680 the Fan ran a radio report from a Hampton, Virginia radio station that alleged that a number of investigators in Surry County are angry at the local prosecutor for refusing to ask them about the evidence that they have compiled against Vick, such as statements from witnesses that they attended dog fights at the property in question and Vick was present for those fights. If true, the prosecutor's behavior is weak, but understandable in the sense that he's an underpaid government employee who is likely close to retirement and the last thing he wants is a knock-down, drag-out fight against the defense team that Vick would likely deploy. No one wants to be the next Marcia Clark. It's much easier for him to hardball criminals who don't have the money to defend themselves properly.
The whole scenario highlights what drove me so crazy about the racial reaction to the O.J. case. African-Americans generally rejoiced in the verdict because they viewed the matter through a racial prism, but if they took a step back and viewed the case as a matter of class instead of race, they would have realized that O.J. walking was an indictment of the system that rewards wealth at every turn. Likewise, Vick might not get prosecuted because his potential defense team is enough to deter most prosecutors from bringing charges. Thus, the result is the exact opposite of the "law enforcement out to get the black man" dynamic that I suspect motivates many African-Americans in their defense of Vick. In short, the legitimate issues that African-Americans have with the criminal justice systems are a matter of money rather than bias and Vick's case will, in all likelihood, demonstrate that fact yet again.
Ray Buchanan, showing his typically strong spine, is backtracking on the remarks he apparently made to Chris Landry of Fox Sports Radio. It's hard to imagine what motivation Landry has to lie about Buchanan's remarks. The best scenario I could come up with is that Landry might be friends with Jim Mora Sr., who also works for Fox Sports Radio, and the Moras are having their vengeance on Vick.
Mark Bradley has a typically strong effort describing the fatigue that any sports journalist would likely feel having to cover Vick's various off-field issues and his hollow denials of same:
In the grand scheme, it won’t be a grand jury indictment or a Goodell suspension that undoes Vick with this franchise. It will be the aggregate effect these untoward headlines have on those around him.
I saw the same thing happen with the Braves and John Rocker (who was, I should stipulate, infinitely less popular with his teammates than Vick is with his). They simply got sick of answering questions about him and his latest stunt.
And that’s the way it works. Vick can refuse to talk about anything but football, but industrious reporters will troop to other Falcons and ask, “What do you think about Vick?” It happened Friday, when the imported receiver Joe Horn spent much of his post-practice interview defending the quarterback with whom he hasn’t yet played a game.
2 comments:
I agree about the OJ thing being a class thing. I vividly remember the time when the decision was looming, and having some lengthy discussions with Bobby Terrific about the whole thing.
"OH YEAH, well how come no one has charged Patrick Kearney?"
arghh...
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