Five Falcons Fined

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

ATLANTA -- Five Atlanta Falcons players have been fined a total of $47,500 by the NFL for uniform violations that stemmed from demonstrations of their support for banished quarterback Michael Vick during the team's loss to the New Orleans Saints on Dec. 10.
Several hours before the game, Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison for his role in an illegal dogfighting ring that was centered on property he owned in Virginia.


Cornerbacks DeAngelo Hall and Chris Houston, wide receiver Roddy White and tight end Alge Crumpler each were fined $10,000. Wide receiver Joe Horn was fined $7,500.


It is not yet known if any of the players will appeal the fines.
Hall brandished a poster of Vick as he ran onto the field for pregame introductions. He later taped the poster to the back of the Falcons' bench, but it was subsequently removed by a member of the club's public relations department.


Both Hall and Crumpler wore the message "MV-7," Vick's initial and uniform number, on their eye-black patches for the game.


After White scored on a 33-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter of the 34-14 loss, he pulled up his game jersey, with an assist from Horn, to unveil a T-shirt that read "Free Mike Vick."


It is not clear why Houston was found to have violated the uniform policy.



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Freedom of Speech? I don't know if they specific rules for the eye black, the only thing that I thought was a "uniform violation" would've been the untucking of the jersey.

Necro

VIP Room Moderator

Seems pretty straight forward to me. Dont support criminals.

They diserve the fine.

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

So should we go around and round up everyone who purchases "Bundy Undies"? I don't think it's necessarily right for them to support him, but I do think it's they're right to do as they please.

Slimdust

They deserve to get fined. Good for the NFL.

Twist of Lemon

MMA Moderator

I concur with SS, Freedom of Speech

Necro

VIP Room Moderator

Thats a horrible analogy if I ever saw one.

You can't see how this is a justified fine?

You openly go against the NFL. You openly go against animal activists.

Michael Vick already said he's guilty, and deserves the punishment he got.

I could see if he was wrongly accused, but the guy plead guilty, and took a plea.

Now the Falcons who are already trying to deal with a nightmare situation have to try to do clean up duty for these morons.

You are telling me these guys cleared this with their coach?

If I were an NFL coach, and my players said they were going to do this shit, I'd tell them to not even suit up.

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

So they can't support him? Again, I'm talking about the eye black. Roddy White deserved, because that is preposterous as you mentioned Necro. I see nothing wrong with supporting a teammate.

Necro

VIP Room Moderator

Theres supporting someone, and then there is doing shit that is over the top.

When they pulled all this shit they disrespected their coach, their organization. Their business.

Hell if they got interviewed and a reporter asked how they felt, and they said Michael Vick is my friend I support him. That's fine.

There's ways of doing things the right way.

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

I don't see how MV-7 does any of that. the "Free Vick" shirt was waaaaaaay out of line. But MV-7? Please. I still fail to see how that disrespects anyone. (Unless there is a rule regarding Eye Black) As far as I'm concerned that would be considered subtle support for a teammate. And yeah, as a coach, I'd support the MV-7 Eye Black. Not the T-Shirt though.

Necro

VIP Room Moderator

You dont support someone with eye black who is in jail for killing dogs.

You can support someone who died with eye black.

That would probably be the only situation where it's justified. That or someone who got badly injured, etc.

Seems like common sense to me...