Michael Vick moved one step closer to being tried on state dogfighting charges Wednesday at a hearing to make sure he has legal representation. An attorney for the suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback appeared in Surry County Circuit Court and was asked to return Nov. 27 to set a trial date. Vick, who did not attend the hearing, is in the midst of a big week.
One day after insisting he’d stick with Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams coach Scott Linehan benched his banged-up quarterback. The winless Rams will go with backup Gus Frerotte on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, Linehan said Wednesday. Frerotte and Bulger, who has been ineffective while playing with two broken ribs, both got the news Tuesday from the coach and the switch was made public before…
The owner of Lowe’s Motor Speedway threatened to shut down the track and open another one somewhere else after the city council derailed his plans to build a drag-racing strip at the site. City officials angered Bruton Smith when they voted this week to change zoning to ban drag strips, addressing concerns of nearby residents worried the noise would disturb their neighborhoods and decrease…
Yi Jianlian, Milwaukee’s top draft pick, declined to answer whether he was actually 19 or 22 years old on Thursday, again dodging a question that’s hounded him since announcing he was coming to the NBA. Yi’s birth certificate lists him as being born Oct. 27, 1987, but he’s long been rumored older. About 50 reporters — including a contingent of Chinese media — spoke with Yi (EE’) for the first time…
Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez had arthroscopic surgery Wednesday to repair his injured left shoulder. Ramirez had the surgery to repair torn labrum tissue, Marlins spokesman Matt Roebuck said. Ramirez is expected to be ready for spring training. Ramirez dislocated his shoulder while swinging at a pitch during a July 22 game against Cincinnati.
Ned Yost will return next season as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, although general manager Doug Melvin didn’t sound as if the team was giving him a long-term commitment. “I’m not prepared to make a change with Ned at this point. But again, the bar is raised for all of us. I don’t take anything for granted,” Melvin said Wednesday.
The St. Louis Blues signed veteran right wing Mike Johnson on Thursday. The 33-year-old Johnson played last season in Montreal and had 11 goals, 20 assists and 40 penalty minutes. Johnson, a 10-year veteran with 127 career goals, has scored 20 or more goals twice in a career that has also included stops in Phoenix, Tampa Bay and Toronto.
India beat South Africa to qualify for the semi-finals of the ICC World Twenty20, while New Zealand also go through to the last four.
Andrea Bargnani will be the center of attention inside the arena for the Toronto Raptors. NBA rivals back home probably will be more interested in the performance of the revamped Boston Celtics. The Celtics take on the Raptors on Saturday in Rome to open the NBA Europe Live preseason tour. Bargnani was selected by the Raptors with the No.
The New York Yankees have bat boys with more playoff experience than most of the Cleveland Indians. The big boys from the Bronx have enough World Series rings to fill up a jewelry store’s display case. They’ve owned Octobers, winning 26 championships as the most successful franchise in professional sports.
