persecution of the African-American oppressed race.

JohnMC,

Vick's career isn't over yet, but the "career dissipation light" is flashing overtime.

The current max sentence he's facing is 6 years.

The superseding indictment expected to be filed soon will probably add RICO (Racketeering) charges that will add at least a 10-year minimum sentence upon conviction.

His best hope for saving his career is a total exoneration, which is a slim chance at this point.

His next-best hope is cutting a plea deal with the Feds and Surrey County, VA, to pay fines and minimal jail time in lieu of future charges being filed.

The worst-case scenario is that he goes to trial and loses, at which point he'll likely face 40+ years if additional charges are added to the indictment, such as RICO counts, Interstate Gambling, and Tax Evasion.

As of 1:46pm From: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/13898519/detail.html

"A source close to the Michael Vick investigation said Wednesday the Falcons quarterback is close to agreeing to plead quilty to dogfighting charges.

If Vick signs off on the deal he is expected to enter the plea in federal court in Richmond, Va. on Friday along with two other co-defendants.

There's no word on whether the agreement includes prison time for Vick..."

@JohnMc

Nope nope nope nope.

If he pleads guilty to anything that is DIRECTLY related to abuse of animals, then he is done.

PERHAPS if they get him on wire fraud or some tangential thing he has a snowballs chance... Perhaps...

But if he pleads guilty to anything where he knew about the fighting and approved of it (and let's review he's got no choice) then the gig is up.

PETA wins. End of Story.

and if he cops to anything related to gambling, don't even bother try to make the case the NFL will keep him. It's not even worth discussing.

Vick is in such a hole he's at the point where he ONLY wants to plead guilty to abusing animal.

I'm not a fan of Vick or the Falcons, but this does suck for my son.

He went to the Falcon's training camp one day last summer and got Vick, and most of the team, to sign a football for him. A sports collector told me last year that it could retail for $300-500 with Vick's signature on it.

Right now, I couldn't give it away to Goodwill as a door stop.

As I said before, the Feds are really after his a$$ and I'm sure what ever he plea bargains for they will want it to stick with him. I'm still waiting on the OJ defenders to start crying racism.

hermie:

He'll walk with a fine, which he can easily afford.

He'll walk alright, walk like a duck as he waddles into the fed pen with ankle bracelets on.

If any plea is agreed to for less than a year it will be a travesty.

His career? It will be in the CFL. Any US based team won't risk the wrath of PETA and many others.

Whether that's right or wrong doesn't matter, the end result will be Vick playing for the Roughriders. (and I don't mean the "roughriders" called "bubba" in the pen although that's a possibility also.)

"Right now, I couldn't give it away to Goodwill as a door stop."

John are you kidding?! I think the value will be even more after all this.

Sell the ball and give the proceeds to a no-kill pit-bull rescue..

My gut instinct (and prediction) is that he takes a one year federal prison deal to forestall the new charges. The NFL will then ban him for conduct for one year, to commence when his prison sentence ends. Best case scenario for Vick is that he's out of the NFL for two years. If he's reinstated he'll have to try to hook on with another team since the Falcons will have voided his contract. Whether a NFL team decides to take a chance on him in two years probably depends on how desperate they are and what public opinion at the time is. My guess is that mood by then will be that he's paid his debt and while he may not be a complete pariah...

It's going to be very difficult for any NFL team to bring in Vick after a guilty plea to dogfighting charges.

The franchises, the league and the game depend upon fans, and a large percentage of fans are completely repulsed by animal cruelty, and rightly so.

If he comes back at all, it will be AT LEAST two years, perhaps longer.

Hey..all franchise players get bailed out...(cough) (cough)Scooter Libby...we are used to it...

I predict that Vick's lawyers will convince him to plead out to the current indictment, take the one your and pay the fine.
Vick has other problems at work in this case: Goddell, who will probaly sit him for at least a year; PETA, which will turn up the heat on any team that takes him; the sports media (folks like Colin Cowherd) who have been on him from the beginning; and, possibly more worrisome for Vick, additional State charges. Last, Vick can't be included in the Jamal Lewis and Ray Lewis scenarios...the former pled to a minor drug charge and behaved well during the whole matter, the latter was acquitted. As Paul mentioned above, if there is even a hint of gambling it's all over.
I predict Michael Vick will never play in the NFL again. I'm just wondering if he will qualify for a player's pension when this is over.

His future in football far less certain.

Nah. It ain't. At worst he can look at starring in a remake of "The Longest Yard."

>Best case scenario for Vick is that he's out of the NFL for two years. ... My guess is that mood by then will be that he's paid his debt and while he may not be a complete pariah.

Maybe. Or let me say that's about the only way I see him getting back. But 3 things stand in his way....

1) The NFL doesn't have the luxury of taking action a year from now.. If they ban/suspend him, they have to do it in the next few months when public sentiment is still high. - Making a lifetime much more likely.

But let's assume you're right and he gets a year in jail plus 1 more suspension....

2) He won't exactly come out of prison in playing shape and even after a year of training he'll never be in the game shape he was... So if he is worth less as a player and certainly he'll be less valuable as a brand, why bother take the chance... especially considering #3.

3) Look, reality check, Vick's life rests in PETA's hands. (I don't like that but it is reality) If PETA has 100 or 200 people protesting every practice, every appearance and 500 at every game, the NFL will dump him in a nanosecond. He'll be old news, the NFL won't risk the brand to save a has-been.

My thoughts anyway.

Hey no go where is your FROG? (does he still march?)

For once I will be cheering on PETA if they protest this guy everywhere he goes. Then let the race baiting ("They're only going after him cuz he's a black man")crowd get mad at PETA. I love love love it when two groups on the liberal side of the spectrum go after each other.

Paul is correct on this one.

Vick better cop a plea.

I heard on a syndicated (FSR) sports show this morning that there is some video footage of Vick at a dog fight. If that is true, then he's done.

If you feel like donating some money to a charity which takes care of abused animals, including pit bulls which have been used for fighting (but not exclusively), may I recommend this one (warning: Flash required).

It won't be just PETA against a Vick comeback. Every family with kids old enough to understand what he did will oppose him being allowed to play again, too.

Some things are just unforgivable for someone in a high-profile occupation that depends upon public good will. This is one of them.