Briefly
Former Oakland Raiders teammates Marcus Williams and Bill Romanowski are settling their legal dispute.
Williams, who played collegiately at Washington State, sued his former teammate after getting hit in the face by Romanowski during a practice drill in 2003. The pair announced Friday that Romanowski is agreeing to pay $415,000 to resolve the litigation.
Williams’ career ended after his eye socket was broken by Romanowski, who ripped off Williams’ helmet during a practice drill and hit him in the face.
Romanowski retired that year, and a jury in March ordered him to pay Williams $340,000 in damages.
Williams was not happy with the jury’s verdict, and was seeking a new trial until the two sides agreed to end the dispute.
Williams, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2002, played in 13 games as a rookie during Oakland’s Super Bowl season. He was used primarily on special teams but was trying to earn a regular position during his sophomore season before he was injured.
The Raiders have claimed they are not responsible for any damages, and fined Romanowski $60,000. Romanowski was not charged with a crime.
“New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress failed to pay part of his taxes, according to a collection agency.
A district judge issued an arrest warrant for Burress on Thursday after he failed to appear at a delinquent tax claim hearing Wednesday.
Burress, who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers before signing with the Giants in March, could be arrested and fined $2,500 upon returning to Pennsylvania, said Coraopolis District Judge Mary Murray.
“Arena Football League lineman Al Lucas died from blunt force trauma to his spinal cord during a game, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. The death was ruled an accident, said Craig Harvey, operations chief at the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner.
Lucas, who played for the Los Angeles Avengers, was a former NFL player in his third year in the Arena league. He died at 26 on April 10 after trying to tackle a New York Dragons kick returner.
Gymnastics
New rule allows appeal of scores
Gymnasts will be able to appeal their scores to judges using video replays under a new rule passed by the sport’s world governing body, at Helsinki, Finland.
The international federation, known as FIG, also raised the minimum age limit for Olympics and world championships by one year to 16. The rule, for men and women, will go into effect in 2009.
The rule on scoring protests takes effect immediately. It applies only to the level of difficulty of a routine, not the execution.
Soccer
United fans organizing boycott
Manchester United fans have already burned effigies of the club’s new owner, American Malcolm Glazer. Now they’re planning to vent their anger by boycotting the club’s sponsors.
“We are hoping to put a stranglehold on Glazer’s income stream and pressure the sponsors,” Oliver Houston, vice chairman of Shareholders United, said.
About 3,000 fans are expected to take part in an anti-Glazer protest Monday, an indoor rally organized by a coalition called the “Reclaim United Campaign.”
The targets are United’s main sponsors: Nike, Vodafone, Budweiser, Pepsi, Audi and Fuji.
“We are not telling supporters to make the ultimate sacrifice and stop going to games,” Houston said. “But we are asking them not to buy any merchandise; don’t buy any pints of Budweiser, any glasses of Pepsi, any videos, any programs.”
Glazer, the owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has acquired a 76.2 percent stake in Man United as part of a $1.47 billion takeover of the club. He is offering to buy out the remaining shareholders.
About 65,000 individual shareholders hold 15 percent of the club’s outstanding shares. About 35,000 are members of Shareholders United.
Sports people
Kennedy will join Miami staff
Billy Kennedy, who coached Southeastern Louisiana’s men’s basketball team to the school’s first NCAA Tournament berth, resigned to become an associate head coach at Miami… . Sprinter Steve Mullings was banned for two years by the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association for testing positive for steroids. … At Turin, Italy, Ivan Basso won an individual time trial in the Giro d’Italia, and Paolo Savoldelli retained the overall lead with just two stages left in the cycling race… . Cyclist Randy Dreyer has accepted a two-year suspension for using a prohibited stimulant, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said… . At Athens, Ga., Northwestern freshman Audra Cohen advanced to the NCAA women’s tennis singles finals with a 6-4, 6-4 win over former junior doubles partner Riza Zalameda of UCLA. Cohen will face freshman Zuzana Zemenova of Baylor, a 7-5, 6-4 winner over Florida’s Jennifer Magley in today’s final.