Virginia governor-elect says Vick's bowl incident 'made my heart sink'

[Nick]

Virginia governor-elect says Vick's bowl incident 'made my heart sink'
BOB LEWIS
Associated Press
Posted on Wed, Jan. 04, 2006

RICHMOND, Va. - Gov.-elect Tim Kaine said Wednesday that watching Virginia Tech's Marcus Vick stomp the back of his tackler's knee after a play in the Gator Bowl on Monday "made my heart sink."

After Vick was tackled by Louisville's Elvis Dumervil, the quarterback hopped to his feet and, while looking down at Dumervil, stomped his foot onto Dumervil's left calf. Dumervil was still on his hands and knees attempting to get up.

A blow to the backside of the knee puts a football player at greater risk for injury to tendons and cartilage. Blocking other players in the back of the legs results in a penalty from youth leagues into professional football.
Kaine, a Hokies fan, said Vick's unsportsmanlike play was a bad message to young athletes who emulate stars such as Vick, the younger brother of former Virginia Tech star and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick.

"I saw that and it just made my heart sink," Kaine said in response to media questions about the incident. "That act reflected very poorly on him and on the institution."

Game officials did not penalize Vick, but the incident was caught by television cameras and replayed frequently on sports networks and the Internet.

Kaine declined to specify what Virginia Tech should do about the matter, "but they need to make it plain that the institution does not view that as appropriate behavior."

Virginia Tech Athletics Director Jim Weaver said in a statement Tuesday that what Vick did is unacceptable, that it embarrassed the school and that the athletics program "will not condone such acts of unsportsmanlike conduct." Weaver said the school will review the incident and "deal with it accordingly."

Scott Wright of NFL Draft Countdown is speculating that because of the outcry about the action and the potential punishment he may face, Marcus Vick may in fact decide to go pro this year. I'm not so sure, but it's interesting news about a very classless person.

[AvengerRam]

As much as the media wants to make Mike Vick a "Golden Boy" and pump up his brother as well, I think Ron Mexico and Lil'Bro Legstomper are somewhat lacking in the character department.