Falcons owner Arthur Blank declined, multiple times, to say if he wants Michael Vick to play for his team this season — or if he wants him to ever wear a Falcons uniform again.

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Falcons owner Arthur Blank, at a news conference Tuesday, urged embattled quarterback, Michael Vick, to get 'his life together ... It would be very difficult for him to do that and focus on football at the same time.' Vick is facing felony dogfighting charges.

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This much is clear: The Falcons are set to move on without Vick, following his federal indictment last week on felony dogfighting charges.

At a taxing, 90-minute news conference Tuesday, Blank and team president and general manager Rich McKay acknowledged the team had drafted the paperwork necessary to suspend Vick for four games — the maximum a National Football League team can suspend a player for detrimental conduct — and discussed releasing Vick outright.

Blank also said that if he had any advice for Vick, who, along with three others, faces up to six years in prison and fines of up $350,000, it would be to stay away from football for a year.

Take that, as you will.

"My own counsel to Michael is that these charges are extremely serious," Blank, looking worn from the negativity the two-month investigation of Vick has caused.

"This is not about playing football in 2007. It's about having your life move forward. My only personal suggestion to Michael is he focus on his defense, getting his life together in that regard. It would be very difficult for him to do that and focus on football at the same time."

Blank said he briefly spoke to Vick late Wednesday and that Vick apologized to him for all the controversy his situation has generated.

In previous conversations since Vick fell under investigation in late April, Blank said he never asked him if he was involved in dogfighting.

Instead of suspending Vick, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stepped in and ordered Vick to stay away from the team indefinitely until a league-issued investigation determines whether Vick violated the newly strengthened player-conduct policy.

McKay said he was given no indication as to how long that will take, but the Falcons are prepared for him to miss the first four games of the season.

McKay did not say if that would be the punishment should the league determine that Vick violated the player-conduct policy.

The Falcons could still release Vick, or the NFL could impose its own sanctions, such as suspending Vick for the 2007 season.

The Falcons discussed a paid leave of absence for Vick, but decided against it because paying a player who could be involved in illegal activity could have set a bad precedent, McKay said.

The Falcons, league officials, players' union leaders and Vick's representatives also discussed allowing him to play while awaiting trial, but a suspension was deemed a more appropriate measure by the team, at the time.

Vick will attend bond and arraignment hearings in Richmond on Thursday, the same day the Falcons take the field for their first official practice of the 2007 season.

Blank said multiple times that the charges levied against Vick — losing or timid dogs were allegedly tortured, shot, hanged, drowned and electrocuted — were repulsive. He tended to follow his rebuke with claims of Vick's presumed innocence, but his angst was on full display.

Blank said he's so distressed by the situation and the 18-page indictment that he has wished he were back in Kenya, where he was earlier this month, with the "lions and cheetahs."

"I'm honestly very disappointed that Michael has put himself in the circumstances he finds himself in," Blank said. "I'm disappointed for him, for our coaches, players, our fans, our community, all the fans in the National Football League. We have to let this play out and see what the facts develop. I'm certainly disappointed by the circumstances."

Coach Bobby Petrino said the Falcons would have to galvanize and proceed as if Vick won't be there this season. Former Detroit Lions starter Joey Harrington will take over as the starter.

Blank did not say that Vick's image and likeness would not be used to promote the team but he did say that the Falcons, instead, would market other players and coaches to promote a team concept.