Vick

This whole Michael Vick thing has got me thinking a lot about cruelly to animals, got me checking out PETA's website and the Humane Society of the United States' site as well, and also, along with NationofIslamSportsBlog, got me thinking about race. Has Vick been convicted in the court of public opinion due to the fact that he is black? It certainly would not be the first time. Has the maelstrom of media attention been due to the fact that he is black? Perhaps, but it could also have something to do with the fact that his indictment happened to occur during one of the most boring sports weeks ever.

I don't know the answer, and I sure as hell don't know if Vick is guilty or not, but I think the media attention towards him indicates that he is not being presumed innocent. Indictments, however, are apparently not such a big deal in and of themselves, since Karl Rove and Tom DeLay (and other politicians, I imagine) have been allowed to continue working after being indicted. I don't recall anyone being as up in arms over Rove and DeLay as they are about Vick.

The question of whether Roger Goodell should suspend Vick has been asked, and if one follows precedent, then probably he should. Pacman Jones and Chris Henry, as you probably know, were both suspended by the NFL without being convicted of a crime. But whither Jared Allen? His suspension for violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy was cut in half on appeal last week. Could race be playing a role in Goodell's assignment of suspensions? You tell me.