Pair of Star Receivers Are Cut

Terrell Owens and Keyshawn Johnson, two of the NFL’s most talented but high-maintenance receivers, were released Tuesday by their teams.

The departure of Owens from Philadelphia ended a turbulent and controversial two-year stay with the Eagles.

After helping the Eagles reach the Super Bowl in 2005, Owens demanded that his contract be renegotiated only one season into a seven-year, $48-million deal.

He also feuded with team owners and tested the patience of Coach Andy Reid and his teammates, repeatedly criticizing quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Johnson, a former USC standout, also has a checkered history.

He joined the Dallas Cowboys two seasons ago after being suspended and eventually deactivated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for disciplinary reasons in similar circumstances to Owens’.

Johnson largely stayed out of trouble in Dallas, however, pulling in a team-high 71 catches last season for 839 yards and six touchdowns.

David Givens, one of Tom Brady’s primary targets on two of New England’s Super Bowl winners, signed a five-year, $24-million deal with the Tennessee Titans.

Givens caught 59 passes for 738 yards and two touchdowns last season for New England. He joins a receiving corps that featured three rookies and had only one player with more than two years’ experience last season.

The Titans also agreed to terms with center Kevin Mawae, a six-time Pro Bowl selection.

The Indianapolis Colts paid a $1.45-million bonus to keep running back Dominic Rhodes under contract next season. The move, combined with the loss of free agent Edgerrin James to Arizona over the weekend, means Rhodes presumably will become the Colts’ starting running back.

BASEBALL

Red Sox’s Francona Gets Two-Year Extension

Manager Terry Francona, who led the Boston Red Sox to their first World Series title in 86 years, received a two-year contract extension through 2008.

Francona was hired Dec. 4, 2003, to succeed Grady Little, who was let go after the Red Sox lost the American League championship series to the New York Yankees.

Chicago Cub pitcher Mark Prior will see a specialist today in Los Angeles after cutting short a throwing session in Mesa, Ariz., because of soreness in his right shoulder.

Prior was scheduled to pitch off the mound Tuesday, but he never got there. The shoulder flared up during long tossing.

Colorado infielder Josh Wilson is out four to six weeks after breaking his left big toe when he fouled a pitch off his foot.

New York Met pitcher Pedro Martinez acknowledged that a sore toe messed up his mechanics last season. He said that the toe feels better now and that it is protected with a specially designed device in his pitching shoe.

Yankee outfielder Johnny Damon has been told not to throw for about a week after injuring his left shoulder trying to get himself ready for a game with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.

IDITAROD

King Has Comfortable Lead Down the Stretch

Jeff King maintained his three-hour lead over Doug Swingley as the Iditarod sled-dog race neared conclusion. Paul Gebhardt of Kasilof was about 2 1/2 hours behind Swingley. Also reaching the checkpoint about 25 minutes after Gebhardt was DeeDee Jonrowe.

King was poised to join Swingley, Martin Buser and Susan Butcher as four-time winners of the 1,100-mile race from Anchorage to Nome. Rick Swenson is the race’s only five-time winner.

HIGH SCHOOLS

Westchester’s Suttle Is City Player of the Year

Dane Suttle, a 6-foot-6 junior guard at City Section boys’ basketball champion Westchester, has been selected the City player of the year by a panel of sportswriters.

Suttle made 14 of 17 shots and finished with 32 points in a victory over top-seeded Los Angeles Fairfax in the section semifinals.

Kevin Kiernan of Fullerton Troy has been selected the national high school girls’ basketball coach of the year by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Assn. Troy (32-1) will be playing in its fourth consecutive state Division II title game Friday night. The Warriors won state championships under Kiernan in 2003 and 2005. He will coach the West in the annual WBCA Nike All-American game April 1 at Northeastern University.

MISCELLANY

Gooden Charged With Violating Probation

Former baseball standout Dwight Gooden was arrested in Tampa, Fla., on charges of violating the terms of his probation after he acknowledged using cocaine.

Gooden, 41, pleaded guilty in November to speeding away from police at a drunk-driving traffic checkpoint in August and was sentenced to three years of probation.

Bode Miller aggravated a left knee injury during training and whether he skis next season probably will depend on how it heals this summer.

Miller’s knee gave him problems during downhill training for the World Cup finals, where he finished 18th.

Olympic skiing champion Anja Paerson will have arthroscopic surgery on both knees after this week’s World Cup finals.