As Cooke Drops Out, Redskins’ Sale Gets Close

Team President John Kent Cooke unexpectedly withdrew his bid for the Washington Redskins on Thursday, and the Associated Press reported that the team’s trustees are close to a making a deal to sell the team to communications executive Daniel Snyder for $800 million.

Cooke, apparently ending his dream of owning the team his father owned, pulled out with a statement indicative of his frustration with the trustees overseeing his father’s estate.

The trustees have essentially ignored Cooke’s latest offer, which he said was higher than the $680-million bid he made last fall, and have chosen instead to negotiate directly with Snyder, sources said.

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Edgerrin James, the Indianapolis Colts’ surprise first-round draft pick, plans to participate in the team’s mini-camp this weekend after signing an injury-protection agreement. . . . The New England Patriots signed veteran quarterback John Friesz to serve as a backup to starter Drew Bledsoe.

Miscellany

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Kareem Rush of Kansas City, a 6-foot-6 forward and brother of UCLA freshman JaRon Rush, has apparently chosen to play at Missouri. The paper said an announcement is expected today. . . . Forward Albert White of Missouri said he’s skipping his senior year to make himself available for the NBA draft. . . . Shawn Marion of Nevada Las Vegas is expected to announce today that he’s making himself available for the NBA draft. . . . Zalgiris Kaunas, led by former UCLA guard Tyus Edney, upset defending champion Kinder Bologna, 82-74, at Munich, Germany, to become the first Lithuanian team to win the Euroleague basketball title.

Top-seeded Carlos Moya of Spain defeated Karim Alami of Morocco, 6-4, 6-1, to reach the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Open tennis tournament in Monaco. . . . Top-seeded Jason Stoltenberg of Australia lost to Herman Gumy of Argentina, 7-6, 7-6, at the Clay Court Championships at Lake Buena Vista, Fla. . . . Second-seeded Mary Pierce of France advanced to the quarterfinals of the Egypt Classic, beating Seda Noorlander of the Netherlands, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, at Cairo.

Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, who suffers from Parkinson’s syndrome, lent his support to government efforts to clean up boxing, telling the Senate Commerce Committee through longtime friend Howard Bingham that the controversial Lennox Lewis-Evander Holyfield draw last month was the “lowest point” for a sport beset with problems. . . . Juan Carlos Ramirez of Mexico will replace Wayne McCullough as the challenger when Erik Morales defends his WBC super-bantamweight title May 8 at Las Vegas. McCullough suffered a back injury in training.

The Track & Field Assn., the sport’s first outdoor professional league in the United States, will debut June 6 with the TFA Pro Championships at Uniondale, N.Y. . . . Former USC wide receiver Kevin Williams was honored in memoriam with the Brice Taylor Award by the USC Black Alumni Assn./Ebonics Support group. Williams, who died in an El Cajon train accident in 1997, was an All-American who played at USC from 1976-80. . . . Former Minnesota Viking great Carl Eller, 57, was released from jail in North Mankato, Minn., while police investigated a sexual-assault claim. Eller denies the charges. . . . Ken Schrader won the pole for Saturday’s Touchstone Energy 300 NASCAR Busch Series race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.