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Even as I sit at my computer typing, my 2 sons are in the yard playing football. My oldest is 13 and my younger son is 8. They will have 10 children in our yard within the hour playing football with them. As they play, they will all dream of being an NFL star one day.

This one simple fact in itself is reason enough to suspend Michael Vick from the NFL and add cruelty to animals to their personal conduct policy. It is a crime of the highest nature to excuse an illegal activity such as dog fighting for role models such as Vick. This may be done since there is not a specific clause in the conduct policies regarding animal cruelty. Accountability is as much, if not more, a part of being a role model as is the talent that brought him into the positions of the fame that he has earned.

But, the fact that he has let down millions of fans down is not a concrete reason to suspend Vick from the NFL. After all, he is only human, and we all make mistakes. But, the fact that he has broken the law in such an especially heinous way, over an extended amount of time, is reason. This is a cruelty issue that must be addressed.
And a precedent decision must be made by the NFL, regardless of how it may effect the league or the Atlanta Falcons financially. Only by being very specific with issues can appropriate action be taken in future cases.

Commissioner Robert Goodell, no doubt, has a big decision on his hands, as this will effect so many people. The fans, the team, the league, the endorsement companies, and Michael Vick himself will all have to realize the extent of the crime of dogfighting once Goodell's decision is made. Had there been a policy already in place, the issue of what to do in this case of animal cruelty would not be so disputable.

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) have issued numerous statements regarding the issue and brought it to the forefront of the press. They organized a peaceful demonstration outside the league's headquarters as Goodell was trying to meet with officials of the ASPCA chanting "Sack Vick". PETA is a very strong organization that will put the pressure on the NFL in an extremely negative way if the appropriate actions are not taken against Vick, and policies are not put into the personal conduct portion of the league's agreements.

Because no sanctions have already been imposed on Vick, PETA and the Humane Society of the United States have already begun to issue statements to the press against the NFL. They are frustrated with the

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