Michael Vick Faces the Music today in Dog Fighting Conspiracy Sentencing

Today is D-Day for Michael Vick as the disgraced and suspended QB of the Atlanta Falcons will find out his sentencing for his role in a dog fighting conspiracy. Vick faces up to 5 years; however, Federal sentencing guidelines suggested a year to 18 months. Recently, a federal judge sentenced two of Michael Vick’s dog fighting cohorts to 18 months and 21 months in prison. The prison terms for co-defendants, Phillips and Purnell Peace, were a little longer than prosecutors recommended. That cannot bode well for Michael Vick as he faces the music later today.

The suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback faced up to five years at his sentencing by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Federal sentencing guidelines suggested a year to 18 months. Vick pleaded guilty in August. In a plea agreement, he admitted bankrolling the “Bad Newz Kennels” dogfighting operation on his 15-acre property in rural southeastern Virginia and helping kill six to eight pit bulls that did not perform well in test fights.

UPDATE 1: Every Dog has its Day

Vick sentenced to 23 months in prison. If he gets time off for good behavior, the sentence could be reduced to 19 1/2 months, resulting in a May, 2009 release. Otherwise, Vick will remain incarcerated until October, 2009.

Can you say that at the earliest Michael Vick will not be in a football uniform until 2010? His skills were regressing during his playing days. One can only imagine what they will be like with a 2 year layoff.

UPDATE II: Vick spit on the legal system

No one has ever accused Michael Vick of having class or the capability of making proper decisions. He couldn’t make the proper reads and decisions on the field, why did anyone think he was capable of making them off the field?

RICHMOND, Va. – He chomped on chewing gum and wore his Nike Air Force 1 Mids – bright white to match the stripes on his prison garb – as he walked into federal court Monday to answer for his mistakes.

Only some of the mistakes that may haunt Michael Vick most, the ones that hurt his chances of ever again racing his Nikes around the NFL and should eat him up on the long, lonely nights behind bars are the one’s he committed since pleading guilty in connection to a dog-fighting ring.

Vick should have faced a sentence of 12-18 months after accepting a plea deal to conspiracy charges in August and promising full cooperation, honesty and to “make better decisions.”

Instead he made more bad ones, U.S. Attorneys claiming he failed to fully admit or take responsibility for his actions, practiced multiple counts of deception and tested positive for marijuana just weeks after promising the judge he’d avoid drugs. (Yahoo Sports)