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Show 1LY Wednesday, March 15, 2006 HERALD NFL NNOTEBOOK OT Vikings ship Culpepper to Miami for second-round pick criticism of quarterback Donovan McNabb. The Eagles announced the MINNEAPOLIS — Daunte cut in a one-sentence statement. Culpepper’s seven up-and-down seasons in Minnesota came to an end Tuesday Team officials said they would not comment. Owens’publicist, Kim Eth- Just whatthe disgruntled quarterback wanted. The Vikings agreed to trade lined to speculate about his future. The Eagles gave Owens and Rosenhaus permission to talk the three-time Pro Bowlselec- tion to the Miami Dolphins for a’second-rounddraft pick, less than a weekafter Culpepper — whoisstill rehabbing his with other teams in January. The former All-Pro met with injured right knee — said he wanted out The move marked the end of a winding career path in Min- the Denver Broncos. Miami and Dallas reportedly haveinterest in Owens, and Kansas City president Carl Peterson has said he'd consider giving him a one- nesota for Culpepper, who went from the team’s biggeststar and cornerstoneto a malcon- tent that hadtobejettisoned in ‘the more we appreciated him as a player.” Johnson turns 34 this summer and is coming off a solid season. Heled the team in receptions with 71, and had 839 yards and six touchdowns. » Brees reaches agreement with Saints: At New Orleans, free- agent quarterback Drew Brees agreed to a six-year contract Tuesday with New Orleans, providing the Saints with a provenreplacement for Aaron Brooks. The deal went through as the year, incentive-laden deal. MiamiDolphins, whoalso had beencourting Brees,traded for Minnesota quarterback Daunte » Cowboys release Ki Culpepper. 4 Brees is a bit of question less than a year. Johnson:AtIrving, Texas, Key- markafterinjuring his throwing shoulder with San Diego in blend of accuracy, scrambling his place? the final gameof the season. He underwent surgery and said Culpepper dazzled with his shawnis gone. Could T.O. take With timing and a storyline andsize, but also madefans’ stomachs turn with turnover problemsanda highly publicized boat party scandal on last weekendhe will take four daytime television, the Dallas orfive months to be ready. Cowboysreleased leadingre- Lake Minnetonka. ceiver Keyshawn Johnson only hoursafter the division rival Philadelphia Eagles cut their ~talented receiver, Associated Pressfile photo Terrell Owens. Minnesota quarterback Daunte Culpepperlooks to pass during the second quarter against the The Eagles have long been His standing with the team deteriorated beyondsalvation this offseason, when heclashed with management over rehabbinghis injured knee anddidn’t see eye-to-eye with new coach BradChildress. The Dolphinsdeclined to con- firm the deal Chicago Bears on Oct. 16, 2005,in Chicago. The Vikings traded Culpepperto the MiamiDolphins wary about the Cowboys try- on Tuesday, granting the disgruntled quarterback’s wish to leave the team after a subpar season that endedwith a serious kneeinjury. _______________ the NFL to punish Dallas owner Jerry Jones for comments in No- ing to land Owens,even asking vemberthat they interpreted as “Anything we dois contingent ona er passing a medical exam,” seemingly borrowed from said spokesman Harvey Greene, whodeclined further comment pepper requested to be traded orreleased from his contract. Culpeppersaid then that he and professionallife, I think it was upset by the tone of an ways,” Culpepper said then. e-mail sent to him from the Vikings’ front office, but would not give details. He did say, Miami releasedlast year's starter, Gus Frerotte. He would havecost the team $4.38 million however,that he appreciated against the salary cap this year. Culpepper is coming off a nightmare seasonthat ended that new ownerZygi Wilf was willing to pay him a $6 million bonus duelater this month. “However,becauseof the fundamentaldifferences I have with managementregarding Oct. 30, when hetore three ligaments in his knee during a gameagainst Carolina. A deal had been in the workssince the middle of last week, when Cul- the approach to my personal is the best business decision for bothparties to go our separate The Vikings moved swiftly to accommodate Culpepper, whose deep passes to Randy Mossfueled the Vikings’rise to unprecedentedpopularityin Minnesota. » Owensfinally released by Eagles: At Philadelphia, Terrell Owensis free to play for any team willing to have him. ThePhiladelphia Eagles released the exiled Owens on Tuesday, ending atumultuous, trying to woo him. Philadelphia backed offits tampering claim _a few days later, but the coming wide receiver. Owens was due a $5 million roster bonus on Wednesday, so the Eagles had to cut him or Officials were onto something. Johnsonwas released Tuesday to avoid a $1 million bonus. He was scheduled to makeonly $1.5 The move was a formality because Owens was kicked off the team in Novemberfollowinga seriesof