FOOTBALL

GIANTS WITHDRAW OFFER FOR RECEIVER BURRESS

A day after meeting with free agent receiver Plaxico Burress, Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi announced yesterday that the team was no longer interested in signing the Pittsburgh Steeler and had withdrawn its contract offer.

Burress was supposed to arrive at Giants Stadium on Monday but he missed the meeting because of illness. He finally showed up late Wednesday and had dinner with some coaches and members of the front office.

The five-year veteran had more talks yesterday morning before being told the Giants were no longer interested. Burress had 35 catches for 698 yards and five touchdowns last season. His best season was in 2002, when he had 78 catches.

FAVRE WILL PLAY AT LEAST ONE MORE YEAR

Brett Favre is returning to the Green Bay Packers for the 2005 season, the Associated Press learned yesterday.

Coach Mike Sherman told the AP that he had a two-hour conversation with his quarterback on Wednesday night. Favre informed him his wife is doing well in her cancer treatment, so he’s planning to play at least one more season, maybe more if his own health holds up. The three-time MVP said after the Packers’ playoff loss to Minnesota in January that he wanted to reflect before committing to playing a 15th NFL season following a year of personal tumult. It never was a question of diminished ability because even at 35, Favre remains near the top of his game. He topped 4,000 yards passing last season and recorded his eighth 30-touchdown season, twice as many as any other quarterback in NFL history.

PACKERS RELEASE VETERAN SAFETY SHARPER

The Green Bay Packers released two-time Pro Bowl safety Darren Sharper yeterday to trim $3.4 million off their salary cap and avoid having to pay him a $2.6 million roster bonus this weekend.

The Packers tried to get Sharper to restructure his deal, but he balked at a pay cut, hoping he can make more on the open market than the approximately $2 million Green Bay was offering for 2005. Sharper started at free safety the last six seasons and ranks fifth in team history with 36 interceptions. He led the team with four interceptions last year and scored three defensive touchdowns.

BASEBALL

SIX RED SOX TESTED FOR STEROIDS

At least six Boston Red Sox players were tested yesterday as part of major league baseball’s program to curb steroid use.

Team vice president Mike Port said six to 12 players were tested but he was not allowed to give out names. He was contacted Wednesday night by the independent company conducting the tests and told they would be conducted the following day. He received the list of players yesterday morning and said all cooperated with the testing. Additional Red Sox players will be tested later.

Random testing already has been conducted at other spring training camps. Port said he didn’t know when the results would be known but assumed the team would be notified only if a player tested positive. Under baseball’s new program, a first-time offender would be suspended for 10 days without pay.

SOCCER

SECOND REFEREE ARRESTED IN GERMAN MATCH-FIXING SCANDAL

A second referee was arrested in Germany’s match-fixing scandal on suspicion of rigging three games, the Berlin prosecutor’s office said yesterday.

Dominik Marks was arrested in front of his Berlin apartment Wednesday on suspicion of fraud, plotting a crime, and money laundering. Marks is the second referee arrested since the scandal broke in January. Robert Hoyzer, the central figure in the biggest German soccer corruption scandal in more than 30 years, has admitted he was paid more than $90,000 to manipulate games.

Berlin prosecutors are investigating 25 people, including 14 players and four referees, on suspicion of manipulating at least 10 games, mostly in lower divisions. The three Croatian brothers who allegedly masterminded the scheme also have been arrested. Germany will host the 2006 World Cup.

PRO BASKETBALL

O’NEAL LEADS HEAT TO SEVENTH STRAIGHT WIN

Shaquille O’Neal had 33 points, and the Miami Heat rode an 18-2 second-half surge to a seventh straight victory, 107-90 last night over the Minnesota Timberwolves. O’Neal added 13 rebounds, was 10-for-18 from the floor and – most surprisingly, considering he was a 46.2-percent foul shooter coming into the game – hit on 13 of 18 tries from the line. Dwyane Wade added 20 points for the Heat, who won their 11th straight at home and expanded their lead in the Eastern Conference to eight games over idle Detroit. Miami (47-16) has 19 regular-season games remaining. Kevin Garnett had 22 points and 19 rebounds for Minnesota.

– Associated Press