BRIEFS: Vick leads

PHILADELPHIA (AP):

Michael Vick leads Pro Bowl voting 1¹/² years after he was released from prison.

The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback had 729,838 fan votes, nearly 39,000 more than second-place Peyton Manning, the NFL said yesterday. Manning topped the balloting two weeks ago.

"I think it's just a credit to everything I've tried to accomplish on and off the field, just working as hard as I can to change things around, be a part of the solution and not the problem," Vick said. "I changed my life and it just goes to show anybody can do it. It's an unfortunate situation, the things that happened, I wish I could go back and change it all. I wish I could take it all back. The only thing I can do is move forward."

It's the latest evidence many fans seem willing to forgive Vick for the vicious dogfighting operation that sent him to prison for 18 months - and embrace his stunning return to NFL stardom. A backup to start the season, Vick has led the Eagles to first place in the NFC East, accounting for 21 touchdowns and throwing just two interceptions.

Crowd trouble

ZILINA, Slovakia (AP):

The Champions League game between Zilina and Spartak Moscow was stopped for 20 minutes with the players having to leave the pitch due to Spartak fans throwing flares on to the field.

Referee Kevin Blom stopped play yesterday in the second minute of the Group F match and ordered the players to return to the changing rooms. Organisers warned the fans in Russian that the match could be cancelled unless they behaved.

Play then resumed after a 20-minute interruption.

A fan also ran on to the pitch in the opening minute.