incidents and “Keyshawn is oneof a handful of the top competitors that have everplayed for the Dallas Cowboys,” Jones said. “The morehe was part of our team, two-yearrelationship withthe days might prove whether team trade him before thento avoid paying him the money. million this season, but was seeking an extension anda raise. infractions,including repeated That could accountfor the terms of the contract, which guarantees moneyonly in the first year. The deal calls for the Saints to pay Brees about $60 million overthe life of the contract, including a$10 million bonus upfront and a $12 million option in the second year. Givenssigns with Titans: At Nashville, Tenn., David Givens, one of Tom Brady's primary targets on two of New England's Super Bow! winners,signed a five-year, $24 million deal with the Tennessee Titans. “Myopportunities here to flourish werea little bit better,” Givens said Tuesday. Givens caught59 passes for 738 yards and two touchdowns last year for New England. Hejoins a receiving corps that featured three rookies and had only oneplayer with more than two years’ experiencelast year. WORLDBASEBALL CLASSIC Dominican Republic holds off Venezuela Dahlberg Continued from C2 Bondssaid through his owntransThere was no such controversy in the gameagainst South Korea, which wasdecided early on a three-run homer by Hee-Seop Choiin the fourth inning that put the Koreansup6-1. Dontrelle Willis got rocked, the American bats werelargely silent, and suddenly this whole world baseball thing the Dominican Republic one-hit Venezuela to advanceto the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic with a 2-1 victory on Tuesdaynight. Cabrerastruck out seven with one walk as theelimination game in Group 2 turned into classic pitchersduel, with the go-ahead run scoring ona passed ball by Venezuela catcher Ramon Hernandez in the sixth. —andthey may haveto win big — against Mexico on Thursday, George Steinbrenner will get his wish and gettheleft side of his Francisco Liriano, Miguel Batista and infield back to Florida early. Just how that works out may be bestleft to the brains at Cal Tech, who maybe the only ones whocan figure out a tiebreaker system that, if everything else fails, comes down to picking the - Take away the tiebreaker, though, and baseballandits union have donenearly every- thing rightin their effort to promotethe sport worldwide. They didn’t exactly doit for altruistic reasons, because a successful tournamenthelpsfill their coffers with money from merchandise andtelevision rights, but give them credit for makingit work. The timingisn’t ideal, of course, but optionsarelimited. And when it returns in three years, maybe Americanplayers might have a better idea how to get prepared early enough forit. Meanwhile,baseball in March has never meant so much. And it's never been so muchfun. ) Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg@ap:org. two, and threw 73pitches in his second exceptional performance ofthe Classic. SAN JUAN,Puerto Rico — Daniel Cabrera threw fourhitless innings and didn't look so good anymore. If the Americans don’t win. short straw. Matsuzaka walked two,struck out ATED PRESS lator. SalomonTorres followed Cabrera, and Duaner Sanchezpitched 2 ' hitless inningsto earn a save. Venezuela loaded the bases with twooutsin the top of the ninth on two. walks and an error by Miguel Tejada, but Edgardo Alfonzoflied out to right forthe final out. Singles by Alberto Castillo and Placido Polanco, and a walk by Tejada loaded the basesin the sixth for the Dominican Republic. With twoouts, Albert Pujols took a 2-0 pitch from Kelvim Escobar that brushed off Hernandez’s mitt and allowed Castillo to score from third. The Dominicans took a 1-0 lead in thefirst against starter Freddy Garcia. Polancosingled, moved tothird on a double by Tejada and scored on Moises Alou’sinfield single. But it could have been much worsefor Garcia. Afterthefirst two hitters reached, Pujols madethefirst out with a ground- er to third and Garcia intentionally walked David Ortiz to load the bases. Adrian Beltre lined to right for the secondout, but Alou drovein Polanco with a soft grounderto third. Juan Encarnacion groundedout to Garciato close theinning. Omar Vizquel doubledoff Liriano for Venezuela’sfirst hit with one out in the ah to put runner'sat second and third, BRENNAN LINSLEYAssociated Press Team Dominican Republic players celebrate their 2-1 victory over Venezuela to advanceto the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic at the Hiram Bithorn Stadiumin San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Tuesday. Bobby Abreutied the gameat 1 with an RBI groundout to second and . Miguel Cabrera madethe third out on a grounderto thi Garcia allowed one run on fourhits and a walk. Hestruck out four in four innings. Escobar pitched three innings, giving up an unearned run on twohits and one walk. The Dominican Republic will play the winnerof today’s Puerto