According to a broadcast report on ESPN’s SportsCenter, the two remaining co-defendants in the Michael Vick dogfighting case (Quanis Phillips and Purnell Peace) have filed paperwork to schedule hearing to enter plea agreements in the case.

The charges stem from their operation called “Bad Newz Kennels”, which sponsored a dogfighting ring so grisly the losers either died in the pit or sometimes were electrocuted, drowned, hanged or shot at the Surry County, Virginia-owned property of Vick.

More as this story develops later this evening…

***UPDATED at 11:38 PM ET***

As promised, an update: it appears that not only are his alleged co-defendants assumed to be making plea deals, but Vick himself might be working on a deal, too.  The Feds have given the legally troubled quarterback until Friday to decide if he wants to accept a plea agreement, too.  Should he take a pass on that, the government will likely levy additional charges against Vick.

Trinidad planning on return to the ring to face Jones Jr. (AP/ESPN)

Boxer Felix Trinidad is planning a comeback, this time to face Roy Jones, Jr., in a bout planned for January at a site to be determined.

Trinidad is a former welterweight, super welterweight and middleweight champion and a national hero in his homeland of Puerto Rico. He took 2½ years off before beating Ricardo Mayorga in 2004, but was dominated when he met Wright seven months later.

“It’s the people’s championship,” promoter Don King called it, flanked by both fighters at his South Florida headquarters. “Most fighters of ‘Tito’ Trinidad’s stature would want a warmup fight after being off for this long. Not ‘Tito’ Trinidad. This is going to be one of the most thrilling events we’ve seen in boxing in many, many decades. This is about pleasing the people.”

It’s gonna be quite the showshivalous occasion come January!

Riley reaffirms plans to coach Heat through ‘10 (AP/ESPN)

Miami Heat coach Pat Riley announced Monday that he’ll remain as bench boss of the club through 2010.  The coach told media that it’s just a coincidence that his contract duration juxtaposes that of stars Shaquille O’Neill and Dwyane Wade.

“He has to come back and be a part of my last year. He has to do that,” Alonzo Mourning said on the night he announced that 2007-08 would be his farewell. “It’s only appropriate. We started together and hopefully we can end it together on a positive note.”

Always one of our faves since “The Showtime” days in Los Angeles, we’re glad he’s sticking around for three more seasons in South Beach.

News and notes while UFC appears headed for HBO…

Contreras clears waivers (SI.com) Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that Jose Contreras has cleared waivers.  Now for the question: who’s gonna trade for him?

Beckham could turn out bad for MLS (CNBC) Darren Rovell of CNBC writes that David Beckham’s initial impression in MLS may place a cloud on his future impact.

Ripken officially becomes in goodwill role (AP/SI.com) Cal Ripken, Jr. officially sworn in as a special envoy for the U.S. State Department.

Scoop Jackson doesn’t like turning off his caps lock (The Big Lead) WRITING IS FUN!

Burn, baby burn: LaFleur’s en fuego! (Awful Announcing) Hockey great Guy LaFleur really enjoyed the late 1970s — video goodness.

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Andy Reid’s son pleads guilty to drug, gun charges (AP/ESPN)

The son of Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid has plead guilty to drug and gun charges stemming from a road-rage incident, the Associated Press is reporting.

Britt Reid will likely face some jail time as a result, with prosecutors seeking six to 14 months of incarceration while Reid’s defense team will seek probation.

New owners intend to move Sonics if deal can’t get done (The Journal Record/ESPN)

Aubrey McClendon, the chief executive of Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy and a minority owner of a group that purchased the NBA’s Seattle Sonics earlier this year, acknowledged what all of us knew when the deal went down: they bought the club with the intent to move them.

“But we didn’t buy the team to keep it in Seattle; we hoped to come here,” Aubrey McClendon, chief executive of Chesapeake Energy, told The Journal Record for a story in Monday’s edition. “We know it’s a little more difficult financially here in Oklahoma City, but we think it’s great for the community and if we could break even, we’d be thrilled.”

We long thought that the purchase was nothing more than a leverage play to get what they wanted from the city of Seattle by using the possibility of moving the team to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma as a negotiating tactic.  If they don’t get the terms they want in the next 60 days, they’d move them without remorse.

“They’ve got 60 days to make some decisions they haven’t been willing to make in the past year,” Aubrey McClendon told The Journal Record, “and if they make them in a way that satisfies Clay, then the team will stay there. If they don’t meet the requirements he’s laid out, the team will move, and Clay has indicated they’ll come to Oklahoma City.”

It is a bit refreshing to see some frankness when it comes to these hostage negotiations, but it’s quite lousy that a fanbase has to deal with this rollercoaster ride.

Cards sizzle; Encarnacion boils (STL Today)

The breakout return of St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Rick Ankiel has certainly fired up teammates and fans in St. Louis and abroad.  Three home runs in four games and a sizzling .375 batting average have caught the national media’s attention as well, as they devote stories on “The Comeback Kid.”

