Still With Ookie

Michael Vick pled guilty to federal conspiracy charges today. Had he not been a celebrity, I am confident that the Feds would have stayed out of it. Vick, or Ookie, has made a lot of mistakes in his young life - and now is a wasted talent.

If any good is to come out of this, the betrayal by Vick's associates in Bad Newz Kennels may inspire other athletes and musicians with entourages or crews to dump them. After all, these are the guys who start all the problems and give their principals bad press. Loyalty was the only thing these hangers-on had to offer, and Vick's sad state proves that loyalty only goes so far.

While the Falcons will go on under the leadership of Joey Harrington, I still feel sick about how this whole play ended. The NFL has had its share of bad actors, yet it's Vick who feels the wrath of public opinion over some dogs. Right now Vick is a more caustic entity than O.J. Simpson. One theory is being said in whispers that get louder by the day, but it is very true: if Ookie had just attacked some girl instead of doing the dog thing, he would be playing tonight. That is just sad.