As Expected, Giants Release Collins

Quarterback Kerry Collins was released by the New York Giants on Wednesday, less than a week after the team traded for rookie Eli Manning.

Collins, who led the Giants to the 2001 Super Bowl, guaranteed the move by refusing to renegotiate his contact. He was to earn $7 million this season and count $8.95 million against the salary cap.

The Giants have said they would sign a veteran quarterback who might start the season to pave the way for Manning. The Mississippi quarterback was taken by the San Diego Chargers with the first overall pick in the draft and traded to New York.

“Kerry Collins played his heart out for the Giants and took us to the Super Bowl,� General Manager Ernie Accorsi said. “Unfortunately, the economics of the system we work in today determine these most difficult decisions.�

Collins, 31, revived a career beset by troubles on and off the field after signing with the Giants in 1999. He became the starter halfway through that season, then led New York to its third Super Bowl the next year.

The Giants also made the playoffs in 2002.

Collins is second on the team’s career list with 1,447 completions, trailing only Phil Simms. He is third in pass attempts (2,473) and passing yards (16,875). Collins’ 81 touchdown passes rank fifth on the Giants’ career list.

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Defensive end Leonard Little will remain a full-fledged member of the St. Louis Rams until his legal problems are resolved in court, the team said.

Little, who pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in a 1998 drunk-driving accident that killed a St. Louis woman, was arrested early Saturday in the St. Louis suburb of Laud on suspicion of drunk driving. He was charged Monday as a persistent offender with felony driving while intoxicated and speeding, and freed on $7,500 bond.

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Following a clear-the-air meeting with Coach Bill Cowher, Tommy Maddox expects to remain the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback. Maddox, insisting he isn’t upset the team drafted Ben Roethlisberger, is expected to get a raise this summer on his $750,000 salary. ... Miami Dolphin defensive end Adewale Ogunleye planned to sit out a minicamp for the first time in his career and said he would sit out the start of the season unless he received a better offer than the one-year, $1.8-million the team has extended. He had a base salary of $375,000 last season while leading the AFC in sacks with 15 and making his first Pro Bowl. ... Cornerback Mike McKenzie fulfilled his pledge to boycott the Green Bay Packers’ first minicamp, the first step in his demand to be traded. ... Former Denver Bronco linebacker Ian Gold, recovering from knee surgery that sidelined him most of last season, signed a five-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. ... The Jacksonville Jaguars signed former Atlanta backup quarterback Doug Johnson.

Hockey

The U.S. team routed Ukraine, 7-1, behind Blake Sloan’s two goals to advance to the qualifying round at the hockey world championships in Prague, Czech Republic.

The U.S. team avoided an embarrassing repeat of last year’s showing in Finland, where it failed to advance and finished 13th in the 16-team tournament.

In other games, Dany Heatley scored twice to lift Canada over Switzerland, 3-1, and to the top of Group D. In Group C, six players scored to give Russia a 6-1 victory over Japan. In Group A, Jaromir Jagr sparked a late four-goal flurry, lifting host Czech Republic to a 5-1 win over Germany. Marian Gaborik and Miroslav Satan each scored twice to help 2002 champion Slovakia to a 5-2 victory over Finland in Group B.

The U.S. team plays Sweden in its first qualifying-round match Friday.

Tennis

Venus Williams recovered from a sluggish start to beat Fabiola Zuluaga, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0, to reach the quarterfinals of the J&S; Cup in Warsaw.

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Defending champion Carlos Moya beat Daniel Elsner, 6-4, 6-2, and David Nalbandian defeated Todd Martin, 6-2, 6-4, in the third round of the Open Seat Godo in Barcelona, Spain.

Miscellany

Boxing promoter Don King was barred from doing business with New Jersey casinos for at least one year. But the state Casino Control Commission balked at imposing a five-year ban to punish him for exploiting a loophole that allows promoters to stage fights while their license applications are pending.

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Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery, the 100-meter world-record holder, pulled out of the IAAF Japan Grand Prix on May 8 in Osaka, Japan. They are instead scheduled to compete at a meet in Jamaica on May 7.

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On the second day of deliberations in Somerville, N.J., jurors in the Jayson Williams manslaughter trial re-heard testimony from Harlem Globetrotters Paul Gaffney and Chris Morris. They were in the bedroom where the shooting took place.

Passings

Jack Cohen, who managed former heavyweight champion Ken Norton late in his career, died after a lengthy illness in Santa Monica. He was 73.