But not all teammates are thrilled because with someone’s great success means a loss of playing time.

Take Juan Encarnacion…please.

Encarnacion is happy to see that Ankiel has turned his baseball fortunes around with his triumph return to the bigs after a long journey, but he’s not thrilled with essentially being relegated to a bench role now in the Cardinals’ line-up.  With wounded pride, the Cardinal fans’ whipping boy sounded off to St. Louis Post-Dispatch beat writes Joe Strauss.

More after the jump »

King: Key storylines coming up this week (SI.com)

Peter King pens another edition of Morning Morning Quarterback that chalk full of the typical goodies, plus something a little extra: travel talk.

Making like Larry King, here are a few travel notes for your highlighted approval:

• Northwest Airlines serves Cherry Garcia ice cream and Tillamook cheddar cheese in first class. (Gotta love the perks of being a Continental silver elite flyer, and having their program share flyer programs with Northwest.)

• If Denver’s airport were not in suburban Bismarck, it would be the most pleasant airport in the country. The distance from downtown drives you crazy.

• Flying this summer is like taking the bus. Only most times it’s less comfortable. Denver to Newark the other night, in the middle seat in coach of a soldout flight, was something to be endured.

After the jump, we’ll hit upon actual NFL notes!

More after the jump »

The morning after Magglio Ordonez goes yard twice — in the same inning…

Brian Giles hit his fifth of his seven home runs this season in the past three days; Michael Young knocked his 100th home run in Arlington; St. Louis’ Ryan Ludwick drove in four runs and hit a monster dinger into “Big Mac Land” and Jeff Francouer nailed two runners at home plate and rocketed another throw 40 feet off the mark.

Yanks 5, Indians 3 — Jason Giambi homered for the second straight day as the Yankees beat the Indians 5-3 to complete a series — and season — sweep at Jacobs Field.

A’s 6, Tigers 11 — Detroit’s Placido Polanco tied a major league record by playing his 143rd consecutive game without an error at second base as the Tigers rolled past the visiting Athletics 11-6.

Red Sox 3, O’s 6  (10 innings) — Eric Gagne had another rough outing for the Red Sox, blowing an eighth-inning lead by allowing a tying home run by Miguel Tejada as the Orioles went on to beat Boston in extra innings on a Kevin Millar walk-off dinger off Kyle Snyder.

M’s 6, White Sox 0 — Jeff Weaver had a season-high eight strikeouts and retired 11 in a row during one stretch to get his second shutout of the season and netted a complete game win against the White Sox.  Chicago’s Bobby Jenks took the mound and pitched a perfect ninth inning, breaking David Wells’ American League record and tying the major league record of 41 straight batters retired.

Twins 2, Angels 6 — Jeff Weaver scattered five hits and two runs with no walks over 7 1/3 innings, and Los Angeles pulled away with two homers for a three-game sweep of the Twins.

BlueJays 5, Royals 1 — Lyle Overbay sparked the offense for the Blue Jays with a 3-for-5 night at the plate with two RBIs as A.J. Burnett allowed a run on three hits in 7 1/3 innings of work for a 5-1 win over Kansas City.

D’Rays 1, Rangers 9 – Michael Young homered, Marlon Byrd had a two-run single and Willie Eyre threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings of emergency relief to lead the Texas Rangers to a 9-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

More after the jump »

News and notes while Babe Ruth scored with gals in houses of ill refute…

Ankiel surprising scouts (FOX Sports) Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes that scouts are coming away with positive impressions of pitcher-turned-outfielder Rick Ankiel after his first five games.

Woods gets luck No.13 (AP/ESPN) With wife Elin and daughter Sam Alexis looking on, Tiger holds off runs by Woody Austin and Ernie Els to capture his 13th career major.

U.S. women rout New Zealand (AP/Soccernet) Forward Amy Wambach and midfielder Carli Lloyd each potted two goals apiece in the U.S. Women’s rout of New Zealand 6-1 in Chicago.

Jets’ Jones limps off practice field (AP/SI.com) Offseason acquisition Thomas Jones injured his lower leg in running back drills. Take notice, fantasy players.

NFL denies impending Vick suspension (/USA Today) An NFL spokesman flatly denied late Sunday night a report that Commissioner Roger Goodell was close to announcing that Michael Vick would be suspended for the 2007 season for his alleged involvement in dogfighting.

Sources: Vick suspension near (Y! Sports)

Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports reports that the National Football League is inching towards suspending troubled Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick for the 2007 season.

Said the other source: “The plan was to make sure it was announced before the season. Given what everybody has seen from what (league) security found and what the feds are telling us, there’s really no choice.”

Commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to make an announcement on the player’s fate at some point during this week.  There is still now word whether or not Vick would be allowed to return if he miraculously was acquitted of federal dogfighting charges.