Vick to take deal with jail time likely
RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick, named in dog-fighting charges, decided Monday to enter a plea deal that likely includes time in jail.
Vick's attorney Lawrence Woodward said Vick, 27, would enter a guilty plea to a federal conspiracy charge next Monday in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Va.
Vick was among four men indicted on charges related to an alleged dog-fighting and betting operation on property Vick owns in Virginia. Vick's three co-defendants have entered into plea agreements in which they admitted to a role in the dog-fighting scheme.
It was reported that as part of Vick's plea agreement, federal prosecutors would recommend the quarterback be sentenced to at least a year in prison.
Another Vick attorney, Billy Martin, said: "Mr. Vick has agreed to enter a plea of guilty to those charges and to accept full responsibility for his actions and the mistakes he has made. Michael wishes to apologize again to everyone who has been hurt by this matter."
In court documents last week, two of Vick's co-defendants said the quarterback was involved in the operation and helped kill dogs that lost fights. They also alleged that funds behind the operation -- called Bad Newz Kennels -- came almost entirely from Vick.
Vick has been barred by the NFL from joining the Falcons training camp. The league has said, if Vick made a plea deal, it would review the case.
Confiscated dogs may face euthanasia
NORFOLK, Va., Aug. 20 (UPI) -- A federal judge is preparing to make a ruling on the fate of the trained fighting dogs seized from Michael Vick’s Surry County, Va., property.
The 53 pit bulls have been trained to be fighters, not pets, which has led animal rights groups to push for the pups to be euthanized, The Norfolk Virginian-Pilot reported Monday.
The U.S. attorney's office has given until Thursday for any of the dogs’ owners to come forward to claim a pet.
If no one claims ownership, the case will be transferred to a federal judge who can either sell the dogs or dispose of them "by other humane means."
Animal rights experts said “other humane means” usually results in killing the dogs.
Ricky Rudd to retire from NASCAR
BROOKLYN, Mich., Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Ricky Rudd, second only to Richard Petty in career NASCAR starts, plans to retire at the end of this racing season.
Rudd made the announcement Sunday during the rain delay in the NASCAR race at Brooklyn, Mich.
"I've been fortunate that it's something that I've loved to do, had fun doing and made a good living doing it," Rudd said. "To run the schedule week-in and week-out, it's more demanding than it used to be. And it's really become a young guys' sport: a single guy or a guy that's married and no kids, which means guys in their 20s and early 30s, just because there are so many demands on your schedule. I guess I'm not willing to make those sacrifices for that full-time schedule anymore."
Rudd made his racing debut on March 2, 1975, finishing 11th at Rockingham. He won at least one race in 16 consecutive seasons from 1983-98. He will top the 900 mark in starts, second on the all-time list to Petty's 1,184, before this season ends. Rudd has won 23 races and has 374 top 10 finishes.
Mets get Conine from Cincinnati
NEW YORK, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- The New York Mets got infielder-outfielder Jeff Conine from the Cincinnati Reds Monday in a trade for minor leaguers Jose Castro and Sean Henry.
Conine hit .265 with six homers and 32 RBI in 80 games with the Reds this season. In 215 at-bats, he also had 11 doubles and scored 23 runs.
Conine, 41, can play both corner infield positions, as well as the corner outfield spots. Most of his action this season was at first base.
A career .285 hitter with 214 homers and 1,066 RBI, Conine entered the league in 1990. In 120 career at-bats as a pinch-hitter, he has an average of .292 with three homers and 21 RBI.
Castro, a 20-year-old infielder, was hitting .318 with two homers and 25 RBI in 77 games at Class A St. Lucie.
Henry, 22, had a .298 average with 11 homers and 57 RBI catching for St. Lucie.
