Mike "Mad Dogg" Vick gets to keep signign bonus

[metssuck]

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/02/04/vick_0205.html

Judge: Vick must repay $3.75M in bonus pay
Falcons had been seeking $20M from imprisoned QB

By STEVE WYCHE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/04/08

Imprisoned Falcons quarterback Michael Vick will only have to repay $3.75 million of the $20 million the team sought to recover after he was suspended for a federal conviction related to dogfighting last fall.

A ruling Monday by U.S. District judge David Doty overturned a previous decision by an arbitrator. He ruled that Vick had to repay $20 million in bonuses since he could not earn them because of his 23-month prison sentence and indefinite suspension by the NFL.

The Falcons could appeal Doty's ruling but they remained non-committal as of Monday afternoon.

The team issued the following statement from president Rich McKay: "While we are disappointed by Judge Doty's decision, this ruling does not affect our salary cap management for the 2008 season. Any potential recovery would have only affected our 2009 salary cap. As to our future legal strategies, we will meet with our legal representatives to more fully understand our options before making that determination."

The team is expected to issue a statement later today.

"We're very pleased by the ruling," NFL Players Association general counsel Richard Berthelsen said in a phone interview. "It's an enforcement of something that we felt we negotiated in the 2006 extension of the collective bargaining agreement."

The players' union got owners to agree to provisions that allow owners to recoup signing bonus money but not other bonus money, even in contracts, like Vick's (10 years, $130 million), that were signed before the 2006 extension. Doty ruled that all but $3.75 million of the money the Falcons sought was non-signing bonus money.

Vick was been paid roughly $37 million in bonuses by the Falcons.

Should Vick, who remains on the roster, repay the Falcons $3.75 million, Atlanta would receive a credit for that amount toward the salary cap a year after receiving the money. If Vick never pays the money, the Falcons never receive the credit.

Atlanta had not planned to get any relief from the Vick case for 2008 but still project to have more than $20 million under the salary cap to use to sign free agents.

The salary cap is expected to increase from $109 million to $116 million. Atlanta also is expected to release some players to clear additional space to re-tool the roster under new general manager Thomas Dimitroff.

Vick will cost the team $7.57 million against the salary cap this season and more than $8 million in 2009.

Damn, Vick's life just keep gettin better. First he'll be out of prison sooner than expected and now he get to keep most of his hard earned.

"Cash Rules Everthing Around Me"  C.R.E.A.M!!!! Get tha money, dolla dolla bills, dogggggggggggggggggggggg

[GburgNatsFan]

Glad it worked out for him. A contract is a contract whether he's been convicted and imprisoned or not.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/02/04/vick_0205.html

Damn, Vick's life just keep gettin better. First he'll be out of prison sooner than expected and now he get to keep most of his hard earned.

"Cash Rules Everthing Around Me"  C.R.E.AM!!!! Get tha money, dolla dolla bills, dogggggggggggggggggggggg

[ronnynat]

Glad it worked out for him. A contract is a contract whether he's been convicted and imprisoned or not.

QFT

[metssuck]

Not to mention he mad that franchise.He's tha reason there are ppl in tha stands. Atlanta is tha worst sports market ever.

[GburgNatsFan]

Hmm. I never paid attention to that. I have wondered why even while they are leading the division, the Braves can't put butts in seats.

Not to mention he mad that franchise.He's tha reason there are ppl in tha stands. Atlanta is tha worst sports market ever.

[Air Zimmerman]

finally some good news for mike! i am still on the lookout for the word on his acceptance into the drug program that could possibly have him back for the 09 season.

[NatsAddict]

Hmm. I never paid attention to that. I have wondered why even while they are leading the division, the Braves can't put butts in seats.

With our attendance to date, I don't think we want to go there. 

[GburgNatsFan]

True. I hope that increases soon. But the Braves have been so good for so long...

With our attendance to date, I don't think we want to go there. 

[spidernat]

True. I hope that increases soon. But the Braves have been so good for so long...

  You're a Marlins fan too!? I didn't know that Gburg.

[ronnynat]

You're a Marlins fan too!? I didn't know that Gburg.

I think he thought NatsAddict was talking about the Nats. NatsAddict should be FishAddict.

[NatsAddict]

I think he thought NatsAddict was talking about the Nats. NatsAddict should be FishAddict.

Actually, on the Marlins boards, I'm MarlinAddict.  But, since Loria has killed off the fanbase, those boards are dead.  Even I took the Marlins wallpaper off my cellphone after Cabrera and Willis were traded for a trash heap.  I couldn't help myself, and put the wallpaper back on when I bought my ST tickets.  Sanity, who needs it?


But, as for our (Nats) attendance isn't close to the Braves.  You'd have to go back to 1990 to find a Braves attendance less than ours last year.  Even our inaugural season didn't match the Braves attendance last year.  But, hopefully our new stadium and brighter future will reverse things.

[blue911]

I couldn't help myself, and put the wallpaper back on when I bought my ST tickets.  Sanity, who needs it?

Season Tickets?

One would think that there would be plenty of tickets available on game day.

[ronnynat]

Season Tickets?

One would think that there would be plenty of tickets available on game day.

ST = Spring Training

[blue911]

ST = Spring Training

 

[NatsAddict]

Definitely spring training.  I'm not one of the 50 who showed up for Select-A-Seat day. 

[blue911]

Definitely spring training.  I'm not one of the 50 who showed up for Select-A-Seat day. 

I kept thinking "certainly you and the other guy could take turns in the really good seat"

[NatsAddict]

We play musical chairs every time the organist stats playing, and then race back for the good seat when the music stops.  It's the most competitive thing that will occur in the stadium again this year.



As for Vick, the Falcons attendance fell by 2,000/game this year.

[natsfan1a]

You guys should talk to the Marlins' PR staff about making it a regular in-game promotion, kinda like the Presidents Race...

We play musical chairs every time the organist stats playing, and then race back for the good seat when the music stops.  It's the most competitive thing that will occur in the stadium again this year.