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Veal sees Vick in a different light
Former teammates of the embattled Atlanta quarterback paint a different picture than federal prosecutors do.
By Mike Klis
Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 08/17/2007 05:52:41 PM MDT
Irving, Texas - As the world around Michael Vick was threatening to shrink to a steel-barred cell, he received a call from his good friend Demetrin Veal.
A teammate of Vick's with the Atlanta Falcons in 2003, Veal is trying to hang in for a third season as a Broncos defensive tackle. Veal may be on the roster bubble in Denver, and his recent knee injury isn't going to help.
But fighting for a job isn't as stressful as his friend's fight for freedom. As of Thursday evening, Vick was engaged in plea-bargain negotiations with federal prosecutors that could result in eight to 12 months of jail time following allegations he financed an illegal, high-stakes, dogfighting enterprise.
"I think they're coming down hard on him," Veal said Thursday after the Broncos' afternoon practice with the Dallas Cowboys. "The man knows he made a mistake, but they're making him out to be a monster right now. He's not that bad of a guy. He's a nice person who got caught up in a bad situation. I talked to him and gave him my support."
There has been growing sentiment that if Vick goes to jail, others who invested in him will also be punished.
NFL sponsors have invested heavily in Vick's star appeal. The Falcons gave their quarterback a record 10-year, $130 million contract on Christmas Eve in 2004. The team showed its belief in Vick again during the offseason, when it traded away his promising backup, Matt Schaub. Fans who love to watch an athlete perform unprecedented feats developed an emotional attachment to Vick.
"Looking at it from a player's perspective, you want to give the guy the benefit of the doubt because he's done so much for this game," Dallas tight end Jason Witten said. "This may be a bold statement, but I don't know if there's a player out there that has more talent than he does. He's so physically gifted.
"But, unfortunately, he got himself in a situation where it's going to be tough to get out of. I really don't know what to think because there isn't a player in this league who doesn't understand how things can get blown out of proportion a little bit. But at the same time, we have rules and he's a role model - a face of this NFL, one of them. So that hurts. I think it hurts all of us."
Details of the indictment against Vick have incited a different emotion. Allegations his operation sometimes executed poor-performing dogs through electrocution, hanging, drowning or other cruel means have fueled a public outcry against Vick.
"I know animals touch people's hearts," said Cowboys linebacker Junior Glymph, who was Vick's Atlanta teammate from 2004-05. "Some vegetarians don't like killing cows. I can understand there are a lot of dog lovers out there. I like dogs. I like Michael Vick, too.
"This dog stuff, it's not something you talk about. I just knew him as a person. We got along good. We weren't close or anything, but we would speak. He's a cool guy. I don't see him as this type of guy."
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters at the Detroit Lions' camp Thursday he didn't think the Vick saga would damage the sports' popularity. But he did indicate a plea bargain could be an admission of guilt, which in turn could put Vick in violation of the league's recently enhanced off-field conduct policy.
Based on Goodell's swift justice with other policy violators, Vick could first serve a jail sentence, then face a league suspension.
Among those pulling for Vick is Broncos and former Falcons defensive line coach Bill Johnson.
"I will say this: When all the allegations came out, I was surprised," Johnson said. "I never had any inclination. I'm not sure all he's being accused of. It just makes me feel bad."
As Johnson talked, a thought passed through his mind. He started coaching the Falcons' defensive line in 2001, Vick's rookie year. And Johnson left prior to the 2007 season.
Recent developments suggest Vick also may spend the rest of 2007 somewhere other than Atlanta.
"We came to Atlanta at the same time," Johnson said. "And there's a chance we'll leave Atlanta at the same time."
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_6644176
Former teammates of the embattled Atlanta quarterback paint a different picture than federal prosecutors do.
By Mike Klis
Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 08/17/2007 05:52:41 PM MDT
Irving, Texas - As the world around Michael Vick was threatening to shrink to a steel-barred cell, he received a call from his good friend Demetrin Veal.
A teammate of Vick's with the Atlanta Falcons in 2003, Veal is trying to hang in for a third season as a Broncos defensive tackle. Veal may be on the roster bubble in Denver, and his recent knee injury isn't going to help.
But fighting for a job isn't as stressful as his friend's fight for freedom. As of Thursday evening, Vick was engaged in plea-bargain negotiations with federal prosecutors that could result in eight to 12 months of jail time following allegations he financed an illegal, high-stakes, dogfighting enterprise.
"I think they're coming down hard on him," Veal said Thursday after the Broncos' afternoon practice with the Dallas Cowboys. "The man knows he made a mistake, but they're making him out to be a monster right now. He's not that bad of a guy. He's a nice person who got caught up in a bad situation. I talked to him and gave him my support."
There has been growing sentiment that if Vick goes to jail, others who invested in him will also be punished.
NFL sponsors have invested heavily in Vick's star appeal. The Falcons gave their quarterback a record 10-year, $130 million contract on Christmas Eve in 2004. The team showed its belief in Vick again during the offseason, when it traded away his promising backup, Matt Schaub. Fans who love to watch an athlete perform unprecedented feats developed an emotional attachment to Vick.
"Looking at it from a player's perspective, you want to give the guy the benefit of the doubt because he's done so much for this game," Dallas tight end Jason Witten said. "This may be a bold statement, but I don't know if there's a player out there that has more talent than he does. He's so physically gifted.
"But, unfortunately, he got himself in a situation where it's going to be tough to get out of. I really don't know what to think because there isn't a player in this league who doesn't understand how things can get blown out of proportion a little bit. But at the same time, we have rules and he's a role model - a face of this NFL, one of them. So that hurts. I think it hurts all of us."
Details of the indictment against Vick have incited a different emotion. Allegations his operation sometimes executed poor-performing dogs through electrocution, hanging, drowning or other cruel means have fueled a public outcry against Vick.
"I know animals touch people's hearts," said Cowboys linebacker Junior Glymph, who was Vick's Atlanta teammate from 2004-05. "Some vegetarians don't like killing cows. I can understand there are a lot of dog lovers out there. I like dogs. I like Michael Vick, too.
"This dog stuff, it's not something you talk about. I just knew him as a person. We got along good. We weren't close or anything, but we would speak. He's a cool guy. I don't see him as this type of guy."
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters at the Detroit Lions' camp Thursday he didn't think the Vick saga would damage the sports' popularity. But he did indicate a plea bargain could be an admission of guilt, which in turn could put Vick in violation of the league's recently enhanced off-field conduct policy.
Based on Goodell's swift justice with other policy violators, Vick could first serve a jail sentence, then face a league suspension.
Among those pulling for Vick is Broncos and former Falcons defensive line coach Bill Johnson.
"I will say this: When all the allegations came out, I was surprised," Johnson said. "I never had any inclination. I'm not sure all he's being accused of. It just makes me feel bad."
As Johnson talked, a thought passed through his mind. He started coaching the Falcons' defensive line in 2001, Vick's rookie year. And Johnson left prior to the 2007 season.
Recent developments suggest Vick also may spend the rest of 2007 somewhere other than Atlanta.
"We came to Atlanta at the same time," Johnson said. "And there's a chance we'll leave Atlanta at the same time."
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_6644176
