NFL wants to cut guaranteed pay for first-round picks

The NFL wants to cut almost 60% of guaranteed pay for first-round draft picks, lock them in for five years and divert the savings to veterans' salaries and benefits.


More than $525 million went to first-rounders in guaranteed payments in 2010. The league wants to decrease that figure by $300 million, according to documents obtained by the Associated Press.


The league's offer would free a total of more than $1.2 billion over four years through 2015 — $37.5 million per team overall — and slow the growth rate of guaranteed payments to first-rounders, which the documents show increased by 233% from 2000 to 2010.


Such quarterback busts as JaMarcus Russell ($32 million), Matt Leinart ($12.9 million), David Carr ($15 million) and Joey Harrington ($13.9 million) received guaranteed payments that totaled $367 million in the last 10 drafts.


Guaranteed money paid to top-10 selections since 2000 reached nearly $2 billion. Guaranteed payments for all first-rounders were at $3.5 billion. The average career length of a first-round pick since 1993 is 9.3 years.


The Cheap NFL Jerseys  Players Association was not immediately available for comment.


COLLEGE SPORTS


Fox Sports, Big 12 have TV deal


The Big 12 Conference and Fox Sports announced a 13-year cable television contract that is worth $90 million, according to SportsBusiness Journal. The conference also has an on-going contract (through 2015-16) with ABC and ESPN. It has been reported that the contracts are worth a combined $130 million to the Big 12. Every Big 12 home football game will be shown on either ABC, a Fox network (including FX) or on what are called "institutional platforms" such as Texas' new Longhorn Network.


The Pacific 12 Conference is negotiating new TV contracts for the expanded league. During a conference call discussing the new Big 12 deal, Fox officials declined to comment on negotiations with Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott.


— Diane Pucin


An MRI on the injured left knee of UCLA safety Tony Dye revealed a mild sprain, the Bruins said. His availability for spring practice will be determined on a daily basis. Tight end John Young's return to practice this spring is "doubtful," the school said. He has an injured left shoulder. The Bruins will scrimmage during Thursday's practice instead of Friday's because of Coach Rick Neuheisel's plans to attend the funeral of former UCLA offensive coordinator Homer Smith in Alabama.


Arizona forward Derrick Williams is heading to the NBA. The Pacific 10 Conference's player of the year said he will sign with an agent and won't return for his junior season. Williams averaged 19.5 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 59% as a sophomore this season, leading the Wildcats to the NCAA tournament's West Regional final.


ETC.


Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt was arrested in his hometown of Bayonne, N.J., on Tuesday after an officer reported seeing him speeding. Britt, 22, faces charges of eluding the officer, hindering apprehension and obstructing governmental function, Bayonne Police Chief Robert Kubert said.


Britt was driving his Porsche at 71 mph in a 50-mph zone Tuesday afternoon, according to Kubert, who said Britt drove away from the officer and was eventually found on side street walking away from the car. Kubert said Britt first denied being in the car, then denied driving and then finally admitted he was behind the wheel.


Police said a passenger in the vehicle with Britt also faces three criminal charges.


Detroit Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva was suspended for five games without pay by the NBA for initiating an on-court altercation with Cleveland's Ryan Hollins, trying to get at the Cavaliers' bench and twice attempting to enter their locker room Monday. Villanueva served the first game of the suspension Wednesday. The remaining four games will be served next season.


Rafael Nadal began his bid for a seventh straight Monte Carlo Masters title with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Jarkko Nieminen at Monaco. The top-ranked Spaniard, who next plays Richard Gasquet, did not face a break point against the Finn and extended his winning record at the clay-court tournament to 33 matches. Third-seeded Andy Murray defeated Radek Stepanek, 6-1, 6-4, winning his first match since the semifinals of the Australian Open.


The Factor was made the 7-5 favorite in a field of 13 for the $1-million Arkansas Derby on Saturday at Hot Springs. The Factor drew the No. 3 post for his return to Oaklawn Park, where the 3-year-old colt trained by Bob Baffert won the Rebel Stakes by 61/4 lengths last month.


The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's License Review Committee denied Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. a license to race in the state in 2011. Lisa Underwood, the executive director of the committee, said the unanimous denial was based on Dutrow's "consistent disregard for the rules of racing." Dutrow, who met with officials for an hour before the decision was rendered, can appeal.