It’s interesting that people who are generally ignorant about the Constitution and Bill of Rights are nonetheless eager to apply some of its limitations on the exercise of government power to  everyday transactions between private parties.

It’s true that Michael Vick has not (yet) been convicted in a court of law. (The trial is set for November.) But this fact has no bearing whatsoever on whatever decision the Atlanta Falcons or the NFL may make regarding his future as a player. Contract law and constitutional law are two quite distinct domains. 

No authority dictated to the NFL what criteria they may use when they signed Vick to play. Any number of teams besides the Falcons would have signed him (except at least the Chargers, who passed him over for LaDainian Tomlinson).

So now that he’s on a roster and getting paid big bucks, he can’t be released unless “convicted in a court of law”? Baloney. Vick can be fired (as he was hired) for any reason, even stupid ones. He can be tried and convicted in the court of the boardroom. You may think it’s unfair, and it could very well be, but it isn’t illegal, nor should it be. Fairness isn’t required by law in private contracts. You can be sure that if his value as a quarterback exceeded his liability as a suspected breeder of fighting dogs, he would be allowed on the field. But apparently it isn’t.

Please don’t try to compare this with the Duke Lacrosse team. Na’ que ver.