Who let the dogs out?
Well, just about all of the former National Football League greats attending the 11th annual Pepsi Quarterback Golf Shootout at Buckingham Country Club on Saturday talked freely about the dogfighting, betting and animal cruelty case against quarterback Michael Vick.
Assessments over what is happening to Vick, who faces a prison term, financial losses of conservatively more than $100 million (salary and endorsements), and a possible lifetime banishment from the NFL, were mixed.
The most knowledgeable assessment, perhaps, came from Oakland Raider tight end Raymond Chester, who knew more than one of the hard cases and head cases that over the years have become associated with the Silver and Black, such men as John Matuszak, Lyle Alzado, Sebastian Jankowski, Bill Romanoski, Randy Moss and Jerry Porter.
Former 49er running back Roger Craig, in fact, suggested that if Vick plays again in the NFL, it will probably be for Raider owner Al Davis.
The closest comparison Chester could make to the Vick case was that of former Oakland Raiders wide receiver Warren Wells, whose six-year (1964-70) career was abruptly ended in a flurry of felonious charges.
A player with burning speed, Wells was at the top of his game and had caught 42 touchdown passes when the prison walls closed in on him. Vick, who faces a prison sentence of a year to 18 months after his admission of staging dog fights and killing those who didn”t measure up viciously enough, may be headed down that same road to ruin after pleading guilty to conducting dogfights on Monday. Most thought he will play again in the NFL, but at a greatly reduced salary.
“I don”t know,” Chester said. “Everybody talks about what the league will do and what the criminal justice system will do, but the big factor is (Vick”s) own physicality — whether he will be able to play after a couple years, three years, who knows? A lot of athletes have had a little rub with the law and were never able to get it back together. A classic example is Wells, who was perhaps the greatest in terms of just raw talent that I”ve ever seen. He wound up pleading guilty to attempted rape, but it really wasn”t that kind of situation. He did that to avoid the trial. He never did overcome that.”
All of the players interviewed believe that Vick”s mistake was to hang out with the wrong crowd and that he never cut himself off from people who would negatively influence him.
What follows are Chester”s additional comments, as well as those of other Shootout celebrities who weighed in on the Vick issue.
Chester: “It”s tragic, but it”s kind of what”s happening in society. People make bad choices. It”s unfortunate though with this guy with all the resources and all the money this guy had around him and the resources the NFL could provide. You”d think they would be more sensitive to that, to the team and the younger players. Not spying on them, but monitoring and talking to them on a regular basis.
“But you can”t blame other people for the choices you make. He”s young, but he”s still an adult. You know they say birds of a feather flock together. I”m not going to blame anybody else for the choices that Michael Vick made, but they certainly contribute to a negative reputation It”s tragic from the standpoint of an Afro-American. When you think about opportunity and how hard a lot of people fought for him to have the opportunity to be a starring quarterback.”
Craig: He made his own bed, he has to lie in it. It”s unfortunate that he has to deal with that. Hopefully he”ll learn from it. When you make those kind of mistakes, you hope that you never make them again, but he has to deal with the consequences. A lot of times players respond to it and a lot of times they don”t. Hopefully, he”ll learn and do well. I think he”ll play again. I know Al Davis; he”s the kind of guy who will give him a chance.”
Ted Kwal-ick, former 49ers and Raiders tight end: “It”s a shame he was hanging out with the wrong people. For the NFL, it”s a public relations nightmare. Somewhere along the way somebody has to step up and take responsibility for their actions. There”s right and there”s wrong — and this was wrong. You know damn well that as a player the gambling is going to surface. He could be barred for life for gambling.”
Ken Stab-ler, former Raider QB: “Everybody makes bad decisions and it just depends on how he handles it. He has to come back and be very contrite and figure out a way to gain back his acceptance. He”s got a lot of work ahead of him. We want to see him do well. We are a country of second chances. With that in mind, he has a lot of work to do to earn that second chance.”
Cliff Branch, former Raider wide receiver: “Here”s a man who had a lot going for himself physically and financially. A helluva athlete. Promotion-wise in demand by Nike and Reebock. He should be able to play again, but that remains to be seen. He”s got to go t0 the federal penitentiary, serve his time and become a rehabilitated man. It”s a tough situation.”
Mike Wil-son, former 49er wide receiver: “It”s just unfortunate. You hate to see something like this come along and ruin a young man”s career who has the potential to be one of the best, although he”s not quite there yet. I feel for him and his family and now he just has to deal with the consequences. I think he”ll play again; I would hope so. I think everybody deserves a second chance. You don”t see any other athletes out there doing the things he can do. He was a football player with a gift and the game will miss him.”
