Poll: Dog Torture vs. Rapist

[Woodsey]

All the rapists and chimos that I know tend to rate themselves as better than 'murderers' Most of the people in prison/jail tend to not even consider animal abuse a 'crime' and think of it as a way for the 'man' to keep certain cultures down.

It's very weird. Every criminal thinks there is some other criminal worse than them.

Also most forms of sexual assault yield longer prison terms than most forms of animal abuse.

Out of interest (since you're in the police I figure you might be a bit less reactionary compared to, say, almost everyone else), do you think the guy should be allowed in the running to appear on the cover?

OT: If the other guy wasn't convicted (which is what others are saying - I have no idea who any of these people are), it didn't happen. Incomparable cases, as much as I think the whole thing with this other guy is down to gut-reactions and the inability to see the bigger picture, he still at least committed a crime.

 

[zehydra]

None of those things should have any bearing AT ALL on his status as a sports player. Terrible people make it to the covers of these games, but it's not the content of their character that matters, it's their sports ability.

That's a slippery slope. If you're going to have someone be publicly glorified, what are they allowed to get away with before it's a problem to publicly glorify them? (And in all seriousness, all sports players exist to do is earn and display public glorification). It also speaks to an amount of hypocrisy. Anyone who isn't an enormously popular (insert occupation here) star who commits atrocities like that can expect to be ostracized from the society they were in so much so that they may have to move and/or change their name, because that is the social punishment for that sort of thing. People like Vick and Bryant, and various other names that shall not be mentioned get half-hearted outrage for a couple years TOPS and then get to continue their lives as if they never did any such thing. There is a severe iniquity there. Rapists are branded as such for the rest of their lives, and everything from the jobs they can apply for to the houses they are allowed to live in is affected. Not sure what's going on for people who torture animals in that way, but they certainly won't get pleasant greetings from their neighbors once that gets out.

Back to my first point, I think maybe some kid somewhere is going to figure out that if you become publicly glorified enough, you can get away with a lot of shit you couldn't normally... And that I find somewhat problematic.

It's public glorification of the player, of his athletic ability. You can't judge who's the better football player by his personal life. This is no more "public glorification" than people posting fan videos of Michael Vick on youtube, or Vick starring in ads before a football game. Should those be taken down too because "Someone" might look up to him then?

For an example

If I were to tell you that Hitler was a good politician because he was able to get Germany running efficiently and instill hope and pride into the people of the country, you would almost certainly go off and say that I am a Nazi sympathizer and that I should burn in hell for agreeing with all the atrocious things that man orchestrated.

The fact of the matter is that these people are not Hitler, however the same principal most would apply to me in the aforementioned instance should apply to these athletes. Yeah, they are great athletes. It doesn't change the fact that they are terrible people and should face the repercussions of their actions.

A) No I wouldn't go tell you to rot in hell for being a Nazi sympathizer (though I admit I cannot speak for most people, seeing how people are acting in this thread)

B) Vick has already had jail time, with enormous infamy and a large shadow of shame cast upon his name. but I think that most people here will never forgive him.

 

[Zhukov]

I fail to care.

It's the bloody cover of Madden '11, not a world's-best-person medal.

 

[burningdragoon]

I honestly wouldn't have even known about Vick being on the cover on Madden if it wasn't for Bob and I had no idea Kobe was on the cover anything (though not surprised).

But anyway, under the circumstances it's a little different since Kobe wasn't convicted. However, he admitted he committed adultery, which isn't as serious as rape or torturing animals, but is still (to me) enough of a big deal that it should have some negative effect on someone's status.

Some people will say that things like this should be purely merit-based and not character based, and I get that. But is it such a strange concept to want there to be consequences that aren't as easy to make up as 'being good at sports'

Sure, Michael Vick did some awful things and tortured animals, but he's really good at football.
Sure, Kobe cheated on his wife and may have raped some girl, but he's really good at basketball.

Do those two sentences sound good? They shouldn't. (admittedly over simplified but that's beside the point)

 

[Defense]

They were just dogs? Since when did a human become so much more valuable than a animal?

Since when was an animal close to the worth of a human?

 

[Dr. Pepper Unlimited]

While I hate both individuals, Kobe Bryant was never convicted, while Vick was, which puts a pretty big hole in your argument.

