Sports briefs

NFL

Vick leads voting

Michael Vick leads Pro Bowl voting 1 1/2 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. 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," Vick said. "I changed my life and it just goes to show anybody can do it." Vick has led the Eagles to first place in the NFC East, accounting for 21 TDs with only two interceptions.

Cassel's appendectomy

Quarterback Matt Cassel, a key reason the Kansas City Chiefs have emerged as contenders and lead the AFC West, underwent an appendectomy Wednesday. How long the Chiefs might be without Cassel was uncertain. They said they expected Cassel to "return to work this week." They did not say whether he would be ready to play against San Diego on Sunday.COLLEGE HOOPS

New event for Garden

Four of college basketball's elite teams will play a difficult opponent early in each of the next three seasons: Duke, Michigan State, Kentucky and Kansas will take turns playing each other over the next three years in the Champions Classic, a new tournament designed to give the college basketball season an early jump-start. The Champions Classic will open next Nov. 15 at Madison Square Garden, with Duke facing Michigan State and Kentucky against Kansas. - AP

Jimenez leads St. Joe's Chris Jimenez hit 10 three-pointers and scored a career-high 36 points as St. Joseph's beat Old Westbury, 86-83, in a Skyline game. St. Joseph's is 6-1, 3-0. Lester Prosper and Frantz Granjean each had 25 points for Old Westbury (3-4, 1-3).