Who thinks that Michael Vick got off easy?

Question

I refer to his flipping the fans off, whether it be one fan or all...
I heard he was fined 5,000 dollars.

It is a pittance for his disrespect to the game and the fans.

I think any blatent "unsportsman like behavior" like this should receive at least 1 Million in fines, and it can be donated to the Katrina victims.

I agree after thinking about it, that 1M is excessive, but I think 5G is a pittance.
It is shopping spree money for him.

I think he should have to sit out at least 2 games along with maybe 25,000 to 50,000 dollar fine

I just saw that he was fined 10,000.
Reasonable, but not anything that will make him or anybody else in pro sports think twice.

The whole point to my question and comments is that we as a society have lifted up our pro athletes to a point that they can get away with almost anything, including delaying punishment while the known offense is being disputed in arbitration.
I do not agree with the owners running Roughshod over the athletes or fans, but I think that ANYBODY who makes millions from the given fans, should be held to a higher standard than the "sand lot"

Answer 1

I completely agree. It is sad that players often forget that it is those very same fans that pay his salary. Even worse he says he is sorry and it isnt representative of him or the Falcon organization. Is he serious? This isnt his first instance of bad behavior so I wonder exactly what is representative of who he really is? Time to grow up and act like a professional if he expects to get paid like one. For an instance i thought Jim Mora Sr. was wrong and out of line about Vick but now....maybe there is something in what he said!!!

Answer 2

I feel as though he got exactly what was coming to him. What is the difference between a verbal act that we can read from a players' lips or an actually gesture? The "sounds of the game" will show a player in a mental state that they wouldn't normally be in. Vick got really into an important game and he was fustrated and probably was working really hard. I think it was dealt with fairness. I thought it was very appropriate for him to donate to a charity.

Answer 3

1. Vick is not the highest paid player in the NFL, Peyton Manning is($100,000,000 for 10 years)

2. Vick sucks at QB, I don't understand what everyone sees in him. He's famous because he acts like he's gonna pass then runs for 10 yards at a time. He's a ball hog, he doesn't trust his teammates, so he thinks he has to do everything

3. He should of got at least a $40,000 fine for that "your #1" hand sign.

Answer 4

there are not sure how much to fine him and i disagree with you he may be find 15 - 20,000 ok !!! call that easy. also his manager loves the community. vick is gonna be in alot more trouble this is only one day after the crime there still thinking for a big way to make him do the time. and trust me his manager will punish him harsh.

Answer 5

Look at all the other people who did something like that and what happened to them
Billy Martin
Billy unleashed more than a few F-bombs on umpires, players and marshmallow salesmen during his tumultuous managerial career. He also posed for his 1972 Topps card while manager of the Tigers with a certain digit exposed, forever corrupting an entire generation of 9-year-olds.

Bryan Cox
Before a 1993 game against the Bills, the emotional Dolphins linebacker had spent the week talking about his hatred for Buffalo. As he entered the field, angry Bills fans greeted Cox with some unkind words. Cox responded with a double-barrelled salute that was captured on national televison. The NFL fined him 10 grand.

Garry Templeton
In 1977 with the Cardinals, Templeton had become the youngest shortstop of the 20th century to record 200 hits in a season. But by 1981, his star had begun to fade, he asked for a trade, and that August fans in St. Louis booed him for not running out a ground ball. Templeton fired back with a series of obscene gestures. In the end, it all worked out for the Cardinals: They traded Templeton that winter for Ozzie Smith. While the incident forever saddled Templeton with a bad-boy reputation, he actually became a fine citizen with the Padres, although he never matched his early production with the Cardinals.


Mike Ditka
No, Ditka did not salute ESPN The Magazine editors for making him pose with Ricky Williams while his running back was wearing a wedding dress. As head coach of the Saints in 1999, Ditka unloaded on home fans during and after a loss to the Titans. Ditka flipped off a group of fans on the way to the locker room at halftime and gave a gratuitous crotch grab to another group after the game. The Saints fined him $20,000.

Chris Gardocki
The Cleveland punter forever earned the adoration of Browns fans when he flipped off Bill Cowher during a 2000 game. (He apparently was miffed after Joey Porter had knocked him silly with a vicious block. Yes, hard to believe that Porter would drill a punter. But we digress.) With the incident caught on camera, Gardocki was fined $5,000. Apparently, Gardocki didn't attend anger management classes: Two years later, after a late go-ahead field goal (he was the holder), he taunted the opposing team, leading to a 15-yard penalty on the ensuing kickoff, which helped the Chiefs kick the game-winning field goal. And thus, Gardocki forever lost the adoration of Browns fans.

Byung-Hyun Kim
The former Red Sox pitcher gave a one-finger greeting to the fans at Fenway during introductions before a playoff game against the A's in 2003. He later realized the global implications of the gesture and apologized "to the fans of the Red Sox, the people of New England and baseball fans throughout the world."




Larry Csonka
Csonka was caught on a 1972 cover of Sports Illustrated discreetly flipping the bird. Check the grin on his face. Priceless.

Miguel Tejada
The Orioles shortstop flipped the bird to a fan in Toronto back in August after striking out during a loss to the Blue Jays. Tejada apologized for the gesture and avoided a suspension that would have ended his consecutive games-played streak at 1,033.

Allen Iverson
Iverson saluted Milwaukee fans with a single digit in November 2003 and was slapped with a $10,000 fine. "I made a mistake and I deserve it," Iverson said at the time. We say: Stand by your convictions.

Jack McDowell
After the White Sox pounded the Yankees right-hander for 13 hits and nine runs in 4 2/3 in a July 1995 game, McDowell displays his middle finger to the crowd as they boo him while he walks off the field. The next day's tabloids had the perfect headline: The Yankee Flipper.

Jake Plummer
While there are many Broncos fans right now who would like to give Plummer a Mile High Salute, the Broncos quarterback made a nifty behind-the-helmet bird flip to the home fans during a victory to earn a $5,000 fine by the NFL in December 2004. He later apologized, but explained, "I'm not a robot. I'm a man that has warm blood and sometimes it gets hot in there running through my veins."
And some other people like randy moss "mooning the GB fans" he just joining a long list.

Answer 6

I dont think he should a been fined. I mean you probably have flipped some one off, should you have to pay a fine to that person. I would have had him sit out a game. He would learned a lesson from that then paying a fine.

Answer 7

I don't really care. My question is I wonder what the fans said to him? Maybe the fans should get punished too. Kick them out of the stadium I say. Its a two way street.

Answer 8

The price for freedom of bird flight.

Answer 9

"CGIRL" is exactly right! The fans should be banned from the game and/or fined as well. They are just as responsible for their actions as Vick. You can't blame one and not the other.

Answer 10

He apologized. Its not like this is something he does all the time, give the guy a break.