Bidding high on purported Vick notes

Bids topped $10,000 Thursday on an Internet auction site for what an animal rights group says are notes from football star Michael Vick's speech apologizing for a dogfighting scandal.

The Humane Society of the United States is selling on eBay the single-page, six-point outline of the speech Vick gave at an Aug. 27 news conference in Richmond after pleading guilty in his dogfighting case.

The group is planning to put all proceeds in a restricted account dedicated to the prevention of dog fighting.

"Our motive is only to help animals and it would be something if we can do that through taking the conduct of Michael Vick and turning it into something positive," said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States.

Bidding has been fierce since the group first offered the notes on Tuesday, even though there is no verification that the notes were used by Vick.

Vick attorney Billy Martin said through a spokesman that the notes were not taken by Vick. The spokesman would not say whether an adviser or attorney wrote the notes for him.

Pacelle said a society employee retrieving a microphone found the notes on a hotel ballroom podium after Vick walked away from it at the end of his news conference.

The talking points were written on a slip of notepad paper with the logo of the Omni hotel. The note reads:

1. Apologize for what I've done.

2. Apologize Commissioner, AB, Petrino, Ashamed, Disappointed.

3. Young Kids I acted immat.

4. Forgiveness + Understanding

5. Take Full Responsibility For my Actions.

6. We All Make Mistakes. I've made mistakes in judement (sic).

Scrawled in the corner in similar handwriting and separated by a line is the statement, "Dogs have Suffered."

In his remarks, Vick said, "Dog fighting is a terrible thing and I do reject it."

Michael Markarian, a Humane Society of the United States spokesman, said although the group can't prove authenticity, it believes the notes were at least written for Vick because they are written in first person.

Vick was seen carrying a small piece of paper in his hand when he walked to the podium, Markarian said. The slip of paper can be seen on YouTube video of Vick's speech, which also shows that he walked away from the podium empty-handed.

The auction of the note comes after a Missouri woman paid $7,400 on eBay for 22 Vick football cards that had been chewed up and slobbered on by two Missouri dogs. Other chewed cards and Vick memorabilia have also been offered on the site.

___

On the Net:

Humane Society of the United States: http://www.hsus.org

eBay: http://www.ebay.com