Owens Insists He Won’t Be a Raven

Terrell Owens skipped a physical with the Baltimore Ravens on Monday, then reasserted his intention not to play for the team.

While the Ravens waited for an arbitrator to rule on the receiver’s bid to void his trade from San Francisco, Owens issued a statement saying he would not suit up for Baltimore.

“So that there is no misunderstanding, regardless of what happens with the grievance, under the present circumstances I do not see myself playing for the Ravens,” Owens said. “I can assure everyone that I will continue to keep fighting for my right to play for the team of my choice even after the grievance. At the end of this process, I simply want to be able to exercise my right to play for a team of my choosing under a deal that is fair to me and my family.”

Baltimore will wait for the arbitrator’s ruling before making its next move.

The Ravens expect the matter to be cleared up by Friday and are certain Owens will play for them next season. They said they were willing to rework the deal to bring his salary in line with top receivers in the league.

But Owens wants a contract with the team of his choosing and believes the Ravens were out of line in making the trade.

Owens was denied free-agent status last month after he missed a deadline to void the last three seasons of his contract. His agent filed a grievance with the NFL Management Council through the NFL Players Assn.

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Free-agent quarterback Jeff Garcia, 34, has been offered a contract by the Cleveland Browns. The move surprised Cleveland’s incumbent quarterback, Tim Couch.

The Browns offered Garcia, who was released by San Francisco last week, a two-year deal worth $8 million. The package includes a signing bonus of between $4 million and $5 million.

Couch said he was optimistic he would be able to work out a new deal and remain with the Browns.

But in a story published in the Gilroy (Calif.) Dispatch, Garcia’s father, Bobby, said his son would sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Minnesota and free-agent receiver Marcus Robinson agreed to a four-year contract worth $9.4 million.... Oakland signed three-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman Ron Stone to a free-agent contract. Stone spent the last two seasons with San Francisco.... Receiver Curtis Conway was released by the New York Jets, three days after the team acquired Justin McCareins in a trade with Tennessee.... Cincinnati re-signed center Rich Braham, a 10-year veteran who had been an unrestricted free agent.... The New York Giants signed free-agent linebacker Barrett Green, who had started all 16 games with Detroit last season.

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The NFL has joined with the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the University of Utah in forming a drug testing laboratory at Salt Lake City.

The lab will conduct research into the use and detection of prohibited and performance-enhancing substances. The U.S. Olympic Committee also will be involved in the testing.

Golf

John Daly injured a hand by getting it caught in a car door and withdrew from the Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., said his agent, who did not specify which hand was injured.

Miscellany

Evander Holyfield, 41, said he would return to the ring with a new management team with hopes of becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion again. No matchup has been set for Holyfield.

Four-time winner Doug Swingley was the front-runner on the second day of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska.

Swingley arrived at the Rainy Pass checkpoint at 9:06 a.m. and left six minutes later, heading to Rohn, 48 miles away.

Three Southern Californians who compete for Ivy League schools have qualified for the NCAA fencing championships, set for March 25-28 at Brandeis in Waltham, Mass.

Cory Werk, a Yale sophomore from Torrance, will compete in men’s foil; Columbia freshman Alex Krul, from Beverly Hills High, will compete in men’s sabre and Columbia freshman Alexie Rubin will compete in the women’s epee.