Michael Vick: Prick

OK, Michael Vick is apparently a bad guy. At least that's what I keep hearing on the radio and reading on the internet. I haven't read any of the specific allegations against Vick, so anything I know about his recent troubles is hearsay. I do know that he is somehow involved with a dog-fighting ring that allegedly killed dogs that didn't want to fight, and did so in creative and especially cruel ways, such as hanging, electrocution, drowning, and the tried-and-true favorite of repeatedly bashing the dog's head into the pavement. Terrible, horrible stuff all.

But I wonder why it is that every time I see Vick discussed on the television, the accompanying picture of Vick makes him look like a total thug? I mean, in this country we are theoretically innocent until proven guilty. If that is the case, why must we show him looking like he is about to go on a 10-state crime spree?


I'm pretty sure I've seen all three of those photos used by the media. The guy in those pictures just looks guilty of something.

Of course, there are other photos of Michael out there that the media could be using. See, look at how nice Michael can look while wearing NFL gear, in contrast to the above photos:


Here's a picture of Michael at a fundraiser for a Boys & Girls Club (yes, I realize it is not a Kennel Club or PETA fundraiser, but still):


And here's Michael as the "token fraternity black guy":


See how harmless he looks? Who doesn't remember tossing the old pigskin with a guy like this in college? Good times. But we are instead treated to "Do-Rag" Vick. Hell, after seeing the media photos I am relieved that all he did was bet on/execute some dogs.

Maybe "thug" pictures of Tom Brady don't exist, but I just have trouble thinking the media would be portraying him the same way they are portraying Vick. I imagine some of that is a race thing, but some of it is also image. I don't think the media would "thug-ize" Will Smith or Colin Powell if they were to run afoul of the law. Of course, Powell and the Fresh Prince are white.

HOT OR NOT UPDATE: My "official" score on "Hot or Not" is a 4.7. I don't think I can blame my regular blog readers for flooding the site with artificially low scores, since I don't have any regular blog readers. So, I am not Hot after all. Quite a blow to the old self-esteem.