Dog-fighting? Shouldn’t be a crime, say NFLers
By Gina Spadafori
May 22, 2007
Just when you think you can’t get any more angry at people who torment animals for “sport,” well … turns out you can. From the AP via Sports Illustrated online (thanks Steve):
Washington Redskins players Clinton Portis and Chris Samuels defended Michael Vick on Monday by ridiculing the notion that dog fighting is considered a crime.
In an interview with WAVY-TV, Portis said that if the Atlanta Falcons quarterback is charged and convicted of being involved in a dog fighting operation, then authorities would be “putting him behind bars for no reason.”
“I don’t know if he was fighting dogs or not,” Portis said. “But it’s his property; it’s his dogs. If that’s what he wants to do, do it.”
Portis said dog fighting is a “prevalent” part of life.
Portis, a native of Laurel, Mississippi, added: “I know a lot of back roads that got a dog fight if you want to go see it. But they’re not bothering those people because those people are not big names. I’m sure there’s some police got some dogs that are fighting them, some judges got dogs and everything else.”
“Politicians,” added Samuels, who found it hard to keep from giggling while Portis was talking.
What stellar role models, huh? While you’re writing Congress, why not drop the NFL a note, too.:
National Football League
280 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Find me NFL headquarters phone or e-mail addy, will someone? I gotta run to a meeting.
NFL should be a crime. Nuttin but thugs, drug addicts, alcoholics, gun totin women beaters….shall I go on?
Comment by Tammy — May 22, 2007 @ 9:25 am
Oh yeah, yet ANOTHER reason to boycott NFL.
Comment by Tammy — May 22, 2007 @ 9:26 am
Not sure if this helps, but Yahoo Yellow Pages lists this contact info:
National Football League
Address: 622 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 867-2010
Comment by Ingrid — May 22, 2007 @ 9:31 am
And yet another reason I don’t watch football.
Comment by Linda — May 22, 2007 @ 9:34 am
http://hsus.org/legislation_la.....rward.html
Info on passing of HR 137 which prohibits dog fighting. Felony in 50 states.
Pls note that it also identifies those senators who voted against it . Vote them out of office if in your state.
Comment by Serijna — May 22, 2007 @ 9:49 am
Oops, correction . Unanimously approved in Senate, but some nay sayers in Congress..
Comment by Serijna — May 22, 2007 @ 9:52 am
Vick can’t stay out of trouble . . .
Also suggest you contact
Mr. Arthur M. Blank
Owner
Atlanta Falcons
4400 Falcon Parkway
Flowery Branch, GA 30542
Phone: 770-965-3115
feedback@fans.atlantafalcons.com
Copied from Mr. Blank’s profile:
“Blank has always subscribed to one simple theory: Listening is what matters most. Customers, fans, players, coaches or associates - Blank listens, understands and responds to all of them and expects his associates to do the same.”
Guess it’s time we start talking.
Comment by Donna — May 22, 2007 @ 10:31 am
Another Contact:
Mr. Daniel M. Snyder
Owner
Washington Redskins
21300 Redskin Park Dr
Ashburn, VA 20147
703-726-7000
(also copy Coach Joe Gibbs)
Daniel M. “Dan” Snyder is the current owner of the Washington Redskins football team and Chairman of the Board of Six Flags Inc., the world’s largest amusement park and theme park operator.
Comment by Donna — May 22, 2007 @ 10:40 am
I think they forget that they get paid an exhorbitant amount of money and get to choose to get beat up for people’s entertainment.
Oh, and they don’t get maimed or tortured or die or anything, either.
