Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va. ó Imprisoned quarterback Michael Vick filed for bankruptcy protection while serving time for federal dogfighting charges, saying he owes between $10 million and $50 million to creditors.
Vick filed Chapter 11 papers in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Newport News on Monday. The seven largest creditors listed in the court papers are owed a total of about $12.8 million.
Vick is serving a 23-month prison sentence at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., after pleading guilty last year to bankrolling a dogfighting ring. He was subsequently suspended indefinitely without pay and lost all his major sponsors, including Nike. He also faces state charges related to dogfighting.
The debt includes part of a signing bonus that the Falcons are seeking to recover.
After the plea on dogfighting charges, the Falcons tried to recover about $20 million in bonuses Vick earned from 2004 to 2007. But a federal judge held that Vick is entitled to keep all but $3.75 million of the money paid to him for playing football through the 2014 season.
MORE NFL
NEW YORK ó Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann are reuniting on television on NBC’s Sunday night NFL coverage.
The network announced Monday that it had hired Patrick, hoping the recapture the chemistry that hooked viewers to ESPN’s “SportsCenter” during the pair’s run from 1992-97.
“It was seamless. We never tried to understand why it worked,” Patrick said on a conference call. “It just did.”
Patrick joins the returning cast of NBC’s studio show that includes Olbermann and host Bob Costas.
COLLEGE HOOPS
CHAPEL HILLó The traffic case for North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson has been continued for another month.
The 20-year-old Lawson was scheduled to have his first appearance in court Tuesday following his June arrest for driving after consuming alcohol, violating a noise ordinance and driving with a suspended or revoked license.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ó Florida State’s inexperienced offensive line took a hit Tuesday when projected starting guard Evan Bellamy announced he’ll miss the 2008 season because of a blood clot.
– BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ó Samford football coach Pat Sullivan has added three major college transfers to the roster.The Bulldogs have signed quarterback Matt Malouf from the University of Memphis, along with Clemson receiver Jeff Ogren and LSU tight end J.D. Lott.
– BLOOMINGTON, Ind. ó Indiana quarterback Kellen Lewis was reinstated to the team Monday after being suspended for about four months.The school never explained why Lewis was suspended in March, but coach Bill Lynch said his star player did what was necessary to return to the team.
– KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ó Tennessee punter Britton Colquitt will spend 24 hours picking up litter and lose his license for a year after pleading guilty to drunken driving.
Colquitt, 23, was charged Feb. 17 with DUI and leaving the scene of an accident.
NHL
TAMPA, Fla. ó Mark Recchi signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, part of a massive roster overhaul for a team with new owners and a new coach after finishing with the worst record in the NHL.
Recchi, a a seven-time All-Star who has played 19 NHL seasons, had 14 goals and 48 points in 72 games with Pittsburgh and Atlanta in 2007-08.
– ST. PAUL, Minn.ó Owen Nolan, the 36-year-old power forward who spent last season with the Calgary Flames, signed a two-year, $5.5 million deal with the Minnesota Wild.
CYCLING
CHOLET, France ó Germany’s Stefan Schumacher surged to the overall lead in the Tour de France on Tuesday by winning the first individual time trial of the three-week race. He completed the 18.3 miles in 35 minutes, 44 seconds.