Clearly, the official courtroom artist who drew this has talent. They can surely draw "Timmy the Turtle" in art class, and they probably fiddle around with their own comic-strip idea.

 

But that image is how we're supposed to remember Michael Vick for the next two years? That's the image?

 

Not only is it poorly drawn, but the concept of courtroom artistry is so outmoded that Currier & Ives look downright progressive and modern by comparison. In this instance, the talent-less courtroom artist makes a brutish-looking Vick appear like he's on trial for touching a white woman in 1920s Mississippi. It reeks of a terrible, shameful, unfortunate time and place in history. The feds need to change their policy immediately and replace the painter with a photographer.

 

This is the NEW MILLENNIUM. They are cloning people. Technology demands that the courtroom artist be forcibly retired. It is done as a profession, more useless than the third man in the Monday Night Football booth.

 

Hire a photographer, give the artist a golden easel and a cake, and move on. Hell, if they want a tinge of nostalgia, we'll even let the photographer use outdated technology, like film.

 

For a counter view, here's an ode to the courtroom artist. Blah. 

 

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As to the matter of Michael Vick, megafootballer-turned-prisoner, Boomer Esiason said it quite well in the pregame to the Westwood One radio Monday night coverage.

 

To paraphrase, Boomer said that it was a shame for Atlanta to have to deal with this situation, that everyone in the league was sick about it, and that hopefully Vick would straighten his act out in the slammer.

 

The NFL is also turning the page on Vick, with the mood more or less unified in quiet support for one of its own. This Sporting News story has a few good voices in it.

 

Sound off on Vick on the Fearless Forum.