Poll: Dog Torture vs. Rapist

[Raistlinhawke]

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.

His status as a sports player is not in question here. Its whether or not he should be cast as a representative of the sport on a massively distributed product. The cover of a Madden title is basically the same as a multi-million dollar ad campaign. In that respect, it is not just his ability as a sports player that should be taken into consideration.

And it is rare, if ever, that such consideration is given to any player. Its impossible to disassociate the known aspects of the private lives of celebrities, its received and processed in the same fashion as any other information concerned with the person. Unless personal knowledge of the person comes into play, player profiles will always expand beyond statistical achievement, be it great charitable work or dog fighting charges. It's neither a bad nor good thing, just an unavoidable thing.

 

[Ickorus]

I voted 'Yes' because I don't really give a shit.

Also about the other bloke who allegedly raped a woman im willing to bet she's just another cash-grab attention whore like most of the other celebrity 'rape victims', that is, she probably slept with the guy then decided she wanted some money and attention and shouted rape.

Kinda like the stories of how women ruin guys lives by filing lawsuits because they were drunk and had sex with the guy. Sure you were off your head on alcohol at the time you agreed to sleep with the bloke but that was your own idiotic move, don't get shitfaced if you can't control yourself.

 

[Prof. Monkeypox]

Both should be barred from playing, let alone earning an dubious accolades. Their skill is completely insignificant to me in the face of what they have done.

 

[Tehlanna TPX]

sadly, rape gets much less attention in the media than animal abuse. but no, Vick is an awful human being and should NOT be on the cover. does this justify anyone else who did something worse (rape, murder, etc.)? HELL NO. and frankly, it's insanely stupid of anyone to think that.

Really confused by this statement, considering the Kobe event was overly televised, and I recall the Roethlesburger ( I have no idea if I spelled that right) attack was also splattered all across the tv. I think it's stupid to compare apples to oranges at this point. One was convicted, the other was not. Just because you're an athlete doesn't mean you deserve a free pass in life.

 

[icaritos]

What, apparently I'm not allowed to hate both those fuckers? :|

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Tehlanna TPX]

Both should be barred from playing, let alone earning an dubious accolades. Their skill is completely insignificant to me in the face of what they have done.

Except, legally, Kobe did nothing. We have a legal system for a reason. Innocent until proven guilty. He was proven innocent.

 

[TheDudeMan14]

I read the details for what Micheal Vick has been charged for, and he tortured dogs for years before getting caught, and he murdered them in torturous ways. So I think he shouldn't get the cover, and honestly he should be banned from the NFL and if the Eagle's weren't so desperate for a Super Bowl win I think he would have been banned. Not officially but no other team even wanted him after he came back.


Damn...there was more hate in there then intended..

 

[Hucket]

I said this is the other thread about this, Vick paid his dues, and as such his past should be left there. Kobe bought the silence of his victim, morally that's replusive, legally its fine. Neither of this athletes should have their playing careers marred by what they do off the field.

 

[Grond Strong]

I could see if it was a "Law and Order Crime" game and he was portrayed as the protagonist. But if he is displayed on the cover as a football player playing football as his profession then it shouldn't matter what the guy has done. He's part of the roster right? He's a good football player right? Why can't he be on the cover?

To me, this is a judgement call to be made by EA. If they put Vick on the cover then it might please some people but outrage others and result in them boycotting the game/sending hate mail/spamming up game forums. Do I agree with what the guy did? No. Dog fighting is a horrible thing to participate in. But do I agree with the recent post by "The Big Picture" that it is one of the "most low things one could do?" Erm... no. C'mon guys, you EAT animals and LIKE them. Yes, dogfighting is different and cruel, true. But there are MUCH worse things that could have been committed before he was a disputed cover for EA. And if they were committed, I doubt that Vick would even have the opportunity to be on the cover for a football game. Maybe a prison break game...

Bottom line is this. Video games are made to please the audience and make money for the producers right? Apparently fans of Vick don't care about his legality issues and want him on the cover anyways. So, EA does what the majority of their fans want and makes money off of it. Moral or not, it's called Capitalism and it IS legal.

 

[RicoGrey]

Bryant did not rape her, but she feels as though she was raped. To put it as simply as possible, the girl is screwed up in the head. She was abused/raped in the past, and this has lead her to have all sorts of weird feelings during consensual intercourse, that might confuse her into thinking she is being raped again.

 

[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.

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.

Sure enough, but I don't think you're giving children enough credit. It's not like there will be tons of kids who'll go out and start dog-fighting competitions because they look up to Michael Vick.

 

[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.

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

Why?

 

[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.

His status as a sports player is not in question here. Its whether or not he should be cast as a representative of the sport on a massively distributed product. The cover of a Madden title is basically the same as a multi-million dollar ad campaign. In that respect, it is not just his ability as a sports player that should be taken into consideration.

And it is rare, if ever, that such consideration is given to any player. Its impossible to disassociate the known aspects of the private lives of celebrities, its received and processed in the same fashion as any other information concerned with the person. Unless personal knowledge of the person comes into play, player profiles will always expand beyond statistical achievement, be it great charitable work or dog fighting charges. It's neither a bad nor good thing, just an unavoidable thing.

Perhaps you're right that that is the way things are, but I still say it shouldn't be.

 

[Dys]

...I don't think either should be on any cover, neither are appropriate role models.

 

[CD-R]

Kobe was bad example since he was never convicted of rape. A better example would have been Mike Tyson appearing on the cover of EA's Fight Night round 4. He actually was convicted of rape. You might want to change that in your post otherwise people are just going to keep saying "Kobe was never convicted so that's irrelevant."

Speaking of which there actually was a good amount of controversy about putting Mike Tyson on the cover.

 

[Jake0fTrades]

How about we just ban sports video games entirely? Anyone? Huh? Can I get an amen?

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

But here is the kicker, how is there so much opposition here? Where were you all when Kobe Bryant raped a girl and then appeared on three games covers (NBA '07, '09, and 2K10).

Honestly? I had no idea this occured. No one posted about it on the Escapist (or in any other news I read). Not the rape, the being on a video game cover. If they had, I'd have been screaming bloody murder - more so than I am about this.

As I said before, no criminal should be on the cover to a video game (unless it is a crime game).

So yeah, putting Kobe on the cover was clearly wrong. So is the other guy. It's bad PR for the gaming industry.

 

[Krion_Vark]

*SNIP*

Those covers WERE NOT chosen by the fans. It was chosen by the developer because he is unfortunately the best player currently in the NBA.

 

[Custard_Angel]

Who. Gives. A. Rats. Arse.

Let the marketers decide. These are the people who think in flowchart form and won't even take a piss if the demographics aren't right.

If they decide that Michael Vick is too taboo to put on a game cover, then they wont. If they decide that he's had his punishment and he deserves another chance in the spotlight, then that will happen.

If you're into the games, the cover won't change shit about the content, so it doesn't matter.

If you aren't into the games, you won't see the cover and won't give a shit about the content, so it doesn't matter.

Why is this a problem?

Michael Vick fought dogs for fun. Yeah. What a bastard. He doesn't do it any more. Just let it go...

Same for the Kobe Bryant thing. Yeah, he raped a girl, but it's not like rape is a daily hobby of his. It happened, sure, but I'm certain he's learnt a valuable lesson from it (the lesson being something along the lines of "don't rape people").

 

[fundayz]

Why not? He committed a crime, paid the price, and is clean now.

Being on the cover of a game is not supposed to reflect whether you are a role model or not, it's supposed to reflect how good of a player/how much impact on the sport you have.