Today might be D-Day for Michael Vick. Tony Taylor, one of his co-defendants charged with dog fighting, has a "plea agreement hearing" scheduled for 9 am Eastern today. Vick and the other two men charged are still scheduled for trial on Nov 26.
The federal government doesn't care about this schlub Taylor, they want Vick. This hearing will go a long way towards determining if they have enough evidence to get him. If nothing comes out of this hearing, then the government doesn't think Taylor knows enough to help them. But if a plea agreement is reached, then it will almost certainly require that Taylor tells everything he knows about Vick and the dog fighting to the Feds. Keep in mind that Taylor's hearing was added to the court docket one day after he, Vick, and the others pleaded not guilty. It appears Mr Taylor has something important he would like to say.
If an plea agreement is made, then everybody will expect the government to have evidence against Vick. And that expectation of guilt will probably force the NFL's hand to the point where I don't think Vick will play one down this season. Cross him off your draft list. No, better yet, cut his name out of your draft list with an X-acto knife, crumple up the piece of paper, and set it on fire. Then find a dog to piss the fire out. That's my fantasy assessment of Michael Vick.
I'll try to have an update if/when there's news of the results of the hearing.
Update [2007-7-30 10:21:14 by Skeller]: Taylor takes the plea deal. From CNN.com's Law (not Sports) section:
One of the co-defendants in the Michael Vick federal dogfighting case entered a guilty plea on Monday and pledged to fully cooperate with prosecutors. Tony Taylor, 34, of Hampton, Virginia, appeared in Richmond's federal court to change his plea under the plea bargain. He will be sentenced December 14.It's all over for Vick. Now it's Joey time.