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Five Atlanta Falcons players have been fined a total of $47,500 by the NFL for uniform violations that stemmed from demonstrations of their support for banished quarterback Michael Vick during the team's loss to the New Orleans Saints on Dec. 10. Several hours before the game, Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison for his role in an illegal dogfighting ring that was centered on property he owned in Virginia. Cornerbacks DeAngelo Hall and Chris Houston, wide receiver Roddy White and tight end Alge Crumpler each were fined $10,000. Wide receiver Joe Horn was fined $7,500. It is not...

Mora optimistic Vick will play vs. Bears Associated Press FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons coach Jim Mora remained optimistic Tuesday that the bruised ribs quarterback Michael Vick suffered Monday night will not keep him out of Sunday's game at Chicago. Michael Vick Quarterback Atlanta Falcons Profile 2005 SEASON STATISTICS Att Comp Yds TD Int Rat 305 170 1880 13 10 76.6 Mora said Vick should play against the Bears, even if he is held out of most of this week's practice schedule. "Mike is typically a fast healer," Mora said Tuesday. "At this point in the season, he's basically...

Stoops, Saban named as possible candidates FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Dan Reeves was fired abruptly by the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday with three games left in a disappointing season. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will take over as head coach for the rest of the season. Falcons owner Arthur Blank told Reeves — the sixth-winningest coach in NFL history — that he would be fired at the end of the season, but asked him to coach the final three games. Reeves asked to be let go immediately. ``When Arthur told me he had made the decision about the end of...

The Atlanta Falcons are releasing head coach Dan Reeves from his contract, Falcons sources announced Wednesday. The Falcons will formally announce their decision at a 10:30 a.m. news conference at the team's training camp at Flowery Branch. Wade Phillips has been named interim head coach for the remaining three games of the season. Falcons owner and CEO Arthur M. Blank made the following statement in a press release posted at the Falcons’ Web site: “Yesterday, I advised Dan that we’ve decided to bring in a new head coach beginning in the 2004 season,” Blank said. “Dan asked to be released...

ESPN.com: NFL Monday, November 3, 2003 Updated: November 4, 3:45 AM ET Official: Some things 'shouldn't have happened' Associated Press FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- As if they didn't have enough problems, the Atlanta Falcons were scrambling to defend a halftime show featuring three rap groups. Bonecrusher, Youngbloodz and Jermaine Dupri performed Sunday during a 23-16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Falcons' seventh straight loss. Bonecrusher, a hefty, Atlanta-based artist, sang the hip-hop hit "Never Scared," in which he muses about shooting someone in the head. According to profanity-laced lyrics obtained from an Internet Web site, the song goes, "Let...

Atlanta Falcons cornerback Juran Bolden was arrested Saturday evening at Lenox Mall in Buckhead, Atlanta Police say. Bolden, 29, is charged with two counts of felony drug possession. He also is charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and stolen tag. "He is charged with a stolen tag, which came off another vehicle that was reported stolen--the tag," Sgt. Scott Kreher said. "And then we have the theft by receiving stolen auto, which is the actual vehicle itself was reported stolen out of DeKalb County in August." Police say Bolden had in his possession less than an ounce of marijuana...