Fast Break
Football
Seahawks nab Packers’ Cole
The Seattle Seahawks and free agent defensive tackle Colin Cole have agreed to a five-year, $21.4 million contract that includes $6 million in guaranteed money, a person with direct knowledge of the deal told the Associated Press on Sunday.
The person, who requested anonymity because the deal has not yet been announced, said Cole visited the Seahawks on Friday – the first day of NFL free agency – and the two sides agreed to terms shortly afterward.
NFL.com reported the deal earlier Sunday.
Cole, 28, played the past five seasons for the Green Bay Packers, making eight starts and earning significant playing time in Green Bay’s defensive tackle rotation.
Also, defensive tackle Rocky Bernard left the Seahawks, signing with the New York Giants (Newsmakers, B2).
BASEBALL
Nationals GM Bowden resigns
Jim Bowden’s final move as Washington Nationals general manager was his own resignation.
Bowden abruptly stepped down Sunday morning after four seasons, leaving under the cloud of a federal investigation into the skimming of signing bonuses given to Latin American prospects.
He has maintained his innocence in the matter, but said Sunday, “I’ve become a distraction.”
“It’s an emotional decision. It saddens me. But I feel it’s in the best interest of two of the things I love the most, and that’s the Washington Nationals and baseball,” Bowden added.
Winter sports
USA bobsled wins world title
Steven Holcomb took “The Night Train” to the top of the podium at the bobsled world championships, lifting the weight of a 50-year drought from the U.S. men’s team.
Holcomb was the class of the field on all four runs of the four-man competition at Mount Van Hoevenberg near Lake Placid, N.Y., and piloted the USA-1 sled painted flat black to the gold medal.
It was the first triumph for the United States in four-man at world championships since Arthur Tyler won at St. Moritz, Switzerland, in 1959.
“I can’t believe, finally, after 50 years we got it done,” Holcomb said. “We were definitely the team to beat today. It all came together.”
Also Sunday, the U.S. wrapped up a surprising run at the Nordic world championships at Liberec, Czech Republic, winning six medals, including four golds.
In the 35 previous world championships since 1925, the U.S. won a total of three medals – a gold, a silver and a bronze – and never more than one at the same worlds. This time they had four golds, a silver and a bronze and trailed only perennial power Norway in the medals table.