 

[Something Amyss]

I'm not sure why any major sports league would want either as the face of their franchise.

 

[thejackyl]

Things that he did in his past that are completely irrelevant to his athletic career should not affect whether or not he should be on the cover of a video game.

I'm sorry, but I've seen a few posts with this opinion (not singling you out), and I can kinda see the logic behind it. Sports game = Good player on the cover, but if I was a video game company, I would still rather have someone who hasn't committed a violent crime on the cover.

. I don't think he should be on the cover, he's a criminal and not a role mode.

That pretty much sums up my opinion on this.

 

[Jodah]

Big difference between conviction and accused. Vick was convicted of his crimes. Kobe was accused but not convicted. If Kobe had been convicted I would agree with the OP. He wasn't so I won't.

 

[bue519]

None of those things should have any bearing AT ALL on his status as a sports player. Terrible people make it to the covers of these games, but it's not the content of their character that matters, it's their sports ability.

I'm pretty sure if people's character in the NFL didn't matter, they wouldn't fine Ochocinco 20 grand everytime he wears a sombrero.
As for the OP, I don't feel he should be on the cover because I personally never felt that he should've been let back into the league.

 

[Gudrests]

The NFL should set standards in the first place. Felons cant play ball?.....kids look up to these guys.

 

[bl4ckh4wk64]

Kobe was never convicted, Vick was. Simple as that.

 

[Axelhander]

Sephiroth should be on the cover.

I'm dead serious.

 

[mrdude2010]

None of those things should have any bearing AT ALL on his status as a sports player. Terrible people make it to the covers of these games, but it's not the content of their character that matters, it's their sports ability.

what i was gonna say-

OT: the NBA cover is for some reason much less disputed than the madden cover so im assuming people made less noise about it



also the scale of michael vick's actions was huge- he had this massive dogfighting farm with open graves with numbers of dead dogs in the hundreds- that is a huge deal. is raping an innocent woman a huge deal? of course but the attention associated with the cover means that kobe got less attention

 

[Plurralbles]

I've listened to more than just "OMG HE FOUGHT DOGS" and I have to say he's really changed. If anyone actually gave a rats ass about what he has said since, he's changed a lot as a person. He was raised in a house, town, and environment where that's what dogs were for. Sure, he could have saw how different his area was from the rest of America, but he's a football player, not smart. He has since tried to make amends, and never will be able to because nobody believes in forgiveness, no matter how much he does.

Honestly, he was on the cover in '04, and I don't think that anyone should be on it more than once.

As for Kobe... yeah, I have issues with him too. His ass should have been jailed, but was rich enough to just buy off the poor girl.

At least one really shows honest signs of repentance.

I find it extremely weird that someone who is making so much money from playing football would even continue with the dog fighting bullshit... HOw can someone honestly not htink they're doing anything wrong when they have every opportunity to change their ways way before litigation begins?

Edit: The only way I'd be happy with this mess would be if there was no Madden 12.. or 13.. or anymore ever.

 

[Moromillas]

Because "they were just dogs"? Compared to what? Humans? Why would it be any less or more sickening? The torture and killing of any living creature is sickening. I support any who wish to boycott, should Vick's end up on the cover.

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

I don't know all the facts of the Kobe Bryant case, but from what I've heard it was reasonably certain that he did rape the girl. Assuming that he did, he should have been executed for what he did.

What Vick did is not nearly as bad. Certainly not warranting death, or anything remotely near. However, I don't think we should honor him.

 

[Kortney]

None of those things should have any bearing AT ALL on his status as a sports player. Terrible people make it to the covers of these games, but it's not the content of their character that matters, it's their sports ability.

I see what you mean, but I believe you are looking at things too simply.

These men, whilst they are just sportsmen, are in the public eye and they are (whether we like it or not) role models for children. Putting this man on the cover of a game and acting like he is a superstar whilst he has just tortured and murdered a helpless animal isn't sending a great message.

But I do kind of agree with what you are saying - I'm just raising the other side of the fence.

 

[KILGAZOR]

Put both of them on the cover, it would be more reflective of the game's content

 

[Phoenixlight]

None of those things should have any bearing AT ALL on his status as a sports player. Terrible people make it to the covers of these games, but it's not the content of their character that matters, it's their sports ability.

Wrong, if someone does something terrible they should be treated like shit by everyone and lose all sponsership as a punishment.