Michael Vick needs to pay

One of the hottest topics entering the 2007 NFL season hasn't been the upcoming season itself, it has been about Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and his involvement with dog fighting at one of his homes.

When the story first broke, Michael Vick began the process by denying any knowledge of what was going on at the house, which is in Surry, Virginia, citing that he had cousins living there and that he did not go there very often himself.

It's funny how stories change. After entering a not guilty plea, others that were indicted in the case decided to plead guilty. After this turn of events, Vick has suddenly changed his plea to guilty. Perhaps he, or at least his attorney, could see the writing on the wall, and they knew that if everyone else turned state's evidence, Vick would end up being the fall guy for everyone involved. So, out of fear, if nothing else, Vick changed his plea to guilty.

Michael Vick has lied to all of us. He has let down his teammates, his coaching staff, his NFL organization, and the fans, many of whom are teenagers and children that wear his Falcons number 7 jersey.

Several videos have been circulating following the investigation, videos that were too barbaric and gruesome to show on network television.

There were some horrendous things going on in that house and the property that surrounds it. What investigators found as evidence, including various tools and devices that are meant for torturing purposes, are utterly disgusting.

When police first inspected the property back in April, 54 pit-bulls were found. Later investigations of the grounds turned up seven graves of dogs that were killed by "Bad Newz Kennels", the company that Vick's relatives were running. These dogs were killed by strangulation, electrocution, bullet wounds, or other means when they were found either not to be good fighting prospects, or punishment for dogs who lost their fights. It was also discovered that dog fighters from as far away as South Carolina, Texas, and New York would come for the events.

"Bad Newz Kennels" also put on exhibitions and sponsored fights in other parts of Virginia, North and South Carolina, and other states.

We have a major problem in this country when it comes to this matter: the laws as well as the punishments for these heinous acts are minimal, at best. On Tuesday it was released that Vick has worked out an "agreement" with prosecutors in the matter. It has been said that prosecutors want Vick to serve 12 to 18 months.

As a human being with a basic conscience, an animal lover, as well as a vegetarian, I am personally insulted at the lack of penalty that Vick may or not have to serve.

I can not believe that where the laws state that these types of crimes may warrant fines of $350,000 and up to six years in prison, that they can be reduced to such a minimal level.

Why should they cut a deal with Vick? If they have evidence to put him away, then it would appear to me that they are in the driver's seat, and I say, fire away, and let him serve SIGNIFICANT jail time.

I am not saying that the value of an animal's life is on the same level as a human's, but at the same time, torturing any living creature, whether it is human or not, is cruelty, and it is no less cruel or sick to torture an animal as it is to torture a human being.

This is not a crime that was a one-time act. That could be looked at as a mistake, something that could possibly be forgiven or made up for with a minimal penalty. This is a series of vulgar mistreatments of animals that went on for a period of at least five years, and severe penalties are in order, and should be exercised.

There is an awful lot yet to be sorted out, such as Vick's punishment, the "deal" which will be formally made next Monday, his contract, his future with the league, and so on.

But I believe that our lawmakers will discover, through this case, that they have their own work cut out for themselves, when it comes to the laws that are currently on the books for animal cruelty, torture, and abuse. The penalties for these crimes are ridiculous, and need to be sharply stiffened.

It seems that the men and women who make the laws and punishments in this country leave things very lenient until a case comes about when the whole country becomes outraged at a national story.

I believe that this is the national story that will and should outrage Americans when it is announced next week that Vick's punsihment will be barely more than a slap on the wrists.

It breaks my heart, because Michael Vick used to be one of my favorite quarterbacks in the National Football League. Yes, I said used to be.

