Vick leaves jail - likely for bankruptcy hearing

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9321744/Vick-leaves-prison,-likely-for-bankruptcy-hearing

Vick was at the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City on Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman Felicia Ponce said. The bureau's Web site simply listed Vick as being "in transit" and Ponce said she could not disclose the inmate's ultimate destination until he arrives.

It was not clear when Vick left the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan. Two weeks ago, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Frank Santoro demanded that Vick testify at an April 2 hearing in Newport News about whether his Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan should be confirmed.

Another judge issued a court order directing federal marshals to bring the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback to Virginia for the hearing. It was unclear how long Vick would be at the Oklahoma facility and when he might arrive in Virginia.

Vick's attorneys did not immediately return phone messages left by The Associated Press.


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Vick leaves prison; likely off to hearing
Top stories | Rumors | Video | Photos Vick is serving 23 months for bankrolling a dogfighting conspiracy. He is eligible to move into home confinement no earlier than May 21 and is scheduled to be released from custody July 20.

Vick will likely be kept in a southeastern Virginia jail until the hearing, but it wasn't known which one. Newport News Sheriff Gabe Morgan said he had not been notified that Vick would be staying in the city jail, but it was possible Vick and federal marshals would show up unannounced.

The judge overseeing Vick's bankruptcy case rejected the idea of allowing testimony by video hookup, saying he needed Vick in the courtroom so he could assess his demeanor and credibility.

Longer season in the NFL ?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4015357

DANA POINT, Calif. -- More games that count, perhaps as early as August 2011? That's exactly what NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wants.

There are several hurdles before the league can expand its regular season from 16 to 17 or 18 games. Among them is reaching a new collective bargaining agreement with the players' union.

Still, the commissioner hopes to present a proposal to the owners in May after the matter was discussed at length this week at the owners meetings.

"It's possible that we could vote in May, but we want to have core discussions on this," Goodell said Wednesday. "Anytime you have change, there is some reluctance. But it's clear we don't need four preseason games anymore."

Goodell said the league has not seriously discussed the subject with its broadcast partners. He couldn't imagine them not being interested in more meaningful games.

"I think the quality of NFL programming, that every one of our network partners would say, if they have the chance to have more regular-season programming, they'd be interested in it," Goodell said. "A key point is the fans also recognize players they want to see are not in those preseason games; that's why they are not attractive. They want to see those players play."

As for those players and their union, Goodell recognizes an expanded schedule will be part of CBA negotiations. Owners opted out of the current deal last year, and it expires after the 2010 schedule, which would be an uncapped season.

"Under the current agreement, additional regular-season games would not be covered," Goodell said. "I think our most important priority after we get done with our internal analysis is talking to our key partners, and that includes the players. I think we want to make sure that the right dialogue takes place before we make any final votes."

DeMaurice Smith, the NFLPA's incoming executive director, wants any decision that affects the players to happen collaboratively.

"His hope is that the concerns and interests of the players will be seriously considered," said George Atallah, a director at the public relations firm Qorvis Communications and a spokesman for Smith during his transition. "He was elected by the players to be their advocate on such issues and is more than ready to serve them."

Among the issues team owners must discuss is when the regular season would begin; how many bye weeks would be scheduled; how deep into February the playoffs and Super Bowl would go; and when the offseason programs -- including the combine and the draft -- would be held.

Plus, where would the extra games be played, particularly with 17 of them?

One possibility, an idea Goodell and senior vice president of sales and marketing Mark Waller first mentioned several years ago, would be 17 neutral-site games, including some abroad. That would enable the league to step up its efforts internationally, a particular goal of Goodell's.

UCONN caught cheating in Men's Basketball

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/sports/ncaabasketball/26UConn.html?ref=sports

University of Connecticut men’s basketball coaches broke N.C.A.A. contact rules in the recruiting of Nate Miles, a former player, according to a report by Yahoo Sports on Wednesday. The article drew on cellphone records to detail contact among Miles, UConn coaches and a former student manager.

Yahoo cited multiple sources in establishing a relationship between Miles and Josh Nochimson, who became an agent after his years as a UConn student manager. By N.C.A.A. rules, Yahoo reported, Nochimson would be a representative of the college’s athletic interests. Therefore, providing Miles with lodging, transportation and meals, which the report alleges, might be a serious violation.

UConn released a statement on Wednesday addressing the allegations and promising to look into the report’s details.

“The N.C.A.A.’s Eligibility Center reviewed all information that it had concerning the student-athlete’s eligibility status and determined that he was eligible for his freshman year,” the statement said. “The student-athlete departed from the university before ever participating in athletics competition.”

