Vick Betta Have My Money!

So Arthur Blank and the Atlanta Falcons want the money returned that they coughed up to Michael Vick. They had threatened it before but now they're really going for it. They don't trust their odds, so they have two actions going simultaneously, one with the NFL's non-injury grievance arbitrator for recovery of $22 million, and one at a hearing with the NFL's special master, an Ivy League professor, asking for $16 million.

Although I am only mildly familiar with these proceedings from a class I took in law school, I do know that this is one area where the "man" does not always prevail. After all, fights with leagues has led to everything from the creation of modern day free agency to salary cap exceptions. The league will argue that he didn't live up to his end of the bargain, while the NFL Players' Association, which represents the players in these matters, will argue that his bonus was already earned and may not be taken back. Catch the rest of the details here.

I understand that the Falcons want their money back, but in the real world, this just would not fly. Just by way of example, let's pretend that my job gives bonuses, that they gave it to me when I first started, and that they wanted it back if I did not stay employed there for, say, 15 months. No way they're getting that money back.

My motto is "If you give it to me because I earned it, consider it spent. And don't come back for it, either because it's gone." With legal fees and no paycheck, I'm guessing Vick could use every dollar he can get these days. But at least he lightened his payroll by no longer supporting those cousins who sold him out!