It's Not the Size of the Dog in the Fight

If you're NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, you have to be approaching an all-time record for Advil (or alcohol) consumption today.

After dealing with the Tank Johnson saga and the Adam "Pacman" Jones mess, Goodell finds yet another publicity crisis in his lap.

When the dust settles and Goodell is charged with disciplining Michael Vick, it may be time to take "zero tolerance" to another level.

While an indictment does not mean that Vick has been found guilty, it means he will go to trial and would likely spend time in jail if convicted.

Given our legal system, there's a good chance Vick will get to play out this season before a verdict is reached. But if that verdict is guilty, Goodell needs to tighten the clamps like never before.

If found guilty of this federal offense, Michael Vick -- one of the most exciting and widely-admired players in the history of the game -- should be banned forever. It's harsh, but it would send a message to the ever-growing number of football-playing thugs who consider themselves oblivious to the law.

As for the Falcons, they must really be biting their nails through all of this. To lose the face of their franchise, a player they have stuck with through thick and thin, would be a tremendous blow to the gut.

And Matt Schaub? The backup Atlanta traded away because they thought they didn't need him? He's never looked quite this good.