The controversy surrounds Miles, a 6-foot-7 swingman from Toledo, Ohio, who signed with UConn in 2007 and was expelled as a freshman in 2008 when he violated a restraining order obtained against him by a female student. Miles never played a game for UConn and played this season at the College of Southern Idaho, a junior college.

N.C.A.A. rules limit contact to one phone call a month to recruits (or their family or associates) still in their junior year of high school, but Yahoo reported a stream of communications with Nochimson and significant phone calls and texts to Miles himself. Tom Moore, a former UConn assistant coach, was reported to have made 27 calls to Miles’s guardian and a man Miles called his uncle as well as three calls to Miles in December 2006 alone.

UK beats UNLV - I still don't care

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=290760096

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Jodie Meeks scored 19 points and Patrick Patterson added 16 as Kentucky got past UNLV 70-60 Tuesday night in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament, the first NIT appearance in three decades for a Wildcats team accustomed to bigger stages in March.

If there was lingering disappointment after the Wildcats snapped a 17-year streak of appearing in the NCAA tournament, it didn't show on the court.

Kentucky (21-13) scrambled for every loose ball, building a 20-point lead midway through the second half then weathering a late surge by UNLV (21-11) to advance to the next round against the winnner of Creighton and Bowling Green.

With Rupp Arena unavailable due to a scheduling conflict, Kentucky played a game at Memorial Coliseum for the first time since 1976.

Wink Adams led the Rebels with 14 points.

UK to play in the NIT

And you know what, who cares? This team was a disgrace to Kentucky basketball.

NCAA Brackets a joke

How three Big East teams got a number one seed is a joke. None, and I repeat, none of the Big East teams will even make the Final Four. Memphis was robbed of a number one seed they deserved. The ACC will easily over power any Big East team that gets in their way - watch and learn!

Giants - NO Burress

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3987769

NEWARK, N.J. -- The New York Giants opened their voluntary offseason workouts on Monday, knowing that the next event to shape the team will happen at the end of the month when Plaxico Burress faces a court date on a felony gun charge.

Burress did not attend Monday's workouts, nor was he expected.

NFL.com Video

Commissioner Roger Goodell comments on disciplinary action for Plaxico Burress.
The Giants have stated for months that they will wait for the legal process to conclude before deciding what to do with the speedy receiver who caught the pass that won a Super Bowl more than 13 month ago.

Burress is due in court on March 31. If convicted of the felony charge, Burress faces a mandatory 3½ years in prison.

"I don't have anything further to add to where we are," coach Tom Coughlin said when asked about Burress, who accidentally shot himself in the right thigh in November at a New York nightclub and was suspended by the team for the final four games of last season. "You all know the legal process is forthcoming, and pretty much, that's where we are. I don't have anything new to report."

Coughlin refused to speculate on Burress' future.

"I wouldn't even go into that," he said. "As I always say, that kind of speculation is fruitless. I don't see any benefit in that."

Even if Burress is acquitted, the NFL could decide to suspend him or the Giants might decide that they have had enough of a talented player who has been fined dozens of times for various team violations.

Burress was suspended for a game early last season for missing a team meeting. He sat out the final four for conduct detrimental to the team.

Unfortunately for the Giants, they were 11-1 with Burress on the team and 1-4 in the final five, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC semifinal. Without Burress, the offense lost its only deep threat and became predictable.

Quarterback Eli Manning said Monday that he has reached out to Burress in the offseason.

"I've sent some texts and just tried to keep up with him and tell him I'm thinking about him," Manning said in a conference call. "In that situation there's a lot of waiting and seeing. I guess we'll find something out these next couple of weeks about what's going to happen."

The Giants opted to help their defense when free agency opened earlier this month, signing defensive linemen Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard and linebacker Michael Boley.

Manning wasn't surprised, noting a good defense gets the offense the ball in good field position and there is less pressure to score if the defense is playing well.

The 2008 Super Bowl MVP also felt the Giants already have some young players who can go deep with Mario Manningham, Domenik Hixon and Steve Smith.

"We'll see what happens the rest of the offseason and in the draft," Manning said. "Maybe we'll add another guy. Some of that is going to depend on Plaxico and what he's going to do. But I think some of these guys can make big plays for us and can catch the ball and give us some explosive plays in the passing game, as well as have that in the running game as well."

Manning was certain of one thing, the Giants weren't happy with the way they finished the season.

"We played so well during the regular season, so we had high expectations going into the playoffs. We felt we had a good shot at making a strong run. There was just disappointment after the season," he said.

Defensive end Justin Tuck believes the additions on the defensive line and the return of two-time Pro Bowler Osi Umenyiora, who missed last season with a knee injury, makes the Giants the team to beat.

"Obviously, it is good for our D-line because we were a pretty formidable group before these two signings and now I think it definitely puts us up there with the elite or close to the elite D-line in the country," Tuck said.


Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press