Arbitrator Rules That Morton Goes to Redskins

Kick returner Chad Morton was awarded to the Washington Redskins on Monday by an arbitrator who ruled that the New York Jets failed to meet all terms of an offer sheet.

“The New York Jets do not have a binding agreement,” arbitrator Richard I. Bloch wrote in his decision.

Morton becomes the fourth Jet player to move to Washington this off-season, joining receiver Laveranues Coles, guard Randy Thomas and kicker John Hall.

The issue before the arbitrator was whether the Jets sufficiently matched the five-year, $8-million offer the Redskins made last month to the restricted free agent. Washington made the final two years of the deal voidable at Morton’s option, provided he attained certain incentives.

The Jets matched the dollar amount of the offer, but did not match the voidable-years clause. The NFL sided with the Jets, but the players’ union filed a complaint.

The Jets said they would match the disputed clause, if necessary, but that wasn’t enough to satisfy the arbitrator.

“However willing the [Jets] may have been to subsequently abide by the voidability clause if so required, the unavoidable conclusion is that ... there was no match,” Bloch wrote.

Because Morton was a restricted free agent, the Jets will receive a fifth-round draft pick from the Redskins as compensation.

Morton, who played at USC, ranked second in the AFC in kickoff returns last season and set a team record with 1,509 return yards. He returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.

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Kansas City signed free-agent defensive end Vonnie Holliday to a five-year, $20-million contract contract. Holliday was drafted by Green Bay in the first round in 1998.... Seattle signed defensive end Chike Okeafor to a two-year contract worth $4 million. The Seahawks and Okeafor, who had played all four years of his NFL career with San Francisco, had agreed to terms last week.... Running back Dorsey Levens, 33, signed a three-year, $2.5-million contract with the New York Giants. Levens played with Philadelphia last season.... San Diego re-signed kicker Steve Christie to a one-year contract.

College Football

Former Florida State receiver Talman Gardner was charged with marijuana possession and having a concealed and loaded handgun.

Gardner, who has been projected as a potential second- or third-round choice in this month’s NFL draft, was released but officials did not immediately say if he had to post bond.

Gardner and another former Seminole, Malcolm Tatum, were stopped early Monday by Capitol Police at Tallahassee, Fla.

Tennis

Top-seeded Jiri Novak lost to John van Lottum, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-5, in the first round of the Estoril Open at Oeiras, Portugal.... Nicolas Massu eliminated 2000 champion Fernando Vicente, 0-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5), in the first round of the Grand Prix Hassan II tournament at Casablanca, Morocco.... Tenth-seeded Amanda Coetzer defeated Denisa Chladkova, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, in the first round of the Family Circle Cup at Charleston, S.C. Several matches were postponed because of rain.

Miscellany

Junior-welterweights Arturo Gatti (35-6, 25 knockouts) and Micky Ward (36-11, 26 KOs) will fight June 7 in the Boardwalk Hall at Atlantic City, N.J.

The boxers split two previous fights, with Ward winning on a decision in May and Gatti winning on a decision in November.

The beach volleyball team of Eric Fonoimoana and Dax Holdren won the men’s title, and Misty May and Kerri Walsh won the women’s title in the AVP Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Open over the weekend.

Anees, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 1999 and the champion 2-year-old male that year, has died after suffering a leg injury in a paddock accident at Mill Ridge Farm in Lexington, Ky.

The 6-year-old stallion was unable to be saved after surgery repaired the pastern on his left foreleg last week.

Anees, owned by Thoroughbred Corp. and trained by Alex Hassinger Jr., was 30-1 when Gary Stevens rode him to a 2 1/2-length win in the Breeders’ Cup at Gulfstream Park.

In 2000, Anees finished fourth in the Santa Anita Derby and was 13th in the Kentucky Derby before injuries ended his career. Anees’ only other win came in a maiden race as a 2-year-old. He ran seven times and earned $699,200.

Passings

Zane Feldman, one of the original owners of the Edmonton Oilers, has died at 80.

The Oilers announced Feldman’s death in a release, saying he had been battling a severe infection that spread to his bloodstream. He died Saturday in a hospital at Rancho Mirage.