In federal court and in most state courts the probation department prepares a report containing the information that Aaron noted. In federal court the judges have guidelines that are complex and must be factored into the sentencing. In addition, the DOJ's recommendation will depend upon whether Vick makes good on his promise to provide additional information about the practice of dog fighting, naming names, and providing other information to assist in future prosecutions. That takes time.

Am glad that SU lost out to VT in the 1990's scramble for Michael Vick. We had him locked up (it is said) when one of our coaches did something or said something to Michael Vick's high school coach and alledgedly the coach would not let Michael come to SU saying that none of his players would ever go to us. Michael's mother wanted him to come to SU but the coach won out. Had Vick come he would have had a red shirt year behind Donovan McNabb and then stepped in and been our All American for one, two or three years. But we lost him---we don't have an active chapter of dog fighting in Syracuse.