who in the huddle is rooting for mike vick?

[rayzor]

OOOOOOOO but it does.i bet if this happen to say a white qb he would have never did time in the feds on top a 4 game suspension maybe from goodell.

and with that comment you disappear.

[CharlotteBeer.com]

I've also found that THUG is only used when applied to black criminals. I never hear thug applied to white criminals. Just think about it.

I’m not one to play the race card (especially in the Vick case), but this is more often than not the case.

[Mr. Scot]

I’m not one to play the race card (especially in the Vick case), but this is more often than not the case.

If he were white, we'd call him a "punk" :thumbsup:

[Jangler]

Vick is black? I just thought he was an asshole.

[Mr. Scot]

Vick is black? I just thought he was an asshole.

Stupidity, ignorance, arrogance and self-centeredness are equal opportunity offenses. None is the exclusive property of any one race.

(or gender, or nationality, or belief system, or...ahhhh, you get it)

Bottom Line: "A--hole" comes in all shapes, sizes and colors.

[rayzor]

for the record, wikipedia has the definition of thug that i go by (not that i use that as the answer for anything but in this case it fits what i see as a thug.

Thug

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A thug in Modern English means a violent and/or anti-social person, including:

People

* Thug, a person, often a criminal, who treats others violently and roughly, especially for hire. Often a member of a gang, as an enforcer in organized crime

notice it say often and not exclusively and i will say that he was involved in organized crime...that is what that dog fighting ring was...it was organized crime.

also notice that there is no mention of race and it isn't even implied. i would use it interchangeably (if i didn't get laughed at for doing so) with ruffian or hoodlum...all three of which were used with frequency before this idea of a "gangsta" got so popular the past couple decades. that your mind goes there and to race isn't my problem.

[Butterflyj30]

I think Vick should get a second chance to play in the NFL. He should donate some funds to the humane society and he should dedicate some of his time to trying to put an end to dogfighting

[CharlotteBeer.com]

for the record, wikipedia has the definition of thug that i go by (not that i use that as the answer for anything but in this case it fits what i see as a thug.

notice it say often and not exclusively and i will say that he was involved in organized crime...that is what that dog fighting ring was...it was organized crime.

also notice that there is no mention of race and it isn't even implied. i would use it interchangeably (if i didn't get laughed at for doing so) with ruffian or hoodlum...all three of which were used with frequency before this idea of a "gangsta" got so popular the past couple decades. that your mind goes there and to race isn't my problem.

With all due respect, Rayzor, not everyone equates thug with such antiquated words as "ruffian" or "hoodlum." Most people choose their words not by their true definitions, but by their connotations. Look no further than the infamous "N" word: would you really call someone this word hoping they would understand it as its original definition?

In today's age, "thug" seems most often used in hip-hop culture, where it is actually something to aspire to. It just seems that many people use this as a catch-all term for black athletes who get into trouble. I don't think I've ever heard it in reference to a white athlete.

[Jangler]

Matt Jones is an asshole too.

[rayzor]

With all due respect, Rayzor, not everyone equates thug with such antiquated words as "ruffian" or "hoodlum." Most people choose their words not by their true definitions, but by their connotations. Look no further than the infamous "N" word: would you really call someone this word hoping they would understand it as its original definition?

In today's age, "thug" seems most often used in hip-hop culture, where it is actually something to aspire to. It just seems that many people use this as a catch-all term for black athletes who get into trouble. I don't think I've ever heard it in reference to a white athlete.

a few things...

1) not my problem if the term got hijacked by some subculture and is used differently and more specifically towards one demographic group than others. i use it as it was mostly used for most of the time it has been used in the english language.

2) making the connection between this and that "n" word. if that's what your mind goes to when someone that you suppose is white calls someone who is black a thug, that is your problem...not mine.

3) i have a huge problem with the message of this comment:

most often used in hip-hop culture, where it is actually something to aspire to. It just seems that many people use this as a catch-all term for black athletes who get into trouble.

it is something to aspire to and also considered a derogatory remark at the same time? what the crap is wrong with this picture? i don't know that it is true but i sure hope it's not. "i want to be a criminal but don't you ever call me one because that's racist."

4) i never called leonard little a thug. i won't be calling donte stallworth a thug. if someone else does and means it to say "black guy who got into trouble", that's their problem not mine.

5) find a white (or any other color) athlete who was involved in organized crime of any kind and had some problems with violence and cruelty to people or animals (other than hunting/fishing) and i'm going to call them that. i don't care what color you are. if you walk like a duck and talk like i duck, i'm going to call you a duck. not sure if you know this or not but ducks come in all kinds of colors.

[DaCityKats]

i will never leave.this is dead im ready for august.

[rayzor]

i will never leave.this is dead im ready for august.

:cheers2: can't get here soon enough.

[CharlotteBeer.com]

a few things...

1) not my problem if the term got hijacked by some subculture and is used differently and more specifically towards one demographic group than others. i use it as it was mostly used for most of the time it has been used in the english language.

I don’t know why you keep emphasizing what is and isn’t your problem, as I never claimed any of this was your problem. My main point in my last post was to show you that just because a word is defined in the dictionary in one way doesn’t necessarily mean it should be used that way. You’re absolutely right that if you called Michael Vick a ruffian, you’d get laughed at (and probably checked into the nearest old folk’s home).

2) making the connection between this and that "n" word. if that's what your mind goes to when someone that you suppose is white calls someone who is black a thug, that is your problem...not mine.

Again, that word is a perfect example of the differences in a word’s denotation and connotation.

3) i have a huge problem with the message of this comment:

it is something to aspire to and also considered a derogatory remark at the same time? what the crap is wrong with this picture? i don't know that it is true but i sure hope it's not. "i want to be a criminal but don't you ever call me one because that's racist."

Don’t get me wrong here, I agree totally. I should have been more clear in the connection I was trying to make. Many whites naturally ascribe the term “thugs” to black criminals because so many hip-hop artists use it themselves.

5) find a white (or any other color) athlete who was involved in organized crime of any kind and had some problems with violence and cruelty to people or animals (other than hunting/fishing) and i'm going to call them that. i don't care what color you are. if you walk like a duck and talk like i duck, i'm going to call you a duck. not sure if you know this or not but ducks come in all kinds of colors.

That’s fine. I had no problem with your use of the word in the first place. My only point was that many do not choose their words based on their actual definition, but rather their connotation: what they mean in society. So while you may apply the term thug to any criminal, regardless of race, there are plenty of others who do so to blacks exclusively. Whether this is subconscious or not is another question altogether.

[2plankingpanther]

He should work a regular job and keep himself out of trouble for a year before being reinstated back into the NFL!That way he can show he is truely remorseful and not some spoiled thug that served time and went staight back to living the high,lofty,pampered life!