In Sports from United Press International

Packers sign first-round pick

GREEN BAY, Wis., July 24 (UPI) -- One day before the start of training camp, the Green Bay Packers have signed wide receiver Javon Walker, their first-round draft choice, to a multi-year contract.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but ESPN said the deal is for five years and worth $6.7 million.

In order to select the Florida State product with the 20th pick, the Packers moved up eight spots in the draft. They swapped first-round picks with Seattle and also sent a second-round pick to the Seahawks with Green Bay getting a fifth-round selection in return.

One of the fastest players in draft, Walker will enter camp and challenge Donald Driver for the Packers' No. 3 wideout position.

The 6-2 Walker led Florida State with 45 receptions for 944 yards and seven touchdowns last season and captured second team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors. He made an impression with his Gator Bowl performance against Virginia Tech, catching four passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns.

Novak, Sanchez-Vicario advance

SOPOT, Poland, July 24 (UPI) -- Top-seeded Jiri Novak of Czech Republic and third-seeded Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario of Spain led a parade of seeds into the second round Tuesday at the $681,000 Idea Prokom Open.

There were five seeds in action on both sides of the draw and four advanced. In the men's draw, No. 5 David Sanchez of Spain collapsed in an 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 loss to Franco Squillari of Argentina. Among women, No. 7 Maja Matevzic of Slovakia was eliminated by Vera Zvonareva of of Russia.

Novak had some trouble with qualifier Sebastier De Chaunac of France, rallying for a 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 6-2 victory. This is the first time Novak is playing an ATP event in Poland, which borders his homeland.

No. 2 Carlos Moya of Spain crushed Andreas Vinciguerra of Sweden, 6-2, 6-1, in 52 minutes. The Spaniard won his 11th straight match in what is turning into one of his best career runs. He rolled through the field in Bastad two weeks ago and continued his hot play last week in Umag.

Fourth-seeded Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia also had an easy time with Albert Portas of Spain, 6-2, 6-3. Russian Mikhail Youzhny, the seventh seed, posted a 7-6 (7-3), 6-0 win over Polish wild card Bartolomiej Dabrowski.

On the women's side, Sanchez-Vicario took a 6-3, 6-1 winover compatriot Marta Marrero. Meanwhile, No. 4 Martina Sucha and No. 6 Henrieta Nagyova of Slovakia both struggled to three-set wins. Sucha rallied past Angeles Montolio of Spain, 1-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, while Nagyova got past Russian Evgenia Koulikovskaya, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1. No. 8 Magui Serna of Spain posted a 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 win over Silvija Talaja of Croatia.

Michael Andretti buys into racing team

INDIANAPOLIS, July 24 (UPI) -- One of the biggest names in auto racing as a driver is now one of its newest team owners as well as Michael Andretti became one of the new owners of Team Green Tuesday, a team that may join the Indy Racing League.

Barry Green, the team owner of the CART operation that also competed in the Indianapolis 500, has agreed to sell his team to Andretti, his brother Kim Green and Kevin Savoree. The sale will take effect Dec. 1 when the organization will become known as Andretti Green Racing.

Michael Andretti, currently the active victory leader in CART, will be the majority owner and becomes the team's chief executive officer while Kim Green will continue in his current role as president with Savoree continuing as chief operating officer and vice president of finance.

Barry Green will be involved in the team as a consultant and will have a financial interest in the operation.

Armstrong maintains comfortable lead

LES DEUX-ALPES, France, July 24 (UPI) -- Lance Armstrong kept his overall lead at a comfortable four minutes and 21 seconds as Colombian Santiago Botero claimed the 15th stage of the Tour de France Tuesday.

Armstrong appears unstoppable in his quest to become the fifth man in history to win the prestigious race four times. The American easily retained the overall yellow jersey by finishing ninth in Tuesday's stage and crossing the line just in back of Joseba Beloki, who remained second overall.

Botero made Tuesday's 140.43-mile race from Vaison-la-Romaine to the ski station of Les Deux-Aples--the longest stage of the Tour--in five hours, 55 minutes and 16 seconds. Botero, also the winner of the ninth stage, improved to seventh overall.

Mario Aerts of Belgium was second in the stage, 1:51 behind. Raimondas Rumsas of Lithuania is third overall, 6:39 behind Armstrong.