Comment by Michaelk — May 22, 2007 @ 10:51 am
let ‘em have it…
NFL website: nfl.com
NFL Mailing Address:
National Football League
280 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
looked that up on yellow.com to find:
National Football League
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-2000
and
National Football League
622 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 867-2010
email contact form for technical service regarding website (ie: lack of contact info):
http://www.nfl.com/help/emailtech
Comment by Peggy (AKA: Big Fat Momma Cat) — May 22, 2007 @ 10:52 am
I wouldn’t hold your breath over getting anywhere with the NFL. the reason being I live in Indiana, my news is Chicago…. anyway when the Bear’s were heading to the Super Bowl this year, their player “Tank” Johnson (?) broke his probation for either owning a gun or having a gun in his house. His body guard was killed in a Knight Club….. bla, bla, bla. Instead of him going back to jail for breaking his probation the NFL went to bat for him and talked the judge into allowing him to play in the games and to be able to leave the state. I *think* the NFL made him sit on the bench for a few games , but that is it. He did go back to jail but not until after the Super Bowl was overwith. He has since gotten out and they say the NFL *may* have him sit out a few games once the season starts again.
So they look after their own and could care less about the rest of the world. I’m sure they will put some *spin* on what happened and what was said.
Comment by Terri — May 22, 2007 @ 11:57 am
I know I can’t generalize, but really, where do they scrape some of these guys up from? Buncha unsavory characters. I can think of two things that make them think they’re better than animals, they can walk on their hind legs and I’ll bet they can all spell dawg.
Comment by Nancy Nielsen — May 22, 2007 @ 12:13 pm
Remember when college graduates could speak using correct grammar and when NFL players were good role models.
I don’t know about Laurel, Mississippi but I’m pretty sure even if your not famous and you run dog fighting events you get busted in most places. Disgusting!!!
Comment by Maureen (Lilly and Lucy's mom) — May 22, 2007 @ 12:36 pm
Can I barf now? Seriously. I’m actually mad at myself that I’m a football fan right now! At least I’m not a fan of those turds.
Comment by Great Dane Addict — May 22, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
Take a look at Itchmo’s section on this story. “Lawrence” is being a real pain in the comments section. Maybe he’s gone away by now.
To the players who have sunk lower than a snake’s belly in my book:
Be careful. One of your television sponsors might be an animal lover. In any case, gotta tell you, the people who hold the purse strings don’t put up with this kind of bull. Better you should be totally contrite and make a huge donation to benefit animal welfare.
Comment by Lynn — May 22, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
What products/brand names do these NFL players endorse or have contracts with [specifically the ones involved with the dogfight or comments thereof]?
Maybe NFL won’t do anything, but I’ll bet the companies that pay them big bucks will pay attention.
Comment by Lynn — May 22, 2007 @ 1:03 pm
I knew if I came to this site, I’d find others who are outraged by Michael Vick’s “alleged” dogfighting and the ignorant comments made by Portis and Samuels. REAL men…or women, for that matter, do not torture animals and call it a “sport.” They get paid all that money and this is what they do with it??? When did it become cool to be cruel?
On a more positive note:)
“I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.” Abraham Lincoln (His reply to friends who chided him for delaying them by stopping to return a fledgling to its nest.)
Comment by Ann Jackson — May 22, 2007 @ 1:56 pm
Lynn,
You are correct, most companies who pay big sponsor dollars to athletes do care about image. However, it still comes down to money — does the athlete bring in enough revenue with endorsements so the company gives a little handslap and looks the other way. Again, if consumers tell companies what they do not like and why, it’s really the only way to make an impact. Communicate professionally and without too much emotion.
Also, when looking at behavior of athletes such as the dog fighting — write the team coach and team owner.
Comment by Donna — May 22, 2007 @ 2:09 pm
Evidently dog abuse is acceptable macho behavior - case in point Sacramento Kings Basketball Player Ron Artest and his mistreatment of his Great Dane Socks - and I e-mailed the Placer County DA and the Placer County Pound and still don’t know what happened to beautiful Socks.
Comment by Linda — May 22, 2007 @ 2:22 pm
Oh, Socks is being rehomed - Ron Artest agreed to let Socks be adopted only to a very good home.
http://tinyurl.com/2a77hn
Comment by Linda — May 22, 2007 @ 2:38 pm
Endorsements
Vick is a spokesperson for many companies. His endorsement contracts include Nike, AirTran Airways, EA Sports, Coca-Cola, Powerade, Kraft, Rawlings, and Hasbro.
