Owens Seeking New Contract

Terrell Owens, who helped the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl in his first season with the team, is looking to renegotiate the seven-year deal worth almost $49 million he signed last year.

“This is not about me being greedy or selfish,” the receiver told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I was called selfish for trying to come back and play in the Super Bowl. I just want people to think about what they’re hearing from all these reports about me being greedy. Just take a moment and look at my stature in the game.”

Owens had surgery after breaking his leg and severely spraining his right ankle in Week 15, but made it back for the Super Bowl 6 1/2 weeks later.

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The New York Giants have reached an agreement with the state of New Jersey to build a $750-million stadium that would open for the 2008 season.

Tennis

Defending champion Venus Williams lost to Tatiana Golovin, 7-5, 6-4, at the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, S.C.

Roger Federer extended his winning streak to 25 with a 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-4 victory over Fernando Gonzalez at the Monte Carlo Masters in Monaco.

College Basketball

Wake Forest guard Chris Paul will forgo his final two years of eligibility and make himself available for the June 28 NBA draft. Paul, who said he expected to be a lottery pick, plans to hire an agent soon.

Torin Francis, a 6-foot-10 forward from Notre Dame, will forgo his senior season of eligibility and make himself available for the NBA draft. Francis has not hired an agent.

Soccer

Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber announced the agreement between the league and San Antonio for an MLS team that could begin play in the city as early as the 2006 regular season.

The Italian government backed zero-tolerance measures designed to curb fan violence at soccer games. The new rules, which take effect immediately and follow a violent week of Italian soccer, state that games will be abandoned if objects are thrown from the stands.

The U.S. Under-17 men’s national team scored in the first 60 seconds but struggled offensively for the majority of its second match in Group A of the U-17 Final Round CONCACAF Qualifying Tournament, drawing 1-1 with Cuba at Heredia, Costa Rica. The U.S. plays Costa Rica in its final match of the tournament on Saturday at 6 p.m. PDT with a automatic berth to the FIFA World Championship on the line.

Jurisprudence

Former NFL rushing champion Ricky Williams will pay $4,200 a month in child support under terms of a paternity suit settlement with a former South Florida woman.

Miscellany

USC will award scholarships to 12 disabled athletes during the annual “Swim With Mike” on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at McDonald’s Swim Stadium.

The program is named after three-time All-American Trojan swimmer Mike Nyeholt, who was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident in 1981. The event will include an appearance by football Coach Pete Carroll.

Marshall hired former defensive back Mark Snyder as football coach, replacing the retired Bob Pruett. Snyder was Ohio State’s defensive coordinator last season.

The U.S. men’s water polo team clinched a berth in this summer’s World Aquatics Championships in Montreal by defeating Venezuela, 10-0, in a qualification tournament in Mexico City.

Passings

Don Bradley, longtime sportswriter for the Pomona Progress-Bulletin, has died of cancer. He was 78.