Stampede win District Title

SARATOGA SPRINGS – In a game that would have not been believable had it been scripted in a Hollywood movie, the Saratoga Stampede overcame an eight-inning deficit to win the District IV American Legion Tournament as they defeated the Anaconda Indians by a 4-3 score on Sunday.
Starting pitcher Zach Hartman got into trouble early, as a base hit, a triple, and a ground ball to shortstop resulted in a 2-0 lead for Anaconda in the first inning.
Mike Center took the mound for Anaconda, and he was very impressive, as he would turn away most of Saratoga’s threats during the course of the game.
The Stampede would finally get on the scoreboard in the third. With one out and Kenny Recore on first via a base on balls, Andy Brown grounded into a force play at second. After stealing second and third, center fielder Vince Farfaglia smacked a line drive to left field, scoring Brown and cutting the Indians’ lead to 2-1.
The game would remain 2-1 until the ninth. Hartman, meanwhile, settled down, and after giving up three hits in the first, he would not allow another hit until the sixth.
Brown made a rare error at short to open the fourth that put Ed Shively at second, but Hartman picked his teammate up by wheeling and throwing to Brown to pick Shively off. Shawn Kennedy smacked a single up the middle with two outs in the sixth, but Hartman caught Kennedy in a rundown, and Kennedy was retired on a 1-3-6 caught stealing to retire the side.
In the bottom of the inning, Chris Hackett led off by slapping a single to center, and was moved over to second on Ryan Washburn’s bunt. But Center fought back, and he struck out Justin Wilock, and two batters later he got Brad Elliott to fly out to center to end the inning.
Saratoga again got the leadoff hitter aboard in the fifth, as Kenny Recore struck out, but made it safely to first on a wild pitch. After Brown bunted him over to second, Vince Farfaglia hit a ground ball to Matt Kelly at short, and Kelly threw to third for the fielder’s choice. Neil Callahan then struck out and the inning was over.
In the home sixth, Hackett led off with his second hit of the game, a single to left, but a fly ball to right and a ground ball back to Center turned into a 1-6-3 double play to squash the Stampede’s threat.
Hartman then pitched a perfect seventh and eighth innings, but gave up an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Billy Nikolski lined abase hit to left to start the inning, and Hartman tried to pick him off, but his throw was out of Callahan’s reach, advancing Nikolski to second. Center then flied out to Farfaglia, but Kennedy got the run home with a single to left to make it a 3-1 game. Hartman was then relieved by Ryan Washburn, who got the next two batters to end the inning. Then things got interesting.
Washburn reached safely on a dribbler between third and short that resulted in an infield single to open the ninth, and then Wilock drew a walk, putting runners on first and second. Jeff Mound laid down a bunt to move the runners to second and third, and then Manager Paul Mound sent in pinch hitter Kyle Baldani. Baldani got the job done with a base hit, and Washburn and Wilock both scored to tie the game at three apiece and send the game into extra innings.
In the tenth inning, Washburn got Jordan Pennings to fly out to Recore, who was moved to right field, and then Recore made a tremendous catch in foul territory off of the bat of Dave Filak for the second out. Pinch hitter Joe Privatera then grounded out to Mound at second for the final out.
Farfaglia grounded out for the first out in the bottom of the frame, but then Neil Callahan, who has struggled in his last two games, belted a shot towards the left field wall. Mike Center had a bead on the ball as he neared the wall, but it popped out of his glove, and Callahan was on second base with one out.
Paul Mound then sent in his fastest player, Mike DeGregory, to pinch run. Saratoga could smell a victory, and Hackett came through with his third hit of the game, an infield single. Degregory got a great jump on the play, and he raced home from second for the winning run that propelled the Stampede in the state tournament.
When asked about his winning hit, Hackett was pleased, while also being a bit perplexed.
“It wasn’t quite a line drive, but it will look like it in the box score…I didn’t even see what happened…I saw him coming home, and I thought that was awesome, a good feeling.”
Anaconda had a terrific tournament, and the first and third-ranked teams in New York State showed why they are ranked where they are, as both teams played a tremendous game, and both are worthy of playing in the state tourney.
Anaconda head coach Jim DeMidio was obviously disappointed, but he was proud of the way that his team performed throughout the tournament, as he should have been.
“The better team won today. They out hit us in the last two innings, and that’s what counted. (My team) played excellent. I couldn’t ask for anything else. Maybe they were tired. This was our seventh game (of the tournament, while the Stampede played just four games).
Neil Callahan, who drove in the winning run, was equally impressed with his club’s tourney play.
“Coming out of this district without a loss is pretty impressive,” said Callahan.
“We started out the tournament slow. Our bats were slow, and then today, they were slow, too. But I think we’ve got to get the momentum of starting off early like they did, and keep going all night, those long innings. It was a great tournament for us. The pitching stepped up huge the entire tournament, which was awesome. Hackett threw a great game (on Friday night, 7-2/3 innings, one earned run, eight strikeouts). Hartman throwing, probably, the game of his life, and just couldn’t get any run support. It was great, and we’ve got a pretty good shot to go back to the state championship game. Hopefully, we won’t come back until Sunday (after the state title game).
Zack Hartman offered his viewpoint on the game.
“(In the) first inning, I think we were a little anxious. I was over-throwing a little bit, and I got knocked around, and after that, I settled down, and I just waited for the guys to score, and once they did, it was kind of nice.
Hartman was also quick to give credit to his opponent.
“They can hit one through nine (in the batting order)… They have some good players on their team that can hit, through their lineup, some good pitchers. They’re a tough team, and we were fortunate to pull that one out late.”
When asked about the upcoming state tournament, Hartman is looking forward to it.
“I can’t wait for the states. We’re all excited, we’re riding pretty high, that was a big win for us, and hopefully that can carry over to the states.”
Manager Paul Mound also shared some thoughts about the team that he had to get through to get to the states, as well as what he expects from his club in the state tourney.
“Right from the beginning of the season I felt like Anaconda and Saratoga were the best two teams in the district, and the state rankings indicate such, we’re number one and they’re number three. So it’s fitting that the championship be played between the two of us. They’re an awfully tough team, I mean they’re not going to give you anything for free. You rarely get them to make an error in the field, and the one error they did make, we were able to capitalize on it, and score the game-winning run. It was a fitting ending to a great tournament and a great summer, now we go on to the state championship for the second year in a row. Out of 228 (teams), there are eight left, and we are one of them, so it’s already an accomplishment, and I’m not for one minute, not looking to win the state title. We want that, that is our goal, however, that’s gravy as far as I’m concerned, because winning our district is really, really huge. We’re going to go and give it our best shot, and win, lose, tie, or draw, it’s been a heck of a lot of fun. I think we’ve got the horses to win it, and that’s how we’re going to go about it…an extra-inning ball game, two best teams in the district, I don’t think that you can argue, either side…in fairness to them, they (Anaconda) gave it everything they had, they battled us right to the end… but we got it done in the tenth, it was a great battle, I think it’s great for the district that the two best teams in the district ended up in the championship game, and obviously, for our kids, I’m ecstatic that they’re going back to the states. It’s tons of fun.
Travis Wilson will get the start for game one, followed by Hartman in game two.
The Stampede has a record of 78-18 over the last two seasons, something that Mound is very proud of.
“This is an outstanding ball club, fitting of being a New York State representative, said Mound.

"We’re going to match up with anybody that could possibly come against us, so, we like our chances.”
The Stampede will play their first game on Wednesday, against Coughlin, out of Rochester.
The State Tournament will be aired over an internet webcast. For more information, go to www.americanlegionbaseball.org.