Mike Vick Gets 23 Months

Yesterday was a pretty good Sunday all things considered. Since there was no Bears game, I could just enjoy watching football without all the hassle of really needing to care. Sure, there's my fantasy football team, but the Swamp Nutz had already wrapped up the division going into the final week of our regular season.

It was a wonderful day.

I wonder how Mike Vick's Sunday was? I hope it was good, because I'm pretty sure his Monday has sucked pretty bad so far.

Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison Monday for his role in a dogfighting conspiracy that involved gambling and killing pit bulls.

The suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback could have been sentenced up to five years by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Vick, who turned himself in Nov. 19 in anticipation of his sentence, was wearing a black-and-white striped prison suit.

After Vick apologized to the court and his family, Hudson told him: "You need to apologize to the millions of young people who looked up to you."

"Yes, sir,' Vick answered.

Vick acknowledged he used "poor judgment" and added, "I'm willing to deal with the consequences and accept responsibility for my actions."

That's a long time to spend in prison, for anybody, let alone Mike Vick. It's hard to know if he's going to be able to make a comeback to the NFL after spending two years in jail. As of now, Vick won't be out of prison until October 2009. If he's a good little inmate, he can get out three months earlier in July 2009.

So even if Vick gets out early, he'll still be nearly three years removed from the football field. Most people will have forgotten about Vick by then, so somebody's going to take a chance on him. Whether or not he'll ever even be a shell of what he was before the arrest will remain to be seen, but I don't think he'll ever be a starter in the NFL again.

On the bright side, Vick could have been sentenced up to five years. Still, the 23 month sentence is the longest of the three sentences handed out in this case so far. The two friends who snitched on Vick, Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips, each received 18 and 21 months respectively. The third co-defendant, Tony Taylor, won't be sentenced until Friday.

What I'm wondering is, who will be the next athlete to go to jail? I mean, the way things are going in the world of sports right now, it's inevitable that it's going to happen again. Just look at all the big stories taking place off the field.

It all started with Pacman Jones, who gave way to the Bengals and Tank Johnson. Then the Vick story broke, and a few weeks ago Sean Taylor was killed by somebody who broke into his house.

It's not just the NFL either. Barry Bonds is probably the favorite to be the next athlete to do some prison time. Those federal indictments are hard to get away from.

The NBA is getting involved as well, as Indiana Pacers guard Jamaal Tinsley was involved in a shooting incident over the weekend as well. It's at least the third time Tinsley has gotten into serious trouble with the law over the last year and a half.

It's a pretty disturbing trend in sports right now. Mike Vick is just the posterboy.

Foul Balls

The Colts and Patriots Have Changed Places - I've noticed something over the last few weeks, and with each passing Sunday I become more convinced that my suspiscions are true. Both the Patriots and Colts had an easy time of it on Sunday, with blowout wins of the Steelers and Patriots.

But have you noticed that the Patriots and Colts have switched places?

Remember a few years ago, back in 2003 and 2004 when the Colts were lighting up the scoreboard every week and had us all wondering if they could go undefeated? Obviously, they never did. No instead they would run into the Patriots in the playoffs, the same Patriots team that had spent the season flying a bit under the radar thanks to injuries.

They were still winning, but they didn't get as much attention as the record breaking Colts.

Then the Colts won the Super Bowl last season, I don't remember who they beat, and the two teams switched roles. Now it's the Patriots who are setting offensive records, and the Colts are a team dealing with injuries, but a team that seems to be finally hitting it's stride late in the season.

At this point you shouldn't be surprised if the Colts go into Foxboro for the AFC Championship game and put an end to the Patriots dreams of an undefeated season. I know I won't be.

Kenny's Not Inspiring Much Confidence In Me - My biggest concern about the White Sox going into the 2008 season is not the offense. I know the team hasn't made too many changes to it's lineup, save for Orlando Cabrera, but I really don't think we're going to have a repeat performance of 2007 at the plate.

There's just too much talent in the lineup.

No, the thing that scares the hell out of me is a starting rotation that not only still includes Jose Contreras, and has lost Jon Garland, but it also features John Danks and Gavin Floyd.

Neither of which make me feel safe. Kenny on the other hand, he's pretty sure these two are future Hall-of-Famers.

"These are guys everyone would want and most people in the industry view ultimately as top-of-the-rotation guys," Williams said last week at the winter meetings in Nashville. "Our pitching is not going to be a problem this year. We'll be just fine in that area."

Obviously, Kenny has been experimenting with drugs lately. I want to know who these people in the industry that think Gavin Floyd will be a top of the rotation guy are. They should immediately be fired, because it's obvious they know nothing about baseball.

I only say it about Floyd because even though I don't have the same expectations Kenny does, John Danks could develop into a solid #3 starter eventually if not this season.