(from 2002) Clinton Portis is the official regional spokesman for Pomona, Calif.-based Cal Spas and for the regional division of Sprint PCS. Portis also has inked a deal with Hawaii-based GT Sports to make appearances at several autograph sessions during the off-season. Also, Coca- Cola - see the photo here: http://tinyurl.com/27bd5s
Chris Samuels is spokesperson for Crest-Glide http://tinyurl.com/ywxv2w
Comment by Gail B — May 22, 2007 @ 2:43 pm
The reason we have laws is to try to protect people from other people acting unreasonably on what they want. I know of people who think football players should be neutered, perfectly natural, that’s how many people moderate the overactive hormones in their male dogs. Do these boys really want everyon acting out their wants?
Comment by Dave — May 22, 2007 @ 2:56 pm
I particularly enjoyed the random editorial on this from Fox Sports that I found, though. What I thought was the money quote from that: “When I think about pro athletes siccing dogs on one another it makes me consider rooting for catastrophic knee injuries.”
Comment by mmaestro — May 22, 2007 @ 2:58 pm
I’ve seen a few dog fights up close and personal (nothing staged) and it’s pretty nasty stuff - and I think that’s why some like it -
Comment by Linda — May 22, 2007 @ 2:58 pm
Some people think illegal immigration shouldn’t be a crime, but it is as the law stands now. Others think choosing not to wear a seatbelt shouldn’t be a crime, but it is in many states. Dog Fighting is a Federal crime, punishable by law and HR 137 by the way, is stuck in the Senate. Whether you agree with it, whether you are a cajun in a backwoods bayou or an exorbitantly overpaid football player, it’s a crime and you are punsihable by law if caught taking part. Like rape.
Comment by Deb — May 22, 2007 @ 3:07 pm
Endorsements:
What you need to determine is if the athlete’s endorsement contract is still active or if it was a one-time or short-term opportunity.
If it is still active, you have a chance to impact a corporation IF you have enough people to voice a strong opinion. If it’s just a few people, companies like Coke, Kraft, Nike will send you a reply thanking you for your letter and enclosing a few coupons for their product.
Unless it’s a really tremendous athlete, endorsements can be short term. The athletes just use those photos to try to get other companies to pay them big $ to make their picture holding/wearing a product.
Comment by Donna — May 22, 2007 @ 3:09 pm
Comment by Gail B — May 22, 2007 @ 2:43 pm
Thanks, Gail.
Well, Cal-Spas isn’t all that big. In fact, it’s even located in a city where lots of dog-fighting goes on. So here’s the info. My suggestion is to get a black sheet of paper and paste in the center your message, on a piece of white paper] re Portis, the creep. If you fax this, they will not only get the message, their fax machine will run dry and take forever to process the “message” because it is black. Ought to make an impact.
Fax: 909-629-0751
Of course, you can always call or email.
Cal Spas
1462 East Ninth Street
Pomona, CA 91766
800-CAL-SPAS
909-623-8781
Fax: 909-629-0751
Customer Service: CustomerService@CalSpas.com
Technical Support: Techsupport@CalSpas.com
Dealer Relations: DealerRelations2@CalSpas.com
Web Master: Webmaster@calspas.com
Human Resources: HumanResources@calspas.com
Media Inquiries: Press@CalSpas.com
Comment by Lynn — May 22, 2007 @ 4:47 pm
NFL is a big sponsor of the United Way… does this guy do any work for the UW?
Comment by lablover — May 23, 2007 @ 7:55 am
I DONT CARE WHAT ANYBODY SAYS DOG FIGHTING IS WRONG!THE PPL WHO FIGHT THE DOGS ARE PRETTY MUCH BEATING THE DOGS JUST LIKE PPL BEAT JESUS!YOU ARE KILLING HARMLESS ANIMALS FOR YOUR OWN PLEASURE!
Comment by emily — July 5, 2007 @ 5:24 pm