*U.S. congressman Tom Lantos (D-Calif) has joined the cause against Michael Vick, firing off a letter Friday that urged NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to "act swiftly and forcefully" if the Atlanta Falcons quarterback was involved in dog fighting on his former property. The senior member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee joined two prominent animals rights groups in lobbying Goodell to suspend or ban any players involved in dog fighting. "As evidence of Mr. Vick's involvement mounts, I implore you to act swiftly and forcefully," the congressman wrote. "Your strong rebuke of dog fighting — and those who promote it — will send the message that this all-too-prevalent practice has no place in a civilized society."

*NFL receiver Keyshawn Johnson - who was cut from the Carolina Panthers within days of the team drafting wideout Dwayne Jarrett from his alma mater USC – has met recently with officials from the Tennessee Titans, AP reports. Johnson, who turns 35 in July, met with the team on Friday but said he has no timetable for when he hopes to have a deal. "At the end of the day ... we'll just see where it goes from here and do business," he told WTVF-TV. "I don't have any timetable, to be honest with you. There's no rush on my part. I came to meet the organization, meet the people, see the community and stuff like that."

*Linebacker A.J. Nicholson was arrested on a domestic violence charge Friday, the first arrest of a Cincinnati Bengals player since NFL commissioner Roger Goodell cracked down on misconduct last month. Nicholson already was one of nine Bengals players arrested during a nine-month span, turning the team into a prime example of player misconduct. Police in nearby Taylor Mill, Ky. arrested Nicholson after a woman called 911 on Friday afternoon to say she had been hit in the face by the second-year player. The responding officer saw that the woman had an injury by her eye. Nicholson wasn't at the apartment, but later showed up at the police station and was arrested. He was charged with fourth-degree assault, a misdemeanor, and faces up to 12 months in jail and a $500 fine if convicted. He was detained in the Kenton County (Ky.) Detention Center following his arrest and released late Friday on $5,000 bond.

*Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson said Friday he's ready to accept whatever punishment NFL commissioner Roger Goodell gives him for his recent off-field problems that included a two-month stint in jail. "I feel like whatever sanction he imposes, I'm man enough to take it and I know that once I get back on the field, that chapter of my life is closed and I can move on with a sense of closure," Johnson said Friday, two days after his 90-minute meeting with Goodell in New York. Johnson now awaits a decision on a possible suspension for violating terms of his probation and a gun charge. "I can't say what would be fair, what would be unfair. But I do know that meeting Mr. Goodell, he's a fair man,” Johnson said. “He gave me the opportunity to speak with him. He gave me the opportunity to convey some of the things that I want to get better at. I feel like whatever he imposes, meeting him and knowing he's a fair man, is in the best interest of the league."

See more at www.eurweb.com