NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is taking a pay cut and the league staff has been trimmed by 15 percent because of the reeling economy, the NFL confirmed yesterday.
The league said its staff cut, announced more than two months ago, has resulted in a reduction of 169 jobs through buyouts, layoffs and other staff reductions. That amounts to just more than 15 percent of the league’s work force of 1,100.
Goodell, meanwhile, voluntarily took a cut of 20-25 percent from the $11 million salary and bonuses he was to receive in the 2008 fiscal year, which ends March 31. He and other league executives are freezing their salaries for 2009.
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Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Brooks and four other high-priced veterans have been released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brooks is a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year who’s been the heart and soul of a defense that ranked among the league’s best for more than a decade and keyed the team’s run to its only Super Bowl title in 2002. The other players released were receivers Joey Galloway and Ike Hilliard, linebacker Cato June and running back Warrick Dunn.
The New York Jets restructured Laveranues Coles’ contract, allowing the veteran wide receiver to become an unrestricted free agent when the signing period begins tomorrow.
Less than two weeks after putting a franchise tag on him, the New York Giants signed halfback Brandon Jacobs to a four-year, $25 million contract.
The St. Louis Rams released veteran quarterback Trent Green and wide receiver Drew Bennett.
Linebacker Channing Crowder has signed a multiyear contract to remain with the Miami Dolphins.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
In selected men’s games:
Jim Calhoun’s 800th career victory came thanks in large part to senior guard A.J. Price, who scored a career-high 36 points as No. 2 Connecticut beat No. 8 Marquette 93-82 in Milwaukee. Calhoun became only the seventh coach in Division I history to win 800 or more games.
Gerald Henderson scored 19 points and No. 7 Duke spoiled host Maryland’s upset bid with a 78-67 victory.
Malcolm Delaney scored 26 points and visiting Virginia Tech ended a three-game losing streak with an 80-77 victory over No. 12 Clemson.
In the Mountain West, Luke Nevill had 19 points and 13 rebounds as Utah beat visiting UNLV 70-60 ... Brandon Ewing scored four of his 21 points in the final 54 seconds, leading visiting Wyoming to an 82-79 victory over Colorado State.
In selected women’s games:
Shaqwedia Wallace scored 18 points and host Temple upset No. 13 Xavier 74-65.
Cory Montgomery had 21 points and eight rebounds to lead host Nebraska to a 52-47 win over No. 20 Kansas State.
Bowling Green and host Buffalo combined to set an NCAA record for points in an overtime period as the two teams scored 39 in the Falcons’ 89-82 win. The 39 points surpassed the old mark of 36 set by Maine and Stetson on Dec. 30, 1989.
SPORTS AND COURTS
Prosecutors in Miami dropped charges of resisting arrest and other crimes against Jonathan Vilma after the New Orleans Saints linebacker agreed to give to charity and clear up outstanding tickets.
NHL
Martin Biron made 34 saves for his 25th career shutout, and Jeff Carter scored his 36th goal of the season in the host Philadelphia Flyers’ 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.
FIGURE SKATING
Defending champion Adam Rippon of the United States was at the top of the standings after the men’s short program, while Russia went 1-2 in pairs for a second straight year at the world figure skating championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. Liubov Iliushechkina and Nodari Maisuradze won the pairs title, and Anastasia Martiusheva and Alexei Rogonov surged to the silver medal. Americans Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir won the bronze.
TENNIS
Protected by two bodyguards as he walked on the court, Andy Ram became the first Israeli to play in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, losing a doubles match a week after Israel’s Shahar Peer was denied a visa for the women’s tournament. Ram and partner Kevin Ullyett fell to Marat Safin and David Ferrer 6-3, 2-6, 10-8. In singles, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray led the top six seeds into the quarterfinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships.
SPORTS AND ECONOMY
Stanford announced it will cut 21 positions in its athletic department because of the economic downturn, while keeping all 35 of its varsity teams and its coaches ... Royal Bank of Scotland will end its sponsorship of the Williams Formula One team next year and cut half its sports funding because of the global economic crisis.
GOLF
Seve Ballesteros’ second round of chemotherapy went “very well” and the golf great is due to start a third session shortly, Ballesteros said on his Web site. The 51-year-old Ballesteros said he was physically and mentally well after traveling to Madrid’s La Paz hospital to allow doctors to monitor his progress after they discovered he had a cancerous brain tumor in October.
HORSE RACING
Bob Baffert and two champion horses he trained are among the 11 finalists for election to the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame. The other finalists are the Baffert-trained Point Given and Silverbulletday; jockeys Eddie Maple, Randy Romero and Alex Solis; trainer Robert Wheeler; and Open Mind, Sky Beauty, Best Pal and Tiznow.
Air Fair defeated Play Nine by 1¾ lengths to win the $49,600 Palm Springs Purse for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita.
MISCELLANY
Michael Phelps has been dropped as the keynote speaker at two events in Canada next week, with the promoter citing the Olympic champion swimmer’s “widely publicized alleged use of marijuana” ... The Los Angeles Galaxy waived five players, including last season’s top goaltender Steve Cronin. Defenders Brandon McDonald, Mike Randolph and Troy Roberts and midfielder Ely Allen also were waived.
– FROM NEWS SERVICES
