DENVER (AP) - Peyton Manning signed his five-year, $96 million contract with the Denver Broncos yesterday and said he wants to play at the same level he displayed before a neck injury caused him to miss all of last season. Broncos executive John Elway said his goal is to make Peyton Manning the best quarterback that's ever played the game, adding that Manning has that ability with the football that he's got left. With Manning in the fold, Elway said he would do everything he can to get former starting QB Tim Tebow (TEE'-boh) into the best situation possible.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams says his team's "preparation is 100 percent" to play without Kendall Marshall. The Tar Heels point guard is recovering from Monday's surgery on his broken right wrist and his status remains up in the air for the Midwest Regional semifinal against Ohio on Friday night in St. Louis. The left-handed sophomore was injured when he was fouled on a drive in the second half of Sunday's tournament victory over Creighton.
UNDATED (AP) - A person familiar with negotiations says Dan Hurley is getting a six-year deal to take over the basketball program at Rhode Island. The Rams went 7-24 this season. The son of Hall of Fame high school coach Bob Hurley spent the last two seasons at Wagner after nine years as a high school coach in Newark, N.J. The former Seton Hall guard led the Seahawks to a 25-6 record this season.
LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) - Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera will miss at least a week of spring training after being struck in the right eye by a hard grounder during Monday's exhibition game. The Tigers third baseman received eight stitches, but team president and general manager Dave Dombrowski says the slugger's vision is "perfect" and he won't go on the disabled list. Cabrera says he expects to be ready by opening day.
SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) - Texas Rangers lefty Derek Holland has agreed to a new five-year contract that includes a pair of one-year club options that could have him in the fold through 2018. Holland was 16-5 with a 3.95 ERA last year and is 27-22 over three major league seasons with Texas.
