Buccaneers Close on McDaniel

All-pro guard Randall McDaniel, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings, probably will sign a three-year contract next week with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have made overhauling their offensive line a top priority.

McDaniel’s agent said Friday that McDaniel, 35, wants to play for Buccaneer Coach Tony Dungy, as well as be reunited with center and former Minnesota teammate Jeff Christy.

Christy, the NFC’s starting Pro Bowl center the last two years, signed a five-year, $17.5-million contract with Tampa Bay on Feb. 15. Like McDaniel, he cited his familiarity with Dungy and a desire to remain in the NFC Central as factors in the decision to sign without talking to other teams.

Meanwhile, Dungy has all but ruled out former Dolphin quarterback Dan Marino continuing his Hall of Fame career in Tampa Bay, the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reported.

*

Quarterback Randall Cunningham’s refusal to renegotiate his deal with the Vikings might open the door for Jeff George’s return to Minnesota. Rob Brzezinksi, the team’s director of football administration, told George’s agent, Leigh Steinberg, that Coach Dennis Green will soon contact him to discuss the situation. Green had earlier told Steinberg to seek offers from other teams.

Neil O’Donnell turned down more money from the Buccaneers to remain as the Tennessee Titans’ backup quarterback, Steinberg said. The agent said O’Donnell probably will sign a three-year contract next week.

The Dolphins signed former New England Patriot guard Heath Irwin and added former New York Giant linebacker Scott Galyon. They released 13-year veteran guard Kevin Gogan. . . . After losing wide receiver Joey Galloway to free agency, the Seattle Seahawks re-signed Derrick Mayes to a multiyear contract.

The NFL confirmed that it is negotiating a settlement over the aborted move of the Patriots to Hartford, Conn., but said no agreement has been reached. . . . Jeffrey Kessler, lawyer for the players who filed an antitrust lawsuit against the Arena Football League, said his group will file a preliminary injunction Monday against the league for canceling the 2000 season.

Miscellany

Rusty Wallace set a record in qualifying for Sunday’s Dura-Lube/Kmart 400 Winston Cup stock car race at Rockingham, N.C., winning the pole with a lap of 158.035 mph. . . . Mark Martin, beginning his final season of racing in the Busch Series, outran brothers David and Jeff Green to win the pole position for the Alltel 200 at Rockingham, turning a lap of 154.383 mph.

Joe Ruttman, the oldest regular competitor in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, won his second pole in as many weeks and will occupy the No. 1 starting position for today’s Florida Dodge Dealers 400 at Homestead, Fla. . . . CBS’ television ratings for the Daytona 500 were its lowest since 1993. Dale Jarrett’s victory Sunday got an 8.4 rating and 22 share, 12% below the 9.6-25 for last year’s race and the lowest for a race not affected by rain since 1993.

USC sophomore Mark Prior struck out 13 in 7 2/3 innings, and the No. 9 Trojans (8-3) held on for a 10-7 victory over No. 8 UCLA (7-6) in a nonconference baseball game at Dedeaux Field.

Top-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia defeated Fabrice Santoro of France, 6-3, 6-2, in the AXA Cup tennis tournament at London to set up a semifinal with crowd favorite Greg Rusedski of Britain. Rusedski, seeded fifth, was a 6-4, 7-5 winner over Mariano Zabaleta of Argentina. Fourth-seeded Thomas Enqvist of Sweden needed a fifth match point to down sixth-seeded Cedric Pioline of France, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (6), and Marc Rosset of Switzerland defeated 18-year-old countryman Roger Federer, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. . . . Third-seeded Amanda Coetzer of South Africa rallied to beat sixth-seeded Lisa Raymond, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4), in the quarterfinals of the IGA SuperThrift Classic at Oklahoma City. . . . Venus Williams, still bothered by tendinitis in both wrists, withdrew from the State Farm Women’s Classic beginning Monday at Scottsdale, Ariz.

Prominent sports agent William “Tank” Black, whose clients include a number of NFL players and NBA star Vince Carter, has been accused by the Securities and Exchange Commission of defrauding his clients of at least $5 million in investment scams. A federal judge in Tampa, Fla., issued a restraining order Thursday against Black and his business partner, the SEC said. Black denied the SEC’s accusations.

Skier Renate Goetschl of Austria capitalized on milder weather and won a World Cup downhill at Igls, Austria, stretching her overall lead with her fourth victory of the season. . . . Angela Nikodinov of the United States enchanted the audience with a graceful and solid performance and won the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships at Osaka, Japan.

Prosecutors filed a misdemeanor sexual battery charge against Salt Lake Buzz owner Joe Buzas, 82, stemming from a complaint by a female former employee of the minor league baseball team. . . . Four-time U.S. gymnastics champion Blaine Wilson will not be able to win his fourth consecutive American Cup title after pulling out of the competition at Orlando, Fla., because of nagging injuries to his right shoulder.