The Big Picture: Maddening

[Di'kut]

Seriously, guys? NOBODY believes in second chances? I thought that the justice system was designed to rehabilitate people, and Vick seems to be rehabilitated (unlike countless others who have not changed their ways).

He got his second chance - he's still playing professional football and getting paid obscene amounts of money for it. He's been given the opportunity to make a living off his athletic prowess. Anything other than that? He was a millionaire who got his jollies torturing and killing innocent animals. He can die in a damn fire.

Saying he could "die in a damn fire" sounds like something we regular plebians could get put on probation/suspension for. Damn shame you guys can abuse the system any way you feel like it.

 

[Valencrow]

Well said bob. Honestly I'm sickened that Vick is even allowed to play football. Someone that deranged has no right to be a professional anything outside of a psychological case study

 

[BeepBoopBrother]

Did you ever think Vick has such a high rating on the polls because people are trollin'?

 

[TaboriHK]

Bob, you're doing exactly what you hate. You hate it when people make blanket statements about things near and dear to you, so why are you doing it with Madden? Madden is its own subculture. You're obviously not a part of it, and that's fine. Just like it's fine that some people are not into what you are. Madden is not a "60 dollar roster update." It just isn't. And since you're not part of that scene, you also shouldn't be telling that scene what its place is. Football fan or not, you're obviously not a Madden fan. So who are you to say who they can or can't use for their cover? Football players don't get propped up for their great moral integrity. What Vick did was sick. No one will argue that point. But his punishment is over. It's of course fine for people to say "I'm no fan of that man and I won't encourage him with my money." But to make it a moral crusade, to say "this man did things that make ME sick, so he shouldn't be on the cover."..? You're not a guy just having an opinion, anymore. You're doing exactly what every anti-video game person does. If people want Vick, they should have him. It's not your fault if society swings towards celebrating him. Many of us think he's a shitheel, too. But don't do what every politician does to every other game. If he wins, it's because people chose him, and it doesn't mean that EA is advocating dog murder. And if their sales suffer because of a man on a box, they'll deal with it.

 

[Nemesis729]

Great episode Bob, I really agree with everything you said, about people buying Madden annually and about Michael Vick

 

[Gunnyboy]

I really don't see the big deal. (About the cover, not the fighting ring.) I also don't respect the derision towards professional athletes. In the pantheon of society, they've always been held in high regard. Why? Because they're the pinnacle of athletic achievement. It takes a lot more skill play a sport at the highest level, than it does to spit paint on a canvas and call it expressionistic art.

In fact after watching this video, I went and voted for Vick (and Peyton Hillis).

 

[zehydra]

Congrats I stopped watching your video.

I particularly stopped watching when you mentioned that what Vick did was worse than violent crimes against people.

Sorry, but to me, murdering a dog is NEVER worse than murdering a human.

Now none of this should have ANY bearing on whether or not he ends up on the cover anyway, because the cover is an honor only within the context of football. Being on the Madden cover was never in any way meant to say that "X" is a good person. Being on the Madden cover was meant to convey that "X" is REALLY GOOD AT FOOTBALL. Which Vick IS.

 

[Fuhjem]

I hope by "Go SOX!" you mean the White Sox!

But, seriously. Fuck Vick. Eating meat, wearing leather, and animal testing all serve a viable purpose in society. Nutrition, clothing, medicine.

But what Vick was doing was sick and, more importantly, served no purpose further than his own sick amusement.

 

[Sir Prize]

Agreed, Vick should not be given any slack, but I also think that ANYONE who commits those types of crime should be seen as pontential bad news they are. I say this with the thought that if a person deems that as okay, then there's something wrong with them. I this because it isn't normal, heathy or very sane behaviour.

Also no matter how smart a person or what good they could do, if they commit a crime like this then they should not be given any slack. Sorry Moive Bob, I believe you are wrong in saying that the law should excuse someone because their smart or creative, and I say this with Roman Polanski in mind. Please note that I am note comparing the two crimes, just giving an example of how this logic fails.

 

[ChocoFace]

I am firmly convinced that any and all professional athletes are useless sacks of flesh who are a drain on humanity and should be shot and dumped in an unmarked mass grave somewhere. Vick is despicable enough to deserve the first bullet, but I say they all get one.

If i were you, i would think about avoiding generalisations.

Let's take the NBA, for one. It's basically filled with pro athletes, right? ok.
So many of the guys there are good-hearted, fun-loving, respectable people. Many of them actively engage in different charities as they had a hard childhood and want to keep others from suffering in the same conditions.
I'm not too familiar with athletes from other fields of sport, but you can take my word on this one: these people are anything but "useless sacks of flesh".

OT: Bob makes a good point. EA having a dog torturing maniac, who also happens to be a good football player, as their representative might not be the most sensible choice.
Also, those who compare Vick to McDonalds or even different labs for testing on animals, there's a huge difference: One is having animals kill each other for money (also count in the psychological trauma these dogs are going through as they're made that unstable), the other is either going for food or advancing science as we know it.

 

[Exocet]

While I'm not saying animal fighting are a good thing,are very far from it,people's reaction here are pretty damn intense.I mean,really?"He can go die in a fire"?
Look,what he did was bad,but he got punished(although he should have gotten a few more years).No,he should not get the honor of having his picture plastered on game boxes,but wishing him more harm?Even death?
You don't wish the same fate onto robbers,who can ruin a family's life for few years,and maybe cause children to suffer,but as soon as something cute gets hurt,shit gets real it seems.
And please don't give me the "dogs are defenceless" argument,someone getting robbed is just as defenceless as a dog being forced into fighting.

In conclusion,no Vick on the cover,animal torture is very bad,but stop wishing he would suffer more you bloodthristy psychos.

 

[InsaneFool]

Here here Bob!

I'm casting my vote for anyone else

 

[Sir Prize]

What in all fuck?

You have a hunting license but OH NO YOU MUSTN'T HURT THE CUTE LITTLE DOGGIE WOGGIES!

I think it's less about the hurting of dogs and more about the torturing of them.

 

[richd213]

i don't agree.

He's repented.That's all that matters, not how much blood you want from him.

 

[Arqus_Zed]

Huh... Honestly, I never thought Bob would devote and entire episode jumping the throat of a single individual. I mean, I never heard about the guy, and now I do, sure, I dislike his guts!

But I guess I just hadn't thought Bob could get so personal and extreme in his shows (I mean, yeah, he's had his share of calling people out, put those were just smaller inserts in a larger statement).

Not angry, not pleased, just... surprised.