League Notes

Humane Society Asks NFL To Ban Players Like Vick Who Are Linked To Dog Fighting

In 41 first-round NBA playoff games this postseason, there were 39 sellouts, with the Nets accounting for both non-sellouts. The NBA says average attendance was 19,719 per game, the second highest since ’83-84. Also, there were 21 games with more than 20,000 fans, besting the previous high of 17 in both the ’05 and ’06 postseasons (THE DAILY).

INHUMANE: The Humane Society on Thursday sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell asking him to “to ban players who are involved in dog fighting,” after Falcons QB Michael Vick was recently linked to such activity. Humane Society CEO Wayne Pacelle wrote, “We believe that the current situation involving Michael Vick is indicative of a larger subculture within the NFL of dog fighting and other forms of violence against animals.” Pacelle also “repeated the group’s claims that it suspected Vick was involved in dog fighting long before last week’s raid.” The NFL is investigating the case, and Goodell “summoned Vick to a private meeting” in N.Y. during the NFL Draft (AP, 5/4).

SCORING DROP: In Dallas, Mike Heika noted that through Saturday, NHL playoff games this season were averaging 4.9 goals per game, compared to 6.2 goals per game during the regular season last year, 5.9 during the regular season this year and 5.7 during last year’s playoffs. Heika: “This is the ‘new NHL’? This is what the league was hoping for when it made all of those rule changes after the 2004-05 lockout? This is what fans want?” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 5/6).