Rams Put Franchise Tag on Disappointing Carter

Kevin Carter, whose falloff at defensive end was a reason for the decline of the St. Louis defense last season, was designated as the Rams’ franchise player Thursday, a move that left him unhappy.

Aeneas Williams, the Arizona Cardinals’ six-time Pro Bowl cornerback, also got the franchise tag along with Indianapolis tight end Marcus Pollard, while Chicago made defensive end Bryan Robinson its transition player.

Thursday was the final day teams could protect players by giving them franchise or transition tags. The franchise tag ensures a free agent will stay with a team unless a trade is worked out that usually includes two first-round draft choices; transition gives a player’s old team right of first refusal and compensation.

“It’s not free agency, that’s for sure,” Carter’s agent, Harold Lewis, said. “. . . It’s a lot of money and it’s all guaranteed, but Kevin would prefer to be an unrestricted free agent.”

Carter is guaranteed $5.39 million next season, the average salary of the five best-paid defensive ends in the NFL.

Meanwhile, Green Bay all-pro Darren Sharper signed a six-year, $30-million contract that made him the league’s highest-paid safety. Jacksonville offensive lineman Tony Boselli signed a restructured contract that will help shave about $1.9 million off the team’s salary cap.

In other moves, Miami released wide receiver Tony Martin and running back Thurman Thomas, who is expected to re-sign with Buffalo for one day, then retire as a member of the Bills, the team with which he spent 12 of his 13 NFL seasons. Cleveland cut quarterback Doug Pederson, Buffalo cut three-time Pro Bowl nose tackle Ted Washington along with punter Chris Mohr and offensive lineman Joe Panos, and Washington released offensive tackle Andy Heck.

Jurisprudence

The University of Alabama was formally notified that the NCAA is investigating allegations of recruiting violations in its football program. The NCAA’s preliminary letter of inquiry said it is investigating whether university representatives offered inducements to prospective players and provided extra benefits to those enrolled from 1997 to 2000, when Mike DuBose was coach, as well as “potential academic impropriety.”

Former Wisconsin running back Michael Bennett was charged with a misdemeanor for kicking in a woman’s door in his Madison apartment building. Meanwhile, current Wisconsin linebacker Russell Kuhns pleaded guilty to charges he attacked a pizza delivery driver who tried to intervene in an argument.

Federal officials have recommended that former heavyweight boxing champion Riddick Bowe, in a Charlotte, N.C., jail and charged with assaulting his second wife, Terri, be sent to prison for violating probation on an earlier domestic violence conviction.

Soccer star Diego Maradona was ordered by a Buenos Aires courtroom to pay $15,300 for shooting an air rifle at a photographer in February 1994.

Tennis

In a day of upsets, second-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia lost to Nicolas Kiefer of Germany, 6-4, 6-2, in the ABN AMRO indoor tournament at Rotterdam, Netherlands. French qualifier Nicolas Escude also upset No. 4 Tim Henman, 6-3, 7-5. . . . Top-seeded Martina Hingis of Switzerland defeated Sandrine Testud of France, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, in the Dubai Open at Dubai, United Arab Emirates, but Mary Pierce of France lost to Australian qualifier Rachel McQuillan, 6-3, 6-1. . . . Top-seeded Monica Seles rebounded from a sluggish opening match to defeat Alexandra Stevenson, 6-3, 6-4, in the IGA U.S. Indoor Championships at Oklahoma City. . . . After defeating Pete Sampras, Chris Woodruff avoided a letdown by defeating Goran Ivanisevic, 6-3, 7-6 (3), in the Kroger St. Jude tournament in Memphis, Tenn. . . . Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil cruised into the quarterfinals of the inaugural AT&T; Cup at Buenos Aires by overpowering Jiri Vanek of the Czech Republic, 6-2, 6-4.

Miscellany

The 2004 U.S. Olympic track and field trials will be held in Sacramento for the second time in a row, officials announced.

Philippe Kahn’s 70-foot turbo sled sailboat Pegasus was the fastest of 37 entries but not first to finish the Del Rey Yacht Club race from Marina del Rey to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Although completing the 1,125-nautical mile course early Thursday morning in five days 12 hours 28 minutes 37 seconds, Pegasus finished behind two smaller boats that started a day earlier. Howard Gordon’s Jutson/Sayer 50 from Morro Bay, crossed the line about 13 hours earlier with an elapsed time of 5:23:32:27.

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* Diane Pucin is on vacation.