Jackson, Treadwell Cut by Giants

Wide receiver Mark Jackson and kicker David Treadwell got a lesson in the new economics of the NFL on Friday when they were released by the New York Giants.

Tackle Clarence Jones, a seldom-used three-year veteran, was also released after the team had rescinded its contract offer.

The release of Jackson and Treadwell, two former Denver Broncos who followed Coach Dan Reeves to the Giants, was a sign of the salary-cap times. Jackson, the Giants’ leading receiver last season, had signed a three-year, $5-million contract in 1993, but he became expendable when the Giants drafted Thomas Lewis of Indiana in the first round and traded a draft pick to Denver for Arthur Marshall.

Treadwell, who led the Giants in scoring and made 25 of 31 field-goal attempts, had signed a two-year contract last August, but he was not used on kickoffs. The Giants preferred Brad Daluiso’s long-distance kicks and he will get a chance to do both jobs.

The Giants also signed six free agents, among them punter Kurt Bloedorn of Cal State Fullerton.

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Browning Nagle, considered the New York Jets’ quarterback of the future only a year ago, also felt the salary-cap crunch when he was released a day after the Jets signed Jack Trudeau. Indianapolis released Trudeau last month.

A week ago, Nagle signed a contract that would have paid him $875,000 next season. Trudeau signed for $1,725,000 over two years, adding an additional burden to the salary cap of $34.6 million a team.

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The Washington Redskins signed free-agent strong safety Keith Taylor, who had played for the New Orleans Saints, to a two-year, $1.3-million deal.

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Former Indianapolis receiver Reggie Langhorne was put on a year’s probation and ordered to donate $250 to charity under a plea agreement for drunk driving in Anderson, Ind.

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Movie producer Jeffrey Lurie’s $185-million purchase of the Philadelphia Eagles, a record amount for a sports franchise, was unanimously approved by the NFL’s other owners.

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General admission seating will be eliminated for games at Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium as part of a plan to prevent a repeat of a crowd surge that injured dozens after the Badgers’ victory over Michigan on Oct. 30. The university also will expand the student section.

Basketball

Steve Aggers, a longtime assistant coach at Pepperdine, is leaving to join his former boss, Tom Asbury, on the staff at Kansas State.

The NCAA has suggested that the Ohio State men’s basketball program be put on probation for a year for recruiting violations, a television station reported.

WBNS-TV in Columbus reported that Ohio State had recommended losing a scholarship and taking a coach off recruiting for violations involving Damon Flint, who eventually signed with Cincinnati.

Miscellany

About 250 mourners in Salzburg, Austria, said farewell to rookie Formula One driver Roland Ratzenberger, who was killed trying to qualify for last weekend’s San Marino Grand Prix in Italy.

Pavel Bure of the Vancouver Canucks was fined $500 for hitting Dallas right wing Shane Churla with an elbow in Wednesday’s game.

Police in Rio de Janeiro said they expected help from the underworld in solving the kidnaping of Edevair Souza de Faria, the father of Brazilian soccer star Romario. Faria was abducted Monday night.

Malcolm Elliott of Britain used a three-second bonus sprint to move into the overall lead, and German amateur Sven Teutenberg won the second stage of the Tour DuPont, a 115-mile ride into head winds between Port Deposit, Md., and Hagerstown, Md.