Giants receiver Victor Cruz extends deal

New York Giants star receiver Victor Cruz signed a five-year contract extension that runs through the 2018 season.

Cruz was a restricted free agent with three years in the NFL. Last month, he signed a one-year, $2.879-million tender with the Giants, but a long-term deal was already in the works. The Giants could have matched any offers Cruz received from other teams — so he didn’t get any.

The new deal is worth $43 million, according to media reports.

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The NFL and former players must try to negotiate a dispute over whether complaints about concussion-related injuries belong in court or in arbitration, a federal judge said.

U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody of Philadelphia had planned to rule July 22 in a legal fight that involves about 4,200 former players and could be worth billions of dollars.

But instead she ordered the two sides to begin mediation with retired federal judge Layn Phillips. The retirees want the right to sue the league, and the NFL insists the claims must be arbitrated under terms of the collective bargaining agreement.

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A former NFL player is suing the Washington Redskins and former assistant coach Gregg Williams, saying a career-ending knee injury was the result of a bounty program in which Redskins coaches encouraged players to intentionally injure opponents.

Barrett Green, a linebacker who played for the Detroit Lions and the New York Giants from 2000 to 2005, says a career-ending knee injury during a game on Dec. 5, 2004, was the result of a bounty program and an “unusual, outrageous, and an obvious cheap shot.”

Williams later became defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints in 2009 and was considered the mastermind behind the bounty scandal that led to unprecedented sanctions from the NFL.

ETC.

USC keeps Hubbs as baseball coach

Dan Hubbs will remain USC’s baseball coach.

The Trojans took a $1-million-plus run at coaxing over UCLA Coach John Savage, but when that advance was spurned, USC Athletic Director Pat Haden decided to stay with Hubbs.

Haden said USC was working on “a long-term contract” with Hubbs, who was promoted from associate head coach to the top spot when Frank Cruz was fired only weeks before the start of last season.

Hubbs was not immediately available for comment.

—Mike Hiserman

Kenwyne Jones scored in the 72nd minute to give Trinidad and Tobago a 2-2 tie with El Salvador in the first round of the CONCACAF Gold Cup at Harrison, N.J.

Rodolfo Zelaya scored twice for El Salvador.

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In the second Gold Cup game at Harrison, Rony Martinez and Marvin Chavez scored to lead Honduras to a 2-0 win over Haiti.

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John Daly withdrew from the British Open because he will have elbow surgery that will end his PGA Tour season.

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Louisiana State running back Jeremy Hill and another man were formally charged in Baton Rouge, La., with misdemeanor simple battery in connection with a late April scuffle in a bar parking lot.

The matter has put Hill’s 2013 season in doubt because LSU’s leading rusher last season is on probation stemming from his January 2012 plea of misdemeanor carnal knowledge of a juvenile.