Nuggets sign first-round pick Hilario

DENVER, July 24 (UPI) -- Brazilian teenage forward Nene Hilario, part of a rebuilding project by the Denver Nuggets, signed with the team Tuesday.

The Nuggets did not disclose terms, but under the rookie salary scale, Hilario will receive no less than $5.58 million over three years. The team holds an option for a fourth season.

According the Denver Post, the Nuggets and Hilario had to team up to buy the player out of his contract with Vasco da Gama, Hilario's team in Brazil. Initially, both the Nuggets and Hilario believe the contract was invalid because Hilario had not received some payments.

However, the contract was ruled valid, and the Nuggets paid $350,000 - the maximum allowed under the collective bargaining agreement - while Hilario paid $400,000, according to the report.

By getting Hilario, 19, under contract, it will allow him to play for the Nuggets' entry in the Rocky Mountain Revue, a summer league in Salt Lake City.

Hilario was drafted seventh overall by the New York Knicks, who had a prearranged deal with the Nuggets. Denver sent star forward Antonio McDyess and the rights to No. 25 pick Frank Williams to New York for the rights to Hilario, center Marcus Camby and guard Mark Jackson.

The 6-11, 260-pound Hilario was one of the draft's most athletic players and wowed scouts with his shot-blocking ability. However, he does not have much basketball training and is going to require some time to become an asset.

Saints bolster offensive backfield

NEW ORLEANS, July 24 (UPI) -- The New Orleans fortified their backfield Tuesday, signing veteran Terry Allen to a one-year contract.

Allen, who played for the Baltimore Ravens last season, will serve as Deuce McAllister's backup in New Orleans. In his 12-year career, the 5-11, 208-pounder has rushed for 8,614 yards and 79 touchdowns Allen is beginning his second stint in New Orleans, having helped the Saints to the 2000 NFC West title.

Despite playing in only 11 games, including eight starts, Allen led the Ravens in rushing last year with 658 yards on 11 carries in the absence of injured Jamal Lewis. He also caught 17 passes for 68 yards and tied for third on the club with three touchdowns.

Originally taken by Minnesota in the ninth round of the 1990 draft, Allen has posted four 1,000-yard seasons, including a career-high 1,353 yards and an NFL-high 21 touchdowns for the Washington Redskins in 1996.

Harrington joins Lions, goes right to work

ALLEN PARK, Mich., July 24 (UPI) -- Quarterback Joey Harrington, selected by Detroit with the third overall pick in the April draft, agreed to terms with the Lions on Tuesday morning and suited up for the team's first practice of training camp.

Harrington was considered the second-best quarterback in the draft behind David Carr, who was taken first overall by the Houston expansion team.

Harrington comes to the Lions with solid credentials, winning 25 of 28 games as a starter during his collegiate career. In his senior season, Harrington led Oregon to a Rose Bowl victory and a No. 2 ranking after completing 186-of-322 passes for 2,415 yards.

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Reds rebuffed by Rogers, acquire Moehler

CINCINNATI, July 24 (UPI) -- After being turned down by KennyRogers, the Cincinnati Reds Tuesday acquired Brian Moehler.

Rogers decided against waiving a no-trade clause on Tuesday, negating a deal that would have sent the veteran lefthander to he Reds for three minor leaguers.

The Reds acted quickly, acquiring Moehler from the Detroit Tigers in a deal that also brings infielder Matt Boone, the son of Reds' manager Bob Boone, to Cincinnati.

The Reds also received an undisclosed amount of cash from the Tigers for minor league infielder David Espinosa and two players to be named.

Bob Boone had another reason to celebrate on Tuesday after the Reds exercised his contract for the 2003 season.

Cincinnati confirmed Sunday it had reached an agreement to acquire Rogers from the Rangers, contingent on Rogers waiving the no-trade clause in his contract. But Rogers decided against a move to Ohio to stay close to his family.

The Reds (51-48) are 4 ½ games behind first-place St. Louis in the National League Central and were looking to add another starter after Ryan Dempster was acquired from the Florida Marlins on July 11.

The Reds settled on Moehler, who is 1-1 with a 2.29 ERA in three starts for the Tigers this season. He began the year on the disabled list while recovering from surgery on his rotator cuff. Moehler has won 10 or more games in each of his four full seasons in the majors. His