Banner talks about Vick decision

As many of us continue to wonder just what in the heck the Eagles are doing adding Michael Vick to a team with Super Bowl aspirations, Joe Banner talked about the situation.

"I consider this decision consistent with the high moral standards of this organization," Banner said. "When people have done the right things to deserve a second chance, I think it's the right thing to do. And if we're right in our evaluation of where he is headed — and we don't know that, we can't know that, no one can — then I actually think this is the socially responsible decision."

Pardon me while I laugh my rear end off (not the choice of words I'd prefer, but this is a family site).  This is the socially responsible decision?  Really?  If it's such a hot idea, why was the team's website playing hide-and-go-seek with the corporate sponsors page yesterday?  

"We have thousands of e-mails and voice mails that we're going through," Banner continued. "I believe there are more positive ones than negative ones. There have been a couple, and really just a couple, that have indicated an interest in canceling season tickets. And we have had some corporate sponsors reach out to us to as us to explain this decision, but so far no one has moved aggressively."

I've been quiet on the subject on this website mainly because there are millions of opinions being thrown around already, and why would I add mine?   Well, let me add mine.

If you turned yesterday's press conference into a drinking game and did a shot of Jameson's every time someone said "mistake" or "second chance," you'd have been bombed before Vick even got to speak.  

What is a mistake really?   Me taking a bunch of money (it was a lot for me at the time) and investing in Cisco in April 2000 when it was around $69 per share?  Mistake.  Shouldn't have done that.  Taking the Cross Bronx Expressway at 5:30 pm on a Thursday?  Definite mistake.  You'll be there a while.

But a six-year lifestyle where he chose to start a dogfighting operation?  He chose to gamble on dogs who chewed and ripped each other to shreds?  He chose to drown, electricute, beat and hang dogs who were deemed unfit to fight?  These aren't mistakes.  This is a conscious choice where you know exactly what you are doing and exactly what the outcome will be (ok, maybe he didn't think he'd get caught, go to prison and ruin his career.  I'm sure he didn't see that outcome and he's an idiot for that).  You have to have quite the cold heart to watch dogs die and be ok with that.  And believe me, I'm no PETA person. 

And second chances?  How about you had the golden opportunity of a lifetime and you blew it.  You blew it big time.  And I don't know about anyone else, but I don't see all this remorse he supposedly keeps showing.  I don't see it at all.  Based on the press conference yesterday, I heard a guy who said he realized what he was doing was wrong after he got in trouble and saw how many people really care about their dogs.  Right….other people.  Not you.  Other people.  

Why is it the job of a business to give someone a "second chance."  And what's all this from Andy Reid about him going through the proper channels to get headed back in the right direction?  You mean like going to prison?  I don't think that was his choice.  I know it wasn't.  And as for doing and saying all the right things….what other choice does he have?!   As slow as he might be upstairs, he is bright enough to know that he's got to say all the right things at this point.

I just don't see it.  I don't get it.  I don't get why we are all supposed to open up our hearts and give this guy a "second chance," when he committed egregious acts of inhumanity for six years and then blatantly lied about it to the public, Arthur Blank and Roger Goodell.  I've got your second chance right here.