say it aint so, but it is, sadly, i know.

Some people have asked me whether or not i was gonna comment on the dog fighting controversy surrounding mike vick, whom i interviewed in may - esp. seeing as how that was something i was quite proud of at the time.

(in case you dont know, in addition to charges that vick was a major operator in a dog fighting ring, the feds have also indicted him on charges of 'violence against dogs which did not perform well including executions by electrocution, hanging, and shooting.' (from wikipedia)

id like to come up with a way to somehow defend vick, as some have done, by saying things like he grew up with this as part of his culture, and how can you expect him to jettison something that was ingrained in him, just because he's a professional athlete. and truth be told, when i just went over his wikipedia biography, and was reminded that he was born to a mother who was 16 and a father who was 17, that did give me pause. i did think for second, 'this man OBVIOUSLY grew up disadvantaged enough that im in no position to judge him, a la my plinkosophy.'

but no, i cant not do it. if anything, having met and talked to him, im in a unique position to say that yes, he seemed fairly thoughtful, and no, he certainly did not seem world-beaten enough to not know any better. i mean, the charges against him are downright horrific.

this is not giving a woman a std, giving fans the finger, or smuggling pot through an airport, all of which he's been alleged to have done - or in the case of the finger, has def. done - in the past.

i can see gray areas in all of those incidents.

but the prevailing wisdom is that if the feds indict you on something, they have you cold, and conventional wisdom says that without knowing the specifics, vick is obviously guilty of some kind of grotesque animal cruelty.

(yes, this is a country of 'innocent until proven guilty,' but in this case, with the apparent preponderance of evidence against him, that mantra doesnt seem like a reason to suspend judgment against vick.)

so yeah, i have to say, sadly - cuz he's a mozart, athletically - mike vick now disgusts me. not only do i hope he never plays another down in the nfl again, but i think i hope he goes to prison.

what a shame.