LITTLE ROCK — FOOTBALL Bailey gets 4-year deal
The Denver Broncos have signed Champ Bailey to a four-year deal, keeping the perennial Pro Bowl cornerback off the free agent market. Bailey, who turns 33 in June, just played in his 10th Pro Bowl, a record for cornerbacks. His new deal is believed to be worth between $40 million and $44 million.
The New Orleans Saints have released tight end Jeremy Shockey. In his three seasons in New Orleans, he caught 139 passes for 1,460 yards with 6 touchdowns in 38 regular-season games, 34 of them starts. The nineyear veteran had 41 receptions for 408 yards and 3 touchdowns in 13 games last season.
Five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Ronde Barber will return for a 15th season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after signing a one-year contract. The 35-year-old is the club’s career interceptions leader with 40 and has made 183 consecutive starts, the second-longest streak among active NFL players behind Peyton Manning. Barber had three interceptions and was Tampa Bay’s third-leading tackler last season.
Carolina Panthers center Ryan Kalil and Cleveland Browns kicker Phil Dawson have been given their teams’ franchise tags. Kahlil, a two-time Pro Bowler, was tagged instead of running back DeAngelo Williams (Wynne) and defensive end Charles Johnson, who had 11 1/2 sacks last season. Dawson, who made 23 of 28 field-goal attempts, is Cleveland’s career leader in field goals. He has made 252 of 303.
Oklahoma’s football team has been required to give players a week off from athletic training during the offseason after reporting a series of secondary NCAA rules violations related to offseason workouts. The Sooners reported to the NCAA that four assistant coaches had improperly questioned players about their lack of participation in voluntary offseason workouts, and that some players had been working out more than the allowed eight hours per week. Other violations included a handful of selfreported impermissible text messages and phone calls by assistant coaches to recruits and their fathers.
BASKETBALL Knicks finalize trade
The New York Knicks have acquired Carmelo Anthony from Denver in a three-team trade. The Knicks also got guards Chauncey Billups and Anthony Carter, and forwards Renaldo Balkman and Shelden Williams in the deal that also includes the Minnesota Timberwolves. New York dealt forwards Wilson Chandler and Danilo Gallinari, guard Raymond Felton and center Timofey Mozgov to the Nuggets. New York also shipped centers Eddy Curry and Anthony Randolph to Minnesota for forward Corey Brewer. Denver acquiredcenter Kosta Koufos from Minnesota, plus New York’s first-round draft pick in 2014, second-round picks in 2012 and 2013 and cash.
The Toronto Raptors acquired second-year forward James Johnson from the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday for a first-round pick in this year’s draft. The Raptors gave up the first-round pick they acquired from Miami in the Chris Bosh sign-andtrade deal. The 6-9 Johnson has had a limited impact, playing in 78 games over two seasons and averaging 3.8 points and 1.9 rebounds.
The Sacramento Kings say guard Tyreke Evans will miss three weeks with an injured left foot. The team announced the diagnosis Tuesday after Evans was re-examined by adoctor in Los Angeles. The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year is averaging a team-high 18.3 points per game and 5.5 assists, while playing in 46 of 53 games.
BASEBALL Hemond to receive award
Former major league general manager Roland Hemond, 81, was selected to receive the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hall of Fame. Hemond, currently a special assistant to the president of the Arizona Diamondbacks, became the second winner of the award, the Hall announced Tuesday.
TENNIS
Federer, Djokovic advance
Roger Federer won his first match since losing in the Australian Open semifinals by beating Somdev Devvarman of India 6-3, 6-3 in the first round of the Dubai (United Arab Emirates) Championships on Tuesday. Novak Djokovic, who beat Federer in Melbourne and went on to his second Grand Slam title, won his Dubai opener against Michael Llodra of France by the same score. Also, seventh-seeded MarcosBaghdatis of Cyprus retired against Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan because of the flu while trailing 4-0 in the first set.
Second-seeded Mardy Fish advanced to the second round of the Delray Beach (Fla.) International Tennis Championships on Tuesday when Bjorn Phau retired from their first-round match because of illness, while trailing 0-5. Also, sixth-seeded Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia beat Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 7-6 (14), 7-6 (1).
Shahar Peer of Israel defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia 6-2, 6-4 in the first round of the Qatar Open on Tuesday in Doha. Also, Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia defeated Victoria Azarenka 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 and fifth-seeded Jelena Jankovic topped Fatma Al Nabhani 6-1, 6-3.
Fifth-seeded Albert Montanes of Spain defeated countryman Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-2, 6-1 on Tuesday to reach the second round of the clay court Mexican Open in Acapulco.
BASKETBALLCalhoun suspended 3 games next season
Connecticut Coach Jim Calhoun was suspended by the NCAA for three games next season for recruiting violations committed under his watch, though the program dodged a major sanctionwhen it was spared a postseason ban.
Calhoun was cited by the NCAA on Tuesday for failing to create an atmosphere of compliance within his program and was suspended for the first three Big East games during the 2011-12 season.
The NCAA also hit UConn with scholarship reductions for three academic years, recruiting restrictions, permanent disassociation of a booster and three years probation.
“We think the penalty is appropriate,” said Dennis Thomas, chairman of the Committee on Infractions. “The head coach should be aware, but, also in the same frame, the head coach obviously cannot be aware of everything that goes on within the program. However, the head coach bears that responsibility.”
Thomas said Calhoun will serve the suspension next year because UConn could appeal thedecision.
“I am very disappointed with the NCAA’s decision in this case,” Calhoun said.
The NCAA and the school have been investigating the programsince shortly after a report by Yahoo! Sports in March 2009 that former team manager Josh Nochimson helped guide recruit Nate Miles to Connecticut, giving him lodging, transportation, meals and representation.
As a former team manager, Nochimson is considered a representative of UConn’s athletic interestsby the NCAA and prohibited from giving Miles anything of value.
The school said it found that the basketball staff exchanged more than 1,400 calls and 1,100 text messages with Nochimson between June 2005 and December 2008.
Members of the coaching staff also provided 32 impermissible complimentary tickets to individuals responsible for teaching or directing activities with prospective student-athletes.
Miles was expelled from UConn in October 2008 without ever playing for the Huskies.
Sports, Pages 20 on 02/23/2011