Major League disappointment .....

For me, today is a sad day.
I love my sports.
Football, hockey, baseball and basketball.
But the guys in the league offices don't love me.

I'm not even sure that most of my readers know what is going on, so i'll give a quick run-down.
Michael Vick is (was) the Quarterback for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.
Back in July, he was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury that he was involved in dog fighting on property that he owns in Virginia.
He has been suspended from playing.
He has been dropped from Nike as a spokesperson.
He is facing Federal prison time.

For dog fighting.

Before all the animal rights activists and PETA people tear me to shreds, let me just say that I DO NOT condone what he is alleged of. It is vile, disgusting and utterly deplorable.
But you know what I find even more vile? Even more deplorable?
The indisputable fact that there are Professional Sports players that have been arrested for domestic and spousal abuse that are not only still playing the game, in most cases, they received nothing more than a slap on the hand for their transgressions. If they received any kind of punishment at all.

Is this really where we have come to? Animals rights are more important than a womans?
One doesn't need to do much research to find widespread domestic abuse in major league sports.

Don't believe me?

Let's take a quick look at what I found within 1 minute of research:
~ Michael Pittman of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rammed his Hummer into another vehicle carrying his wife, their 2 year old son and the babysitter.
He was arrested, indicted and spent time in jail for aggravated assault.
The NFL's response? A three (3) game suspension.
Oh, did I also mention that this was his FOURTH arrest for domestic abuse?

~ Lamar Thomas formerly of the Miami Dolphins who shoved his pregnant fiancees head through a window. He received no suspension, and didn't miss any playing time. He was arrested, but was serving probation when he was arrsted a second time for domestic abuse, a violation of his probation.
The NFL's response? He was allowed out of jail to attend mini-camp, and put back in jail at night.

~ Brett Myers of Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies was arrested for slapping his wife repeatedly about the face and dragging her by her hair in front of onlookers outside of Fenway Park in Boston.
MLB's response? Nothing. They did nothing. They said nothing. Myers pitched the following Saturday.


The list is endless.
How can anyone think that this ok?
Where are the protests? The picketers?
WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE????????
What is the message that Professional Sports is trying to send?
"If a football player with the Tampa Bay Bucs can do it and get away with it, a batterer in the shadows is probably thinking, 'Why can't I do it, too?' " - Carol Wick, operator of Harbor House, a local women's shelter.
When are the guys in the league offices going to realize that violence towards anyone is NOT ACCEPTABLE!?


I'm not asking for their heads served up on a platter.
No.
I am asking for the very thing that women have been fighting centuries for .....
Respect, equality and fair treatment.

I think we've earned it.