Football
N.Y. STADIUM DEAL: City and state officials announced a deal Thursday for a $1.4 billion stadium on Manhattan's West Side that would be home to the New York Jets and anchor New York's bid for the 2012 Olympics.
"We will have a home to bring the Jets back from New Jersey, and pro football back to New York City," Gov. George Pataki said.
The Jets, who now play at the Meadowlands, have agreed to spend $800 million on the stadium, but the city and state would have to kick in $600 million for a deck over the existing rail yards, where the stadium is to be built, and a retractable roof that will allow the facility to be used for concerts and trade shows.
If New York gets the 2012 Olympics, the new stadium would be the site of opening and closing ceremonies, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. Despite strong support from Bloomberg and Pataki, the plan faces major hurdles including an environmental review, zoning approvals and probably lawsuits by neighborhood activists.
NEW CU CHARGES: A Colorado football player was accused of raping a woman when he was a recruit, bringing to eight the number of such allegations involving the scandal-rocked team, the Rocky Mountain News reported Thursday. University officials said Wednesday they learned of the nearly 4-year-old accusation about two weeks ago and are investigating. No charges have been filed in any of the cases in which allegations were made against a Colorado football player or recruit since 1997. But the cases are being investigated by Attorney General Ken Salazar and a commission appointed by the university's board of regents.
NFL MOVES: Running back Garrison Hearst signed with the Denver Broncos on Thursday, hoping to bolster a backfield that lost Clinton Portis in a trade with Washington earlier this month. The 11-year NFL veteran became a free agent after San Francisco released him last month. Hearst started 12 games for the 49ers last season, rushing for 768 yards and three touchdowns and adding 211 yards and a score on 25 catches. He missed the rest of the season after injuring his knee Nov. 30.
In other NFL moves: the Atlanta Falcons signed free-agent tight end Hunter Goodwin and hired Clancy Barone as assistant offensive line coach, and three-time Pro Bowl safety Brock Marion signed a four-year contract with the Lions on Thursday.
JONES JOINS RAIDERS: Former Pro Bowl defensive lineman Sean Jones was hired by the Oakland Raiders on Thursday for a position in their pro personnel department. Jones, a 13-year veteran who retired in 1997, played his first four NFL seasons with the Raiders. He had 113 career sacks, ranking 13th in NFL history.
Soccer
ADU IN OPENER: Good news for the Freddy Adu hype machine: The 14-year-old soccer prodigy is all but certain to play in the MLS season opener.
"I'm sure Freddy's going to play this game," D.C. United coach Peter Nowak said Thursday. "We have 10 days before the home opener, and I haven't made my decision yet. He's on the best way to start the game, but we'll see what will happen next week."
The start of the MLS season has been tailored around Adu, the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft. The April 3 opener between D.C. United and San Jose is the only regular-season game that ABC plans to broadcast this season. The banner promoting the game on the home page of the official MLS Web site features Adu's picture. United has been selling tickets to the game as part of a "Freddy 4 Pack."
Figure skating
PLUSHENKO WINS WORLDS: At Dortmund, Germany, Russian Evgeni Plushenko won the men's title at the World Figure Skating Championships on Thursday, defeating French rival Brian Joubert with a technically daring program. Joubert, who beat Plushenko at the European championships, was second after a strong program, and Stefan Lindemann of Germany finished third. Johnny Weir was fifth and Michael Weiss sixth, the first time since 1994 that an American man failed to win a medal.