Panthers Give Collins $7-Million Bonus

The expansion Carolina Panthers have signed quarterback Kerry Collins to a long-term contract that includes a $7-million signing bonus, called by his agent the largest in NFL draft history.

Agent Leigh Steinberg said the complex contract is structured for seven years worth $23.18 million, or six years at $21.6 million.

Collins, the fifth selection in April’s draft, signed the contract Saturday night in the Panthers’ main offices in Charlotte, N.C., and then drove to Spartanburg, S.C., for today’s opening of training camp.

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Matt Dunigan completed 22 of 34 passes for 348 yards and three touchdowns as the Birmingham Barracudas routed the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 51-28, in the Canadian Football League expansion team’s home opener. Birmingham (2-1) played before a crowd of 31,185, the largest for an opener in the league this season.

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Carlos Huerta kicked four field goals, including a 48-yarder with 4:30 left in the game, and the Baltimore Stallions beat the San Antonio Texans, 28-23, in a CFL game at the Alamodome. Baltimore is 2-1, San Antonio 1-2.

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Defensive lineman Steve Emtman was cut by the Indianapolis Colts after refusing to renegotiate his contract down $1.3 million. . . . Defensive end Mike Mamula, the Philadelphia Eagles’ first-round draft pick and the seventh choice overall, has agreed to a four-year, $6-million contract.

Basketball

The Dallas Morning News said that academically deficient junior college basketball players are getting into Division I schools by using degrees from questionable programs.

The Morning News said there were potential NCAA violations involving eight junior college athletes who ended up at four schools: Arkansas, Kansas State, Murray State and Louisiana State.

NCAA officials have investigated Independence and Allen County (Kan.) community colleges, and officials at both schools say they’re cracking down on summer degrees awarded to transferring athletes.

Soccer

Interim U.S. Coach Steve Sampson said his team’s 3-0 victory over Argentina in the America Cup was “the second most important victory in the history of U.S. soccer. It is second only to our 2-1 victory over Colombia at last year’s World Cup.�

The Argentine perspective was somewhat different. The nation’s newspapers called it a “black night� and a “historic defeat.�

Tennis

Mark Petchey and Neil Broad recovered from a break down in the first set to beat Sebastien Graeff and Christophe Boggetti, 6-4, 6-0, 7-6 (7-1), to give Britain an unbeatable 3-0 lead over Monaco and end a run of six consecutive Davis Cup losses.

Three-time champion Sergi Bruguera’s 18-match Swiss Open winning streak was stopped when he lost to Yevgeny Kafelnikov, 6-3, 6-4, in the semifinals at Gstaad. Kafelnikov plays Jakob Hlasek in the final.

Keri Phebus of Newport Beach and Jean Okada of Santa Ana advanced to the finals of the Toshiba Tennis Opportunity Tournament at the Rancho San Clemente Tennis and Fitness Center.

Phebus defeated Danielle Scott of Newport Beach, 6-3, 6-3, and Okada defeated Monique Javer of Hillsborough, S.C., 7-6 (8-6), 7-5, in the semifinals.

The winner of today’s 1 p.m. final will earn a spot in the qualifying tournament for the Toshiba Classic, which starts July 31 at La Costa.

Roller Hockey

The East team defeated the West, 14-12, in the Roller Hockey International All-Star game at the Kiel Center in St. Louis.

Victor Gervais of the Bullfrogs recorded a hat trick for the West team. He scored two goals in the first quarter and one in the third.

Motor Sports

Robin Pemberton, crew chief for the Miller Genuine Draft Ford, was fined $20,000 and put on probation until Aug. 30 for the use of unauthorized roof flaps on the car, and Rusty Wallace, driver of the car, will start today’s Miller Genuine Draft 500 at Pocono International Raceway in 22nd position.

Jacques Villeneuve led second-day time trials with a record-breaking lap of 110.396 m.p.h. and will start on the pole for today’s Toronto Molson Indy car race. . . . Damon Hill’s 1:28.124 lap of Friday held up in the rain Saturday and he will start on the pole for today’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Names in the News

John Zinda, director of the joint athletic departments of Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd and Scripps Colleges, died at 57 of cancer. . . . Hensley Sapenter, who retired last month as athletic director of the San Antonio school system, was hired as football coach and athletic director at Prairie View A&M;, which has lost 46 games in a row.