The New York Giants have shoved every distraction aside, including a shooting incident involving their star receiver, to become as dominant as, say, a Chicago Bulls team with Michael Jordan.

Former NFL star quarterback Michael Vick pleaded guilty Tuesday to a state dogfighting charge, a necessary step to make him eligible for early release from prison and potentially speed a return to the NFL.

As Michael Vick appears in a Virginia court to answer state dogfighting charges today, he has reason to hope his aim of one day returning to the NFL could be realized.

Liberty athletics director Jeff Barber stood underneath the goal post at the north end of Williams Stadium on Saturday afternoon after the Flames’ 26-3 dismantling of 12th-ranked Elon. Well-wishers stopped to shake Barber’s hand. One asked about Liberty’s playoff hopes.

Hopewell Regional Jail Superintendent Darnley Hodge said Friday that the former NFL star is being held in protective custody.

It took the Lynchburg College women’s soccer team about as long to seize the lead in the Hornets’ first-round NCAA Division III Tournament match as it did for the rain that erupted as the starting lineups were being introduced Saturday to soak everyone gathered around Shellenberger Field.

LC and Maryville finally got to take the field for warm-ups under mostly sunny skies after a 30-minute delay to sweep the standing water off the field. But as the teams lined up to be introduced, some very dark clouds rolled in and then a sudden blast of blinding rain and wind that tore banners from fences took center stage.

The Hornets (20-0-3) recaptured the spotlight just 53 seconds into the match as sophomore forward Betsy Kwiatkowski smashed a loose ball into the goal from around the top of the penalty area and Lynchburg stormed into the second round with a 3-0 victory over the Scots (17-4-1).

BRIDGEWATER — Coming into Friday’s Division 4, Region III semifinal game against Jefferson Forest, Turner Ashby’s biggest win came on the foot of its kicker.

It seemed ironic then, that its most devastating loss came on another team’s extra point.

A tranquil starry sky belied a bitter wind as the first bobbing headlamps signaled runners crossing the James River into Amherst County.

NEW YORK (AP) — Tim Lincecum was a big winner on a woeful team, which fit him perfectly.

Authorities say an argument over Saturday’s Alabama-LSU football game led to the shooting deaths of a couple at a home in southern Alabama.

As Matt Ryan was to Boston College, Riley Skinner is to Wake Forest. So says University of Virginia football coach Al Groh, whose team faces Skinner and the Demon Deacons today in Winston-Salem, N.C.

LANDOVER, Md. - When the end finally came, the Washington Redskins were battered, bruised and black and blue and red all over.

It turns out that synchronized swimming - often lumped with cheerleading, ballroom dancing and other activities as hobbies rather than sports - is a lot harder than it looks.

Two winning teams. Prime-time football. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins duking it out on the field not far from the nation’s capital, while John McCain and Barack Obama get in a last round of campaigning via television at halftime.
Think this is a big deal?
“We’re coming in 6-2; they’re 5-2. It’s going to be the day before the election,” Redskins guard Randy Thomas said with a big smile. “I mean goll-ee. It’s going to be nice.”

Jacory Harris threw a tying touchdown pass in the final minute and another one in overtime to give Miami a 24-17 win over Virginia today that gave the Hurricanes a tie for the lead in the ACC’s Coastal Division.

Suspended NFL quarterback Michael Vick will have to be flown back to Virginia at state expense to plead guilty to state dogfighting charges two days before Thanksgiving.

PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Now that they’ve won the World Series, the Philadelphia Phillies get to celebrate with a parade down Broad Street on Halloween. Their costume problem is solved. They can go dressed as champions

Ten Lynchburg men traveled to Tucson, Ariz., the weekend of Oct. 17-19 and faced the ultimate challenge for a team of non-professional tennis players.

Competing in a Davis Cup-like format, the group placed third out of 17 teams at the United States Tennis Association’s 4.5-level national championships.

More rain and possible snow showers were expected Tuesday, so commissioner Bud Selig said Game 5 was tentatively set to resume at 8:37 p.m. Wednesday night.

The World Series matchup of the Tampa Bay Rays and some team from Philadelphia will be decided on the baseball diamond. Another important rivalry will be decided on the lunch plate, the battle of the Tampa Bay area’s iconic Cuban sandwich and the Philly cheesesteak.

Imagine landing three perfect 10s in the floor exercise, balance beam and the vault in gymnastics, or hitting home runs in three consecutive trips to the plate in baseball or softball.

Last week at the Ice Works Skating Complex in Aston, Pa., Sammie Veloso, 15, of Bedford, achieved the figure skating equivalent of that trifecta.

Former NFL quarterback Michael Vick plans to enter a plea next week on state dogfighting charges in Virginia.

Down to their last chance, the Tampa Bay Rays left no doubt they were World Series-worthy, after all.

How about some props for the Washington Redskins’ defense? With several big plays, the Redskins shut down the Cleveland Browns 14-11 Sunday, throttling a team that looked unstoppable against the world champions only a week earlier

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) - Jeff Burton failed to win a championship when he was anointed NASCAR’s next big star, the guy everyone thought would challenge for multiple titles.

The start of the Jim Haslett era, so maybe the ball is finally going to bounce the Rams’ way. The defense forced the Washington Redskins offense into its first three turnovers of the season, and Josh Brown kicked a 49-yard field goal on the last play Sunday to give the two-touchdown underdogs a 19-17 victory.

CHARLOTTESVILLE — That 31-point win over Maryland? No fluke. The University of Virginia football team, despite some shaky moments, proved that Saturday at Scott Stadium.

Liberty’s defense sat on the sidelines Saturday, watching the offense eat up more than nine minutes of the first quarter on its first drive. So when the chance came for the Flames to send Stony Brook a defensive message, safety Ryan Greiser jumped at the opportunity.

Mark Vines never earned legendary status on the ATP men’s tennis circuit, but he’s certainly made a name for himself on the USTA masters scene over the past 15 years.

Thirty-five four-person teams were on hand to compete in the 5th Annual Awareness Garden Golf Tournament at Boonsboro Country Club on Monday.
The golf tournament serves as the primary fundraiser for the Awareness Garden’s scholarship program that benefits the children of those effected by cancer.