INDIANAPOLIS - The Indianapolis Colts gave Peyton Manning their franchise tag Monday, a move that will pay him $18.4 million this year unless he agrees to a long-term deal.
The move, which came one day before the NFL deadline for designating franchise players, prevents Manning from hitting the open market March 3. The date is also the deadline for teams to be under the league's $80.5 million salary cap.
NEWARK, N.J. - Former major league umpire Al Clark pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with selling baseballs he falsely claimed had been used in memorable games.
The 56-year-old Clark, formerly of Trenton and now of Williamsburg, Va., had claimed some of the balls were used during games in which Cal Ripken tied and broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive games record.
BC-Sports Briefs,0992
Monday's Sports in Brief
By The Associated Press
BASEBALL
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Barry Bonds was surrounded by reporters on his first day at spring training, and he was asked repeatedly about his ties to the supplements lab accused of illegally distributing steroids to dozens of athletes.
The six-time National League MVP, who appeared in December before a grand jury probing the lab, had repeatedly denied using steroids.
Trainer Greg Anderson was absent when Bonds showed up for camp a day ahead of the voluntary reporting date for position players.
Anderson, often seen with Bonds at spring training and during the season, was among four men charged this month in an alleged steroid-distribution ring that federal prosecutors say supplied professional athletes with banned substances. All the men have pleaded innocent and no athletes have been charged.
Clark pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court. Memorabilia dealer Richard Graessle Jr., a 43-year-old from Millburn, pleaded guilty to tax evasion for his role in the scheme, which operated from September 1995 to November 1998.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) - The Astros agreed to a five-year personal services contract with Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, a baseball official told The Associated Press.
The Astros, who signed hometown stars Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens during the offseason, plan to announce the deal at a news conference Tuesday, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Ryan began negotiating with the Astros after his personal services deal with the Texas Rangers expired earlier this month. His duties under the new deal with owner Drayton McLane Jr. are expected to include a baseball advisory role.
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) - Raul Mondesi passed his physical and the Pittsburgh Pirates finalized their contract with the free-agent outfielder.
Mondesi, 33, hit .272 with 24 homers, 71 RBIs and 22 steals in 143 games with the New York Yankees and Arizona last year. His contract includes a team option for 2005.
FOOTBALL
GOLF
CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) - John Rollins got the last spot in the 64-man field of Match Play Championship when three players withdrew.
Ernie Els withdrew last week because he wanted to spend time with his family in London before his 4-year-old daughter goes to school for the first time.
U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk has an injured left wrist and Kirk Triplett is going to his best friend's wedding in Hawaii.
As the last man in the 64-player field, he gets to play Woods, the defending champion, in the first round.
BOXING
DETROIT (AP) - A sculpture commemorating boxing great Joe Louis was vandalized with white paint, and two men were in custody, police said.
The suspects were stopped by police in a Detroit suburb after authorities were tipped off by a motorist, Romulus police Lt. Cora Semrau said. The motorist saw two men covered with white paint driving out of Detroit and followed them while contacting police.
Louis is a hero in Detroit. The Detroit Red Wings play in a downtown arena named for him, and the 24-foot sculpture of an arm and fist, called Monument to Joe Louis, has a prominent location on Jefferson Avenue.
TENNIS
SALVADOR, Brazil (AP) - Unseeded Albert Montanes of Spain upset fifth-seeded Mariano Zabaleta of Argentina 6-4, 6-1 in the opening round of the Brasil Open.
In other first-round action, Filippo Volandri of Italy easily downed sixth-seeded Felix Mantilla of Spain 6-2, 6-2; Spain's Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo defeated Israel's Harel Levy 6-4, 7-6 (7-3); and seventh-seeded Gaston Gaudio of Argentina beat wild-card entry Ricardo Mello of Brazil 6-2, 6-4.
BASKETBALL
NEW YORK (AP) - The Detroit Pistons were fined $200,000 by the NBA for using Rasheed Wallace and Mike James before the league finalized the deal that brought them to the team.
The league said it was the first time a player acquired in a trade played for his new team before the NBA officially approved the move.
Wallace and James came to Detroit in a three-team trade with Atlanta and Boston on Thursday, and both played in the first half of the Pistons' 88-87 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.
They were pulled at halftime when it was discovered that paperwork for two other players in the deal - Lindsey Hunter and Chris Mills - had yet to be completed. Wallace and James also missed a practice Saturday before the NBA said the trade was "final and complete."
CLEVELAND (AP) - The Cleveland Cavaliers were fined $5,000 by the NBA for a skit in which their mascot poked fun at Celtics guard Ricky Davis.
During a timeout in the second quarter of a Feb. 9 game against Boston, Moondog, Cleveland's floppy-eared mascot, mopped the floor with a No. 31 Cavs jersey - Davis' number with the Cavs before they traded him to the Celtics in December.
Earlier this season, the Utah Jazz were fined $15,000 by the league for a skit that ridiculed Los Angeles forward Karl Malone and teammate Kobe Bryant.
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