Friday, Aug. 17, 2007

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Facing increasing pressure to strike a deal with prosecutors, Atlanta Falcons star Michael Vick conferred with his attorneys for hours Wednesday.

Linebacker Junior Seau of the Patriots holds a ball during training camp on Wednesday. AP PHOTO

The conference call came two days after Vick's two remaining co-defendants scheduled plea hearings, presumably agreeing to testify against Vick if his federal dogfighting conspiracy case goes to trial as scheduled Nov. 26.

"The defense and Michael are meeting," Collins R. Spencer III, a spokesman for Vick's five lawyers, said Wednesday afternoon. At least some of the parties were participating by telephone in a meeting that began in late morning and continued well into the afternoon, he said.

"It seems they're going to be talking a while," Spencer said.

Prosecutors were not involved in the meeting, he said.

Spencer declined to say whether Vick and his lawyers were discussing a possible plea agreement in hopes of reducing his punishment and perhaps allowing him to eventually resume his NFL career.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is awaiting results of the league's own investigation of the case before determining what action to take against Vick. Under NFL policy, a player can be banned for life for gambling or associating with gambling.

The July 17 indictment and a statement signed by former co-defendant Tony Taylor, who pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with the government, link Vick to betting.

Two other co-defendants — Purnell Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach, and Quanis Phillips, 28, of Atlanta — will enter plea agreements Friday morning, and prosecutors have said they will seek a superseding indictment later this month that could mean additional charges against Vick.

Scott Sundby, a professor at the Washington & Lee University Law School and a former special assistant U.S. attorney in Miami, said Vick could cut a deal even after a superseding indictment is issued — but the terms would be less favorable.

"Prosecutors tend to be more lenient early and more hard-nosed later," he said.

NAPA, Calif. (AP) Lane Kiffin moved around the practice field slowly, instead of the way he usually pops from drill to drill. When the Oakland Raiders coach had something to tell one of his players, he would call him aside and do it face-to-face instead of yelling it out for all to hear.

Kiffin was back at practice Wednesday after missing the previous two days while being hospitalized for a viral infection. But it was a very different Kiffin, who was under orders from his doctor not to yell or exert energy.

"I guess a lot of head coaches coach that way anyway, so I'm going to get to see what it's like," he said.

For the players, it was very strange to see their energetic 32-year-old coach acting so subdued as opposed his usual demeanor. They razzed him a bit, with some even wearing surgical masks to the team meeting before practice.

Kiffin said the doctors are "95 percent" sure he has mononucleosis and are treating him that way. Doctors are awaiting results of some final tests before they're sure of what Kiffin has. He lost 5 kg while he was sick.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Arrowhead Stadium, with the family of the late Lamar Hunt kicking in an extra $50 million, is going to get a $375 million renovation.

The 35-year-old home of the Kansas City Chiefs will expand by approximately 46,450 square meters and will include a roughly 50 percent increase in concessions and an 80 percent increase in bathroom facilities. The concourse width will double and there will be a Chiefs Hall of Fame.

Construction will take about three years and include a new training facility with a 100-yard indoor field and a separate building to house coaches and front office executives.

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