This is a move based strictly on the NFL's panic about the league's image in the press. Both football and basketball have been hard hit with criminal allegations against members of those leagues and they are undoubtedly sensitive to more bad press. I'm sure that within the NFL contracts they retain the right to remove a player from the league for reasons other than violation of league rules, but to ban Vick at this stage of the process is both unfair to Vick and potentially detrimental to his ability to get a fair trial. The ban was all over the news yesterday and was seen by many who would be in a potential jury pool. It can't help but have a prejudicial effect.NEW YORK (AP) - Michael Vick was ordered by commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday to stay away from the Atlanta Falcons' training camp until the league reviews the dogfighting charges against him.
"While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the National Football League to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the Personal Conduct Policy," Goodell said in a letter to the quarterback.
The NFL said Vick would still get his preseason pay and Goodell told the Falcons to withhold any disciplinary action of their own until the league's review was completed.
Goodell told Vick the league would complete its review quickly and that he expected full cooperation. The review is expected to involve conversations with federal law enforcement officials so the NFL can determine the strength of the case against Vick.
Don't get me wrong - I'm no supporter of animal cruelty, and if Vick did what has been alleged he deserves to be moved from the National Football League to the Georgia Penitentiary League, but only after he gets his day in court.
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