PETA has pubicly rebuked Advertising Age's story of last week that the animal rights organization was talking with Vick's handlers about a public service announcement. The clarification is pretty clear:
In December, after consulting with psychiatrists, PETA withdrew the offer for the TV spot".
At that time, the organization determined it had no use for the former Falcons' quarterback because of its belief he was suffering from anti-social personality disorder. It called on the NFL to perform a brain scan on Vick to confirm PETA's assessment.
Vick will be released from prison on May 20th and is expected to serve the rest of his sentence in home-confinement.
Original story below:
The Michael Vick Remorse Tour 2009 is expected to kick off with Vick acting as a spokesman for the PETA organization, according to a report in Ad Age.
Dan Shannon, director of youth outreach and campaigns confirmed that the discussions with Vick's team have begun. Shannon told Ad Age he believes having the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback talk about the evils of dog fighting will mean more than an anonymous face belonging to the organization saying the same thing.
He is not concerned at all with the possibility that the public will be unmoved by Vick's public service announcement due to a belief that he isn't genuinely remorseful.
The word "remorse" is a big one in the next phase of Vick's rehabilitation. That is what he has to show Commissioner Goodell for the league to even reconsider lifting its indefinite suspension.
Along with negotiations between his advisers and PETA, his lawyers are in the midst of trying to re-work Vick's bankruptcy plan so that the judge might accept it and let him begin the financial portion of his rehabilitation.
Add that to him trying to get back into playing shape, looking at opportunities in the newly minted United Football League and the Canadian Football League and hoping for a paying job other than a minimum wage construction position and you've got a busy, busy guy once he is released to home confinement on May 20.
Do you think a PETA spokesman role will help Vick's chances of returning to the NFL? Vote below.
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Comments
Hopefully this guy never plays in the NFL again. If he plays in the UFL or CFL it's a big step down, which he more than deserves.
I read on Huffington Post (I think) that PETA said they're no longer considering this, and that they believed Vick had a brain issue and was incapable of feeling remorse...
Sean: saw the PETA spokesperson's denial. updated article as a result. Thanks
If Vick were ever a spokesperson for ANY animal rights group they would immediately and irrevocably lose credibility and donations from animal rights advocates. We know what he was and what he is.
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