In case you missed the gigantic media showcase on one of the biggest headlines of 2007, I’ll recap. Michael Vick was quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons from 2001 to 2007. He was arguably the most exciting player on turf during that stretch. Vick was highly agile, very fast, and had a cannon arm. His running ability often made it difficult for other teams’ defense to stop the Falcons. Double cover his receivers? He’d hand the ball off to his running back. Stuff the line? He’d throw a long bomb down the field. Manage to jam up the running back AND stop the receivers? He’d take off like a rocket downfield. Vick was arguably the best dual threat offensive weapon in the history of the NFL.Vick, however, made a horrible off-field decision. He started a dog-fighting ring based out of his home in Surry County, Virgina. In April of 2007, police executed a search warrant looking for drugs owned by Vick’s cousin. Instead, they found Vick’s dog fighting ring. Vick was accused of not only hosting the dog fights, but allowing illegal betting on the illegal sport AND also torturing and executing animals that didn’t perform well enough in their matches. Sick stories are told of what occurred in his facility. In the end, Vick and three associates were convicted and sentenced to prison sentences. Vick began serving a 23 month sentence in December of 2007. Just this last week, he has been freed from Federal custody. Now begins NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s task of deciding whether or not to reinstate Vick.The animal lover in me says it’s not enough- serving 18 months of a 23 month sentence for the things I’ve heard Vick did isn’t enough. I’m SURE it’s not enough for PETA[1]. The only thing that makes me waver on that point is the fact that a federal judge, who would surely want to make an example of Vick, is satisfied with 18 months. I’m still torn on this subject.I’ve heard sports radio hosts discuss how Vick should or shouldn’t be suspended from the NFL by Goodell now that his sentence is over. Should he be suspended? Let me ask you this: if you ran a multi-billion dollar corporation and one of your star salespeople were convicted and served felony time on these charges, would you welcome them back with open arms? The fact of the matter is, if Vick were a common worker and not an athlete, this discussion wouldn’t be happening. Open and shut, he’s a felon in a gross capacity. Not only is he fired and barred from working for that company again, he’d have a hard time finding work elsewhere.Let’s say Vick is reinstated after a 4-8 game suspension (which I think will absolutely happen). If you were the GM of an NFL team, would you sign him? Why or why not?

Midseason Salute: Drake's So Far GoneWhat can we say about So Far Gone that hasn't already been written in this very section? The mixtape was artistically dope and had out-of-control buzz, and we are stamping it as the mixtape of 2009 so far based on the impact and quality. Let the debates begin, but you'll have a difficult time saying what other tape reached the 'hood, the 'burbs and the industry. A universal thumbs-up. Let's hope the album lives up to the hype."I am honored by the accolade given to me by Mixtape Daily and just by all the stuff that's going on," Drake said about getting the nod. "I feel like I just spent a lot of years so in tune with music that I really love. Whether it be R&B, whether it be jazz, whether it be rap, whatever. I think So Far Gone was me finding myself as a person and then finding a way to balance all these things that I love and figuring out truly what it is that I'm good at. I think once you find a rhythm or a formula as an artist, it starts to connect with people. You know, people are like, 'OK, he's doing his thing.' That's important to do your thing. You can't be doing what so-and-so is doing or do something that doesn't fit you. ... The best part about finding that rhythm was just being honest. Honesty, you know, rapping about my life and things that occur on a daily basis. So when I draw inspiration, I really can draw from my life, not go make something up or hear someone else's story."I can just live and then write," he continued. "And so that really makes my musical process very easy and gratifying. It's been dope. So for people to respond to that mixtape was a great thing."With all the accolades he's raked in from the mixtape, has Drizzy ever had second thoughts about giving the tape out for free instead of selling it?"I think that's what we're working on right now," he said. " 'Best I Ever Had' is doing amazing on iTunes. But [the mixtape] was an important moment for me. So no, I don't ever look at it and say, 'I wish that was an album.' It was important that it was a mixtape, 'cause if it was an album, I don't know if it would've had the same impact. I think the fact that I gave that for free, it was kind of brazen, like, 'What? What do you have in your collection, in your catalog, to be able to throw this out there?' And just while we were creating it, it was all of us, you know? Me, 40, Oliver and everyone else involved. It was us, just having fun in a stress-free environment, because we knew we were going to give it away. So I am hoping to bring that same energy to the album. It's harder, because you know that it's your album. You know people have to go buy it and they have to support it or else you're not going to live up to the expectations, but hopefully we can channel that same energy into this project."