Giants Sign Collins, Cut Kanell

The New York Giants signed free-agent quarterback Kerry Collins to a four-year contract worth $16.9 million, including a $5-million signing bonus.

The Giants also released quarterback Danny Kanell, who was scheduled to earn $2.9 million in 1999, and maintained that Collins will begin the season as the backup.

“Kent Graham is our starter,” Coach Jim Fassel said Friday. “Kent has earned that right by what he did last year.”

After appearing in the Pro Bowl and leading the Carolina Panthers to the NFC championship in 1996, Collins, 26, encountered problems on and off the field. He gave up his starting job with the Panthers last year and subsequently was waived. Then he was arrested on charges of driving while impaired after signing with the New Orleans Saints.

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The Miami Dolphins re-signed outside linebacker Robert Jones to a five-year contract, reportedly worth from $15 million to $17.5 million.

Tennis

Venus Williams routed German qualifier Barbara Rittner, 6-2, 6-1, to set up a semifinal showdown with Steffi Graf at the $500,000 Hanover WTA tournament in Germany.

Top-seeded Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic also advanced with a 6-1, 6-4, victory over France’s Sandrine Testud.

Jim Courier needed only 49 minutes to beat sixth-seeded Mariano Puerta of Argentina, 6-0, 6-2, to advance to the semifinals of the $700,000 St. Jude Indoor tournament at Memphis, Tenn.

Greg Rusedski of Britain defeated Frenchman Cedric Pioline, 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), at the AMRO tournament at Rotterdam, Netherlands. Rusedski earned a semifinal matchup with second-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who beat Roger Federer of Switzerland, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4.

Golf

Alison Nicholas overcame a horrible start to birdie five of the last nine holes and gain a share of the lead with Michelle McGann after two rounds of the Hawaiian Ladies Open at Kapolei.

Nicholas had a six-under-par 66, McGann a 69, for 36-hole totals of eight-under 136.

On the Senior PGA Tour, Larry Laoretti shot a bogey-free 67 to take a two-shot lead over George Archer and Gibby Gilbert after the opening round of the $1.2-million GTE Classic at Lutz, Fla.

Jurisprudence

Mohammed Haroon Ali, the man accused of killing the daughter of NFL Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff, was arraigned on one murder count in Redwood City, Calif., after his former probation officer said a judge went too easy on him years ago.

Amos Dana, San Mateo County chief probation officer, said his agency knew Ali was dangerous to the community and recommended he be sent to prison in 1995 for kidnapping and severely beating a previous girlfriend.

Heavyweight boxer Trevor Berbick is wanted by authorities in Florida for allegedly breaking the conditions of his 1994 parole on convictions of rape, theft and misdemeanor assault.

Carl Michael Carter II, convicted last week of trying to run down world cycling champion Lance Armstrong with his pickup truck, was sentenced to 13 years in prison in Austin, Texas.

Miscellany

Gail Devers ran the fastest 60-meter race of the indoor season in 7.01 seconds at the Flanders Indoor track meet at Ghent, Belgium. . . . Reggie Torian won the 60-meter hurdles in 7.45 seconds at the D.C. Invitational in Fairfax, Va., making him three for three on the U.S. Track and Field’s Golden Spike Tour.

Rain delayed qualifying at North Carolina Speedway for this weekends’ Dura-Lube/Big Kmart 400. . . . George Bozanic, a co-captain of the 1953 USC football team, died Thursday in Glendale. He was 67.