Hat tip to AOL Fanhouse who tracked down the official statement somehow or someway. Despite it showing up on the Official Site, there was no mention of it on the front page from what I saw. Anyways, here's the statement:
I have a hard time squaring this with his original statements which were, among others:
- "I don't know if he was fighting dogs or not but it's his property, it's his dog. If that's what he wants to do, do it. You know?"
- "[Dog fighting] can't be too bad of a crime."
- "You take somebody that's doing positive in the community. You take a positive role model and put them behind bars for no reason, you know. Over a dog fight?"
But let's not dwell. Clinton Portis made a foolish statement and, although an apology is lacking, backed away from some of the implications of said statement. I'll be happy to forget this incident as football related news takes its place. There is nothing criminal about being on the wrong side of an issue so long as you do not act on it. As Ryan Wilson pointed out, Portis' views on dog fighting really shouldn't interest us up until that moment he pits dogs into mortal combat:
DC Sports Bog, Humane Society Responds to Clinton Portis
The Falcoholic, Yet More Vick News
USA Today, Portis no longer advocates dogfighting