Monday's Random Thoughts

I guess Monday's will be a good place to dump these thoughts, especially since they build up over the weekend.

1. Chaos in the house! I am NEVER moving again if I can help it. The last time we moved I got a 'hall pass' as I was already in Atlanta so the task of packing up was left to Ilene (who was 7 months pregnant, I know...nice husband!). Anyway, this weekend we did a 'mini-pack' as we have to move for a week or two as they are installing new hardwoods in the house. Man does this SUCK, and we are staying! On the positive side, once this is done not only will the house look great but we can sort of start over fresh and get rid of the junk that has been collecting, sort of a forced 'Spring Cleaning'.

2. Boy does the Phillies Bullpen BLOW! Yesterday while I was schlepping stuff from our house to my parents I was listening to the Phils' game on XM (I love the XM). They are up 4-0 going into the 7th and as a Phils' fan I just know the wheels will come off. One, I think Charlie Manuel must think he is managing a different team. I have never seen (or more often heard) a Manager so quickly yank a Starting Pitcher than Manuel. I mean if we had a the Boston bullpen I'd yank these guys in the 6th too but we're talking Alfonseca, Romero, Geary and Flash Gordon here...I'll roll the dice with the kid who has only given up 4 hits in 6 1/3...

3. I hate to go back to the Vick thing but two things are REALLY irking me:
a. The 'DUE PROCESS' thing - let's get this straight, Mike Vick is getting due process. Let's see, he is facing multiple felony charges, has 3 co-defendants lined up against him and his team is working on a plea deal. Where is Mike right now? He is sitting at home free to do almost anything he likes. He's NOT locked up, he's NOT on house arrest. No, he can't play football but that is not the Court's decision it is his employer's. And by the way, I don't see his Union fighting that decision. I could be wrong here but I also think he might be getting paid during this suspension. Regardless he has NOT been fired! So that's 3 big NOT's. Put me, you or Uncle Al in Mike's place and I bet you we are sitting in jail waiting for trial, have been fired from our jobs and our entire world would already been ruined. Start using the correct terms people - and by people I mean the media as well as the unabashed Vick supporters. Mike is getting due process from the only place where due process means anything - the courts.

b. Could there be more...yes there is. I keep hearing, specifically on Atlanta radio that we care more about dogs than we do people apparently. Really? I have now heard that Mike is being treated worse than murderers are treated. Again, really? We now know that his co-defendants have plead guilty to KILLING 8 dogs in a really disgusting manner. I also think they will do less than 5 years. In fact, each killing is worth 5 years on a sentence so they would do 40 if they went to trial, were convicted and sentenced. So, let's see how does that compare to killing people? If I go on a murderous rampage where I kill 8 people by electrocution and drowning will I get 5 years per murder? Will I get to plea this down? Ummm, I think not. In States where the Death Penalty is available I am frying, where it is not I am ROTTING in prison wasting taxpayer money where I am serving 8 consecutive life sentences without parole (that's 25 years x 8 folks). This argument is stupid!

4. Now that I got that off my chest, this weekend did have a football related bright spot. On Saturday night we had the annual picking of the cards for my Fantasy Football Draft. Unlike many leagues this one is unique. First it has been around since 1989 and I have been in since 1992. We also have stuck to only 8 teams and we have our own unique scoring system, which we still do on our OWN, no website. We also do a complete random order throughout the draft - no snake, no traditional, completely random! So I get the #7 pick in round 1 and the #1 in Round 2. Not horrible but my picks stay pretty bad. Last year I won the whole thing with the #8 pick so there is hope. The other great thing about this league, like all leagues is the draft. For this one I go to South Florida every year for the draft (or almost every year, I've done a couple via conference call). It's a great weekend with great friends, I'm sure you'll hear plenty this year :)

5. I am admitting it here to the 'unwashed masses' - I like soccer and not just coaching Cydney and Rachel's teams. I like soccer on TV. I have the Fox Sports Soccer channel and I like watching English Premier League, the Bundeslega, Argenitinian Soccer and even MLS (gasp). I watched the LA - NY match and Beckham is just amazing! On top of that Landon Donovan is a true superstar in the making, he needs to go to Europe and let the world see it!

OK, that's a REALLY long post. I have more but my fingers are hurting!



G

An Open Letter to Michael Vick

Dear Mike,

I am not your PR person or in your circle but I wish I were. Today you stand alone against the world but you have an AMAZING opportunity through all of this.

I believe that not only can you resurrect your football career but also your name.

Here is my plan, feel free to use it:

1. Go into court and take the plea your attorney's are negotiating.
2. Speak for yourself and from your heart. Here are some high level bullets
a. apologize - to your family, your fans, the City of Atlanta, Va. Tech and especially pet owners.
b. admit what you did was wrong, however limited your involvement (but don't say that)
c. Talk about change - how you will use the time to be a better person, how you can help people understand that violent and poor treatment of anything living is wrong. Discuss how your role as a high profile athlete can now be used for the greater good and to educate those that feel that dogfighting is a 'cultural thing' need to re-evaluate that culture.
d. Donate, donate, donate! You still have a lot. Give 1 MILLION dollars to PETA now! Give a million to the NFL Charities and go to Arthur Blank and ask him to distribute a million through the Blank Family Foundation and the Falcons Charities.
3. Serve your time well. Take the time to re-evaluate your life and come out better because of it.
4. Cut the PSA's we know you will have to but do more! When you get out there will be even more opportunity to do good.


Mike, you are young and still have so much to look forward to. We all make mistakes and in America we love it when someone makes a mistake, takes accountability for their actions and then makes a change.

Twenty years from now you could be more of an icon for what you have done for society than you ever would have been for football.


Sincerely,



Gil Wolchock




*On a personal note, I am not a pet owner, I'm a fairly moderate guy. I do live in Atlanta but I am not a Falcons fan per se so none of this is motivated through what is going on, simply one guys take on what could be done to help out so many :)

Just my .02 cents I guess