Jesse Jackson: "I want to make it an issue" (claims NFL "colluding against" Michael Vick)

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Jesse Jackson: NFL colluding against Vick?

The Rev. Jesse Jackson became the latest public figure to offer an opinion on the future of Michael Vick. Jackson said he wondered whether there had been collusion among N.F.L. owners to keep Vick out of the league. "I want to make it an issue," Jackson said Thursday in a telephone interview. "I want teams to explain why they have a quarterback who has less skills but is playing or at least is on the taxi squad, and a guy with more skills can't get into training camp."

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/113551-jesse-jackson-nfl-colluding-against-vick

[rwheeler31]

1. Dam do not go there.

[autorank]

2. I can help Jesse

Because Michael Vick's activities were sadistically cruel to dogs and because about the only thing every single person agrees on in the country is that repeated gratuitous abuse of children and/or animals deserves serous punishment and turns the perpetrator into a social pariah. Nobody wants to be around them. They're viewed as revolting aberrations.

That's how people feel about it and their opinions on this matter are even more important than than their hometown teams. Jesse Jackson, who has done important work throughout his career, needs to recognize the realities here.

Having said that, my opinion might have changed from revulsion at the mention of Vicks name to some degree of tolerance had he signed with the Raiders and had a good season. But noooo, he's not good enough for the Raiders;)

[WCGreen]

3. Jesse, let this one go.....

[flvegan]

4. I hear of folks that can't get X job because of their credit report.

Maybe team owners just don't want a convicted racketeering dog torturer on their team.

[Zavulon]

5. What a horse's ass.

Know which battles to pick, Jesse. You look as stupid as PETA did whining about Obama swatting a fly.

I don't think owners would have to collude to have a problem with the idea of signing Vick. Besides, who the fuck is Jesse Jackson that NFL owners owe HIM an explanation?

Further, his "I want teams to explain why they have a quarterback who has less skills but is playing or at least is on the taxi squad, and a guy with more skills can't get into training camp" makes me laugh. Vick was never a good passer, he was a running QB who has been out of the game for a couple years, and there is no evidence that he's currently better than even a taxi squad QB.

Seriously, Jesse, shut the fuck up. Make an issue out of something else, you asshole.

[liberalhistorian]

11. Exactly, thank you! Couldn't have put it

better. I think a poster further down puts it well, too, he's old school, irrelevant and unhelpful. He needs to just STFU already.

[EFerrari]

13. That "horse's ass" galvanized the US anti-Apartheid movement

which brought about the end of South African apartheid.

That's who Jesse Jackson is.

Who do you have to be not to know that?

[Zavulon]

14. That does not mean NFL owners answer to him, nor does it mean

that everything else he does is right. Who do you have to be not to know that?

[Amerigo Vespucci]

17. It's like astronaut Neil Armstrong walking into McDonalds...

...and saying "Son, I think it's time for you to flip that burger."



The McDonald's employee would be thinking "Why don't you just stick the hell to walking on the moon, tough guy, and let me make the damned burgers?"

The NFL owes nothing to Jackson. Maybe this time he just picked the wrong battle.

[emilyg]

6. Shut mouth Jesse.

[NYC_SKP]

7. If this is going to keep Jesse distracted and occupied, maybe it's a good thing in the long run.

Better, seriously, than having him become involved in the health care debate, for example, IMHO.

He's old school, irrelevant, not very helpful.

Though I still have his presidential campaign button!

[sasquatch]

8. Play for the UFL like Losman is

[Pirate Smile]

9. This is a loser issue, Jessie. Have enough sense to stay away.

[Ecumenist]

10. He needs t shut the fuck up. I despise that man

As a woman of colour, I'm sick and tired of him spouting off and making us look like idiots. Ole Mike should still be in the big house.

[prolesunited]

12. Has nothing to do with race

No team wants the PR nightmare of being associated with him. Protests and boycotts await any team that signs him.

[mrdmk]

16. Instead of saying boycotts, you needed to say poor ticket sales

Not to mention no dog food company will advertise on TV while Vic is playing a game. There are a lot of Dog Food Companies.

Besides my very good natured Pit Bull/Boxer does not like Vic either, thus he will not let me watch any NFL games with Vic in them. I do know how my Pit Bull/Boxer came into this information, but he knows. Too Bad for Vic!!!

The man ruined his own career...

[cynatnite]

15. Vick is damaged goods and is poison to any team n/t

[Dreamer Tatum]

18. Jesse is a serious moron, Vick's agent, or perhaps both

A couple of things:

1. Vick is an electrifying player, but a terrible passer who doesn't fit into many offensive schemes as the #1 guy.

2. Vick WILL be signed by an NFL team soon, but the ones who would sign him have to do a little bookkeeping first: the GM has to clear it with the coach, the owner, the owner's wife, the other players, and the community. See #1 above. He is too valuable for someone NOT to employ him.

3. Part of #2 is finding a place in the offensive scheme for Vick. That takes time as well. Teams don't go into August with a Vick-sized hole in their plans. Letting Vick upset the team plan is difficult, even without his baggage.


Jackson is just making sure the guy is getting to play, which he would have even had he done the right thing and kept his piehole shut.

[foo_bar]

19. Google's ad server has a weird sense of humor