INDIANAPOLIS - Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts agreed to a $98 million, seven-year contract Tuesday that includes an NFL-record $34.5 million signing bonus.

The deal will drop the NFL co-MVP's salary cap number to $8.3 million, giving the Colts more flexibility to sign players when the free-agency period opens Wednesday.

Manning's entire bonus is guaranteed, and he can earn another $19 million in roster bonuses.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Quarterback Jeff Garcia was released by the San Francisco 49ers Tuesday, ending his five-year tenure with the team.The 49ers also released two-time Pro Bowl guard Ron Stone in an attempt to get under the salary cap.Garcia, a three-time Pro Bowler, was unable to agree on a restructured contract with the 49ers, who wanted to reduce his salary from the $9.9 million he was scheduled to earn in 2004.

ATLANTA - Georgia officials agreed Tuesday with the NCAA's finding of four rules violations in the men's basketball program.The school's official response to the violations - including three that name former assistant coach Jim Harrick Jr., the son of former head coach Jim Harrick - was delivered to the NCAA in Indianapolis.VERO BEACH, Fla. (AP) - The Los Angeles Dodgers informed Jose Canseco that they weren't interested in his services.Canseco, 39, participated in an open tryout with the team Monday. He said he wouldn't play in the minors, which probably ended any chance he had of being signed by the Dodgers.FOOTBALLBASKETBALLEAGLE, Colo. (AP) -The attorney for Kobe Bryant's accuser in a sexual assault case denied as "patently false" claims his client had sex with another man the morning after her encounter with the NBA star.The judge later agreed to allow Bryant's attorneys to question the woman in significant detail about her sexual history.State District Judge Terry Ruckriegle's decision was announced as a two-day hearing ended without rulings on two main issues: the relevance of the woman's sexual conduct in the days surrounding her encounter with Bryant, and whether investigators questioned the NBA star illegally.Those matters will be taken up again during a March 24-25 hearing at which the accuser is expected to testify.SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Chris Webber returned to the Sacramento Kings' lineup after knee surgery, nine months of rehabilitation and an eight-game suspension. He was expected to start against the Los Angeles Clippers.The five-time All-Star hadn't played since last summer's playoffs, when he was injured against Dallas. He has been practicing with the Kings for nearly two months, but was suspended when the Kings activated him from the injured list after the All-Star break.TENNISSCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) - Andy Roddick led 6-5 in the second set against Dutchman John van Lottum to lead 6-5 in the second set of their match at the Franklin Templeton Tennis Classic.Then rain stopped play at 30-30 in the 12th game, forcing a postponement until Wednesday.Roddick, who won the first set 6-3, was in jeopardy of losing before an earlier rain delay. He became incensed when chair umpire Enric Molina overruled a lineswoman who held that van Lottum's return was long at break point in the second game of the second set.DOHA, Qatar (AP) - Sixth-seeded Jelena Dokic came back to eliminate Nicole Pratt 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the Qatar Open.Dokic, a Wimbledon semifinalist in 1999, lost her first three service games as Pratt took the opening set in just 16 minutes.AP-ES-03-03-04 0545EST