Anyone want to comment?
My view is that he's paid his debt to society, that he's an NFL player, and that the chain should treat him the way they'd treat any other NFL player. The management team at Dick's differs because of what Vick did.
But that's a slippery slope, isn't it? Because Dick's sells all sorts of stuff, including guns and ammo, jerseys of all sorts of players, some of whom are better behaved than others, and supports a support that if played for along time, could cause significant to fatal neurological problems for its participants. I don't know whether it's a wise stand that Dick's is taking or not, and I'm sure that the management team is patting its back for taking a stand that is sure to lose it money and create big opportunities for Sports Authority and Modell's (the place to get all Phillies' championship wear, among other things).
Let's hope that if you're a shareholder of Dick's that they do full background checks on all applicants and don't begin to hire anyone with a criminal record (which, by the way, is illegal to do -- refrain from hiring someone with a criminal record -- in certain states in certain circumstances, to the best of my understanding). Otherwise, what's the difference between Michael Vick and Mandy in sneakers who once got busted for a DUI, possession of marijuana or something else?
Aha, the fellows at Dick's would say, Vick sponsored the brutal killing of dogs, while Mandy committed more socially acceptable crimes. But they probably wouldn't have to say that because they don't hire the Mandys either.
What do you think?
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3 comments:
Stores make decisions every day about which jerseys to stock and which not to stock. (My wife would absolutely love a Clay Bellinger jersey, but I'm afraid that Dick's doesn't stock these either...) So maybe instead of asking whether Dick's is right to NOT sell Vick jerseys we should be instead asking whether the other stores are right to be selling them? This is America, and just because you CAN do something doesn't mean that you SHOULD do it.
Would you allow your son to buy a Vick jersey and wear it around the neighborhood? What about while he was walking the family dog?
Big Ben jerseys are fine(just abused women), Ray Lewis jerseys are great(only part of an assault/homicide on a human), Donte Stallworth<if anyone wanted one, jerseys would be ok(only vehicular manslaughter, could go on and on. Our society is a little warped.
And then we have to look at the game itself and the long-term effects on players (more than we probably think, in terms of traumatic brain injuries). There are many levels to this, and I hear what both of you are saying.
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