At one point in my life I was huge Michael Vick fan; in part because he played at VT and because of his athletic abilities on the field. But now I have absolutely no respect for him or his family. He disgusts me!
I read a very interesting article by Mark Kriegel on FoxSports.com about Nike’s lack of corporate responsibility when it comes to the athletes they sponsor, and the chances of Vick ever winning the PR game of his life. Screw the Super Bowl, if he can’t prove to the public a clear path to innocence he will be crucified! Kreigel puts dog fighting in a very succinct light when he wrote:
Still, the fact is, there is no way for Vick to win here. Even if he wins in court, the damage will be severe. A bar fight, a substance abuse problem, all of that can be dealt with. But in the public’s mind, dogfighting is somewhere between wife-beating and the ultimate sin, point-shaving.
For the sports fanatic points shaving is an ultimate sin, but for a father and a husband being a wife-beater is disgusting.
A few hours after Kreigel’s post Nike announced they were suspending the release of any marketing communication regarding Vick’s new shoe, but not the release of the actual product. Nike you disgust me too. Vick does afford due process, but why don’t you send a clear message to athletes that their off the field images and the money they make are tied just as intrinsically to the image on the field? Why weren’t the shoes suspended? Change the name of the shoe! Sending such a message has nothing to do w/ due process, but everything to do with corporate responsibility (which they so proudly boast on their site). Very sad.
Vick and NIKE get the Rosie Award.
