Nike, Michael Vick and Arthur Blank

I can't believe I am wasting "ink" on this subject, but I feel like, since I live in this town, I need to weigh in.

I am pretty much a due process kind of girl - spent the last week with the Constitution, remember? - and everyone is entitled to the innocent until proven guilty idea. However, Michael Vick and his posse are just a bunch of thugs and Nike pulling their endorsement contracts with him is not the same as denying him due process. After his outrageous behavior in the Miami airport a while back, AirTran pulled their endorsement contracts, and no one gave it a second thought.

I have read a very thoughtful sports article in our local paper which concludes that Arthur Blank has a duty to dump Vick.

Personally, I would have dumpped the jerk years ago. He is a chump; he flips off the fans and he really isn't a team leader or a role model. I don't go to the games - how could I when I grew up with Sonny Jurgenson and Joe Theissmann? - and I would never take my own daughters to watch him.

Perhaps Arthur Blank needs to know that.

The writer goes on to wonder what would happen if it had been a regular teacher who had been handed a two inch thick federal indictment - federal, boys and girls- we'd be looking under rocks trying to figure out where that person went. She wouldn't be in a classroom come opening day, I guarantee. He goes on to wonder what would Arthur Blank be doing if it was one of his Home Depot hammer salesmen who got caught in this mess. I doubt he'd still be peddling Mr. Blank's hammers.


Here is another delicious tidbit. Michael Vick claims he just owned the property in Virginia. He says he was never there and he didn't know what was going on. Well, wake up, Mike; I have friends who live in Surry County, Virginia, who run into you and see you all over town all the time. Perhaps this genius had better get another defense, because if this is the best he can do, he really does need to spend some in a federal penitentiary.


So, it comes down to money. And, really, I am tired of money being the bottom line. There isn't any honor anymore. So, Nike, you and Arthur Blank really need to listen up.

It is time for me to do some back to school shopping and both girls need new shoes - they won't be Nikes if Mike is still under contract, 'kay? Just as long as we are all clear. I love my Nike running shoes and I love Niketown, but I am going to be severing my own contract with you if you can't show enough moral courage to take an endorsement contract away from a thug like Mike. I understand the bottom line is money, but do you honestly think that I buy Nikes because of Michael Vick?

And, Arthur, the fun of football died for me in this town years ago. Michael Vick is just another thug who believes he is above all rules and law. Someone should have reined him in years ago. Perhaps just a good spanking would have been enough, but he and his brother, Marcus, have always been treated like prima donnas.

Aren't there any football players out there who deserve an endorsement contract? Someone who isn't raping women, killing other people, fighting dogs? Good, hardworking people like Brian Piccolo and Gayle Sayers and Doug Williams? My word, what would George Halas do? What would Vince Lombardi do? What would Tom Landry do? What would George Allen do?

They would have never allowed him to play in the first place and, if he had started, they would have never allowed his behavior to disrupt the team and the fans the way Michael Vick's has. Do you know how many people could care LESS about the Atlanta Falcons? Do you think that holds true in Dallas, Washington, or Chicago?

So, Arthur, you and Nike just do it. Do what is best for the common good. Think of it as a lesson in civics. Ask your attorneys.