Manning and Colts Agree to Six Years, $48 Million

Peyton Manning will sign the biggest contract ever given to an NFL rookie today.

The Indianapolis Colts announced that the team had reached agreement on contract terms for the former Tennessee quarterback, the top pick in the draft.

The contract is worth $48 million over six years with an $11.6-million signing bonus, said Ken Kremer, an associate of agent Tom Condon.

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NFL owners voted unanimously to approve Red McCombs’ $250-million bid to purchase the Minnesota Vikings at the owners meeting at Grapevine, Texas. During the same meeting, owners approved a plan for stocking the expansion Cleveland Browns, who will begin play in 1999. The Browns will get at least 30 veteran players from other teams and 14 extra draft picks in their first two years, including next year’s first overall pick. . . . Cornerback R.W. McQuarters, the San Francisco 49ers’ first-round pick from Oklahoma State, signed a four-year contract worth just under $4 million. . . . The Vikings waived defensive end Fernando Smith after he failed a physical. . . . Pro Bowl running back Dorsey Levens said in a television interview that he’s willing to sit out the season if the Green Bay Packers don’t pay him about $5 million a year.

Basketball

Cynthia Cooper scored 27 points and Sheryl Swoopes added 17 as the Houston Comets (19-1) rallied for a 72-62 victory over the Phoenix Mercury before 16,285 at Houston, extending their WNBA-record winning streak to 14 games.

Utah State Coach Larry Eustachy has been named to replace Tim Floyd at Iowa State. Floyd quit last week and accepted a job with the Chicago Bulls.

Tennis

French Open champion Carlos Moya of Spain was ousted in the first round of the Croatia Open at Umag, losing to Paul Haarhuis of the Netherlands, the No. 99-ranked player in the world, 5-7, 6-4, 6-1. . . . Markus Hipfl, a wild-card entry from Austria, upset Hicham Arazi of Morocco, 6-2, 6-1, to reach the third round of the Generali Open at Kitzbuehel, Austria. . . . San Diego’s Alexandra Stevenson, 17, reached the round of 16 in the Bank of the West tournament at Stanford with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over eighth-seeded Rita Grande of Italy.

Jurisprudence

Charged with attempted murder and armed robbery in May, former Georgetown and Fresno State basketball player Kenny Brunner and co-defendant Ladale Lunnie appeared in Los Angeles Municipal Court for their pretrial hearing. Jerome Bradford, Brunner’s attorney, requested time to prepare two motions.

One of four Germans suspected of attacking a French police officer after a World Cup soccer game was released from custody at Hanover, Germany and faced reduced charges. The suspect maintained he was trying to keep others from continuing the beating. Prosecutors said that other witnesses have supported his story.

Alishma Alexander, kicked off the Mississippi football team earlier this summer after a drug charge, remained in jail Tuesday after his arrest for burglary and grand larceny in Lafayette, Miss. Kahlil Nash, an incoming freshman football player, was also arrested and released on $5,000 bond.

Miscellany

Defenseman Slava Fetisov retired rather than stay with the Detroit Red Wings in a limited playing role. Fetisov will become an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils. . . . Miami Fusion midfielder Carlos Valderrama was fined a record $10,000 by Major League Soccer for refusing to train with his American club. The team said he also wouldn’t play today against Columbus. . . . Joshua Bard of Texas Tech hit a home run in the fifth inning, helping the United States to an 8-5 victory over Australia in the Baseball World Championships at Rome. . . . Sheila Douty hit a home run in the top of the ninth inning, giving the United States a 1-0 victory over Japan at the women’s world softball championship at Fujinomiya, Japan. . . . Olympic shotput champion Randy Barnes, who faces a lifetime ban after a positive drug test, said he was unaware he had taken a banned substance.