Vick case not out of bounds for parody merchandisers

The Baltimore Sun

SURRY, Va. -- If you're looking for an Atlanta Falcons jersey with Michael Vick's nickname, "Ookie," on the back, eBay's got you covered.

Or maybe a Michael Vick action figure with a plastic dog biting Vick's leg is more up your alley. Or a bumper sticker that says, "My dog beat Mike's dog!" Not a problem. Those are being sold on the site, too.

His trial hasn't begun, but that hasn't stopped the development of a cottage industry commemorating the tribulations of the quarterback.

Vick, 27, faces felony conspiracy charges relating to dogfighting. He pleaded not guilty Thursday in a federal courtroom in Richmond.

Official Vick merchandise has taken a hit since the charges were filed July 17. In Atlanta, the local newspaper is reporting that stores are no longer stocking replicas of his jersey on their shelves. Nike said July 19 that it was putting the release of Vick's latest signature shoe model on hold, and on Friday, the athletic apparel manufacturer said it would suspend Vick's endorsement contracts. On the same day, Reebok announced that it would suspend sales of its replicas of the star's jersey.

But headaches for Nike and Reebok can be good fortune smiling on entrepreneurs such as James Maz of DirtyRagz.com. His company is selling two Vick shirts: one that says, "Ron Mexico's Dirty Bird Dog Fighting," and another that reads, "Sack Vick," and pictures a dog urinating on a No. 7 football.

The Vick shirts are selling pretty well, for now, Maz said.

But the popularity of celebrity-parody T-shirts tends to ebb and flow with the fame or infamy of the celebrities themselves, Maz said.

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