Barry Bonds or Michael Vick??

Barry: Noone really likes this guy. He's rude, hates the media, doesn't give a flying f'er what people think about him and probably cheated the game of baseball by using steriods. But does he deserve the kind of treatment he's been getting?? Should his HR ball to break the record be stamped with an *

Should his records be wiped out all together because he probably did steroids but we can't prove it but since we don't like him as a person he deserves to be stricken from the record book?? If we get rid of his records..what about Big Mac and Sosa? All I'm saying is does Barry deserve the public backlash he's getting??

Vick: If you don't know about MV's laundry list of problems you must've been hiding under Jerry Ball for the past 3 months. Yeah, so he was involved in an illegal dogfighting ring and smokes weed. His brother is a spoiled brat and neither Vick seems to be able to choose wisely at this junction in time. But does Vick deserve to be kicked out of the NFL forever?? Should he spend 2-5 years in jail like people are demanding??


What are your thoughts?? Who has it worse?

Good question. I think the media/public is overreacting bigtime on both. But I think they are overreacting on Bonds more. Nothing has been proven, I bet most of the power hitters were doing it, and he is still an amazing athlete and has accomplished a ton. I could go on and on, and I have at some level before, but BONDS is my answer.

Very good question... Howl for you!

I'd say Vick. Look what's happening here:


Bonds: Gets ridiculed but keeps his job, makes millions, and probably not going to jail.

Vick: Potential FIVE YEARS in jail. Probably lost the remainder of his $120 million contract, and could possibly have a lifetime ban from his occupation.


In Vick's case, that's freakin ridiculous!!!! What kind of punishment is that?!?! And now he's being charged by state court as well??? WOW. There are all kinds of documented dog fighters being caught that basically get slapped on the wrist (aka fines and can't own dogs anymore.) Vick is being hung out to dry big time.

College Wolf wrote:
While Vick is being charged excessively compared to other dog fighters; I am more upset people who dog fight aren't being charged like he is compared to him getting less sentencing.

Also I wouldn't mind him losing his job. I think most people would lose their job if they went to jail for 5 years for anything. I think a lot of people would lose their job if their bosses found out they got charged with Dog Fighting.

Ryan wrote:
I do agree with you. I would also like if all the other people were charged more harshly. However, you have to admit that in light of the precedence for sentencing (when guilty of dogfighting) Vick is getting hammered here.

I don't have a problem with him losing his contract, but I think it's pretty harsh that he would get banned for life, being a first time offender and all.

Didn't he have like...his own dog fighting organization or something though. It wasn't just that he participated but that he like housed it and funded it. I heard that at the beginning of the whole situation so I don't know if that is completely true but it seemed like it wasn't just some small thing.

I don't know if stuff like that even gets brought into sentencing. it might be that any case of dog fighting, no matter how big or small your role gets you about the same as everybody else. Vick is just going to be made an example of because he is probably the most famous person that will ever do this. I know DMX did it but Vick is more widely known world-wide than him I would say. I don't necessarily think that's right either. I'm usually upset when athletes/famous people seem to get away with slaps n the wrist and it is equally a discredit to our justice system when they over-penalize someone to make a point.

If he wasn't lifetime banned I'm not sure a team would take him anyway. Actually a team probably would sign him...talent > how good of a person you are in sports. It would just depend how the fans reacted if he got signed which they would gauge by putting rumors out. If the fans get upset, the rumors had no basis and were made up by the media. If the fans seem to not care or like the idea, then they sign him.

Ryan wrote:
Look at Jerry Jones signing Tank! There's no way Vick would NOT be signed by someone in the NFL. NONE! But if somehow he was banned...there'd be one hell of a line at the Ticket booth for whatever Arena football team he signed with

It's a tough call because Vick is clearly guilty of his crime, but I don't think $100M++ is a fitting punishment for what he's done. Barry, on the other hand, has not been caught doing ANYTHING wrong but the public continues to whine and moan about his possible steriod use...even to the extent of branding his record breaking HR ball with an *!!! Either we have to disallow all records set during the \"Steriods Era\" (which apparently isn't over given the number of players still get caught) or we have to accept the situation and the time period for what it is.

Good thoughts guys!!

As for the money he has to pay. He should have to pay double (or something) of whatever profit he made with dog fighting.

Ryan wrote:
How much do you think he made dogfighting?

I have no idea. I'm sure there is a figure somewhere in the trial though.

His \"group\" didn't make much money from the dogfighting at all. Also, any money they actually did win, Vick didn't take any of it... he let his cronies split it all. Just for the record.

So he was simply in dog fighting for the love of the game?

That's a bit disturbing.

Ryan wrote:
I'm not sure, but I guess? Personally, I think it *might* have been more of a situation where it was something that his \"buddies\" wanted to do, and then Vick ended up just going along with it. As for the money, it didn't really cost Vick much at all. For example, he only had to pay $30,000 for that house they were using in Virginia. Granted, he's as guilty as anyone else for his participation... I'm not saying he isn't.

College Wolf wrote:
Wow! Good insight!! I guess it was more of hobby rather than this Mob-style illegal activities ring designed to make money. I think that's more of the perception the average american gets, that Michael Vick was running this dog fighting ring and getting substantial $$$ from it a la Al Capone or something...