Rico-Cuba gamein the semifinals. D Japan 6, Mexico 1: At Anaheim, Calif., Daisuke Matsuzakaallowed one hit in five shutout innings and Japan beat Mexicoin the second roundof the World Baseball Classic, putting the United States in dangerof being eliminatedbeforeit plays again. South Korea (2-0) can earn a berth in the semis by beating Japan (1-1). If that happens, the United States (1-1) would also makeit by beating Mexico(0-2) on Thursday. Butif coe beats South Korea, the Americans could be eliminated from contention even before playing Mexico. That would happenif Japan wins in anine-inning gameand scores seven runs orless because of the complicated tiebreaker system being employed. The semifinals will be played Saturday andthe finals Mondayin San Diego. Heallowed three hits and one run in four inningsin a 13-3 first-roundvictory over Taiwan. TomoyaSatozaki homered off Esteban Loaiza to cap a four-run rally in the fourth that provided Japan withall the offense it would need. Nobuhiko Matsunakasingled, Akinori Iwamura walked and Hitoshi Tamurasacrificed before Michihiro Ogasawarahit a two-run single. Satozakifollowed byhitting a 3-1 pitch into the right-centerfield seats. Tamurahit an RBIsingle off Dennys Reyesin the fifth to makeit 5-0. MiguelOjedaled off the eighth by hitting a solo homer off Yasuhiko Yabuta for Mexico's only run. Ichiro Suzuki added an RBIsingle — his secondhit of the game — in the ninth off Luis Ayala. Loaiza, who signed as a free agent with the Oakland Athletics during the offseason,allowed sevenhits and four runs in four innings. He threw 75 pitches. The game was played before an announced crowdof 16,591 at Angel Stadium. The first two Japanesebatters reached base in the secondandthirdin's, but Loaizapitched out of trouble each timewith help from his defense. ~ First baseman Adrian Gonzalez made a diving stop of Ogasawara’s grounder and threw him out froma sitting position to end the second. Mexico got a runnerto third with oneout in the bottom of the second on a throwingerror by second baseman Tsuyoshi Nishioka before Matsuzaka struck out Ojeda and retired Mario Valenzuela ona linerto center. Jorge Cantu’sfirst-inning single was the only hit off Matsuzaka. Juan Castro greeted Tsuyoshi Wada witha single to openthe sixth, but Wada retired the next six batters. shoulder examined; Hernandez leaves with tight back and neck THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SPRING TRAINING Chicago Cubs pitcher Mark. Priorwill see a in Los Angeles on Wednesdayafter cutting short a throwing session due to sore.ess in his right shoulder. Prior was eehedled topitch off the mound on Tuesday, but he never got there. The shoulderflared up during long tossch and he will be examined by Dr. Lewis Yocum. “Tt wasn't getting loose so we weren't going totry it,” pitch- \ i ing the United States’ victory over Japan on Sundayat the World Baseball Classic. In Tucson,Ariz., Arizona pitcher Orlando Hernandez had _tightness in his neck and back, leaving after one inning in the Diamondbacks’12-5 win over the Chicago White Sox. Hernandez said he felt fine _in the bullpen but couldn't get _loose after getting the mound in ing coach Larry Rothschild said the first inning. in Mesa,Ariz. “Itis early in spring training, Cubs first baseman Derrek 80 it is better to stop now,” Her- Lee visited Yocum on Tuesday after he bruised his left shoulder diving to catch foul ball dur- _nandez said. “[ think I will be r for my next start.” ite Sox leadoff hitter Scott Podsednik sat out again. He has not played since March6 due toa sore left ler and had a second MRI exam taken Tuesday. “Weall probably needed a secondlook to see what exactly is going on, and now wewill know and wewill take the necessary steps,” ik sai “Tam confidentthat what (team. trainers)aretelling meis on the money andtheyare not concerned, thatit is not in the joint, it is outside the joint and we are dealing with muscle. Thatis positive news.” from tes pePye Seneca outing Carlos Quentin hit a three-run Cardinals4, Yankees 3: At Tenp9, a, Randy Jotnson' sed through inings before ren be eeuheeernees thee consecutvets SrruanngwangFox wnfeteete Pomiet forBneiaintis ea Rye9, Blo Diamondbacks, who have beat- ; errerohit a two-run drive. The it 7 i en the White Sox five straight fumes in spting have14 reached double training, digits in hits imon Bla Jee): Duan. Fa. Young, Aubrey Russell Branyan hemered Ging ped fur tn ae a Pre nites en, aintsecond homeredbaseman.San 3 five-run ‘ght, Rooke continued 1yobs ih caees Wit i elensive Bartel, Hebetspoae(11,d Inns weehonersntake mariage Bart ng S00 Taviceisectnasitemst iris fone eke.top ren oso iseee: (Stawiasir aan omenrpanedtsuanttnegs. timesin 15 games during the 1 Tiers 14, nian knNew Sern cD Dux connected of John Danks Yr his second spring ome an aio ad asecifice bunt — meta hing the regular season in his 20-year 2 iis Twin 3. 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