Jemele Hill on the Vick situation

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hill/070827

 

I can't stand her most of the time, but I think she has a valid point here. Of course I'm upset Vick isn't getting the max of five years, but at the same time those other clowns should have received just as stiff if not worse penalties.

 

I call bullshit for these particular passages...


Certainly the police blotter doesn't contain fewer domestic-violence incidents now than it did then. Phillies pitcher Brett Myers was arrested last summer for his hitting his wife in the face near Fenway Park. Tampa Bay Devil Rays outfielder Elijah Dukes threatened to kill his wife, NiShea Gilbert, and their kids on a voicemail, which Gilbert played for reporters at the St. Petersburg Times. She also said he backed up the threat by sending a picture of a handgun to her cell phone. Gilbert has a restraining order against Dukes, who is still with the Devil Rays (although currently on the temporary inactive list), despite having been arrested five times since 2003.

But there was little outrage over those incidents.

There was plenty of outrage over Dukes and I know plenty of people on this board wouldn't slow down or stop if they saw Myers in a crosswalk.

 

Red, that's a valid point. People don't get punished like they should for more severe crimes. The outrage shouldn't be that Vick is being overpunished, but that too many people are underpunished.

 

Please, the Phils had no balls in the Myers situation, and he should've been Christian Petered, whether the charges were dropped or not.

Let's make excuses for the pro athletes. C'mon, let's do it.

 

Myers took a lot of heat in Boston, where the incident took place.

 

Don't tell the Vick Lovers that, they'll accuse you of persecuting their hero.

 

Ahhh we agree on something. Damn liberal justice system.

 

Last time I checked, however, Brett Myers is blowing leads on a regular basis for the Phillies, and I doubt there would be any major outcry if he was traded for or brought in as a free agent.

Dukes played for the Rays after the allegations came out, and it took more issues to get him placed on the temporary inactive list.

If you want to compare the coverage of Myers' or Dukes' domestic issues with that of Vick's, I think you'll find many more inches and a lot more outrage devoted to the latter.

 

Another terrific outing from Ms. Hill.
She is proving to be an excellent hire for espn.

 

A simple but true concept that unfortunately eludes those looking for a rationalization to be angry at everyone but Vick.