Michael Vick, Getting Cleaned Up For His Court Date

As the Atlanta Falcons started their offseason workouts, something was noticeably different. No, not Bobby Petrino as head coach, or Joe Horn in a Falcons jersey. It was Michael Vick without braids. You may remember that back in 2004 Vick said he wasn't going to cut his hair until he won a Super Bowl.

"I'm growing my hair out it, and I'm not going to cut it until we win a Super Bowl," Vick said. "I was going to let my hair grow last season, but I cut it three weeks before I got hurt. I'm really superstitious, so I'm going to let it grow. As bad as I want it off my head, and as hot as I am, I won't cut it off until I win a Super Bowl. I will win a Super Bowl -- someday."

Well, the Super Bowl win obviously hasn't panned out yet, but a few months of turmoil sure have.

It started with Vick giving a fan in Atlanta the one finger salute following a loss to the Saints. Then, he was busted at Miami International Airport with a fake water bottle that had a secret compartment. Early reports indicated that it contained marijuana residue. Most recently, he's been implicated in a dog-fighting operation that took place on a property he owned in Virginia.

That last incident is the most severe of the three, and if Vick is proven to truly be a "heavyweight" in the dog-fighting world he'll be facing serious jailtime.

However, that new haircut should help him look a bit more presentable should he have to face a judge in the next few weeks. Or maybe he believes that he's sort of an anti-Samson, and that cutting off his hair will actually help him not engage in stupid behavior. Either way, I'm sure the inmates at Georgia State Prison don't care whether he has braids or a new fade.

The Saga Of Mike Vick's Dogs Continues

The newest update regarding the drug raid and discovery of dog fighting at a property owned by Mike Vick is that a search warrant has been obtained to "look for as many as 30 dog carcasses". This includes seven pitbulls that were supposedly destroyed and buried in the days preceding the raid.

The odd thing is that the warrant was issued on May 23, but "has not been executed at the request of Brown and Surry County Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald G. Poindexter". Though, if there really are 30 dogs buried on the property, they're probably not going anywhere.

And if the confidential informant is correct about the destroyed dogs and Vick being into dog fighting even before he entered the NFL, then Ron Mexico will have more problems than just an extended absence from work. Obviously, he could be convicted of animal cruelty charges, and there's something about harming animals that really gets people upset. Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk has touched on this already. That when organizations like the ASPCA or Humane Society get involved, people listen and they continue to follow the story. It's almost as if we would rather hear about a person being injured or killed than a dog or cat.

And 30 dogs will provide a compelling story for a lot of people to follow and get upset about.