FOOTBALL

JETS EXPECT ABRAHAM TO PLAY IN 2005

Even though John Abraham is unsigned, Jets general manager Terry Bradway said yesterday the team expects him to play for them in 2005.Abraham didn’t sign his $6.7 million franchise tender before the March 16 deadline and is barred from off-season training with the team. The Pro Bowl defensive end is working out on his own, waiting for talks to begin again after a four-month blackout period.

Abraham has struggled to stay healthy throughout his five-year career, and missed the final four regular-season games and two playoff games last season after spraining his right knee. Coach Herman Edwards hasn’t spoken with his star defensive player. When asked whether he would rather have Abraham with the team, Edwards said, “Rather have a lot of things. But he’s not here.”

Bradway also said he hasn’t received any trade inquiries for Abraham and reiterated several times he doesn’t foresee any deals happening. But when asked whether he could guarantee Abraham would be back, Bradway said, “How can you say anything in this league isn’t a possibility?”

FOUR PROSPECTS FAIL DRUG TESTS

Four players projected to be taken in the middle to low rounds of next week’s NFL draft have tested positive for marijuana, a source said. The four include two from Wisconsin: defensive tackle Anttaj Hawthorne and guard Jonathan Clinkscale; defensive tackle Eric Coleman of Clemson and safety Atcheson Conway of Bowie, according to a source within the league who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The tests were administered at the NFL scouting combine, as was the one in which Northwestern defensive tackle Luis Castillo tested positive for androstenedione, which is considered a steroid by the NFL. A player who tests positive for street drugs such as marijuana goes into the first stage of the NFL’s drug program. That makes him subject to random testing up to 10 times a month for two years. A player who tests positive for steroids before he comes into the league is subject to “reasonable cause” testing for steroids up to 24 times a year for his entire career.

BASKETBALL

CURRY OUT FOR SEASON WITH HEART PROBLEM

Chicago Bulls center Eddy Curry will miss the rest of the season because of an irregular heartbeat, but doctors are optimistic he’ll be able to play again. Curry will undergo further tests that will take another six weeks, meaning he’ll miss the team’s first playoff appearance since 1998. Doctors still aren’t sure what caused the heart arrhythmia, which hasn’t recurred in the last two weeks.

The 22-year-old has been sidelined since March 30. He was a late scratch from the Bulls’ game in Charlotte that night with what was listed as flulike symptoms, but the Chicago Tribune reported that he’d spent the game hooked up to a heart monitor. Curry returned to Chicago on April 1 and was admitted to Rush University Medical Center for further tests. When those were inconclusive, he saw specialists in Boston and Minnesota.

“We really haven’t found out anything crazy that would make me think my career’s over,” said Curry, who smiled and looked relaxed when he arrived at the news conference. “There’s nothing to be frowning about. We just have to do more tests.”

PAUL DECLARES FOR DRAFT

All-America point guard Chris Paul will give up his final two years of eligibility at Wake Forest and enter the NBA draft. He made the announcement yesterday at a news conference on campus, with nearly all his teammates and about 30 family members and friends in attendance. As a sophomore, Paul was the leading vote-getter on the Associated Press preseason All-America team, and he was named to the first team after the season. He averaged 15.3 points for the Demon Deacons (27-6), who set a school record for victories.

SOCCER

TOUGHER RULES AT ITALIAN MATCHES

The Italian government backed zero tolerance measures yesterday 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 now be abandoned if objects are thrown from the stands. The team whose fans threw the objects will be penalized with an automatic 3-0 loss.

Police have been told to cancel games if there is violence before kickoff – inside or outside the stadium – or if they spot offensive banners, signs or symbols. The Interior Ministry announced the measures after meeting with the Italian soccer federation and the Italian Olympic Committee. The federation proposed and ratified the rules, steps that were opposed by some teams.

TENNIS

FEDERER EXTENDS WIN STREAK TO 25

Off to the best start to an ATP season in 21 years, Roger Federer extended his winning streak to 25 yesterday with a three set victory over Fernando Gonzalez at the Monte Carlo Masters. The top-ranked Swiss star dropped a set but still beat the Chilean 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-4 to improve his record to 35-1 this year. John McEnroe started the 1984 season with 39 straight wins. Federer has won 18 straight finals. His only loss this year came in the Australian Open semifinals to Marat Safin. Earlier, defending champion Guillermo Coria and French Open winner Gaston Gaudio reached the last eight of the $2.7 million clay-court event. Coria, seeded sixth, beat Alberto Martin of Spain 7-6 (0), 6-1, and Gaudio, seeded fourth, topped Victor Hanescu of Romania 6-2, 6-0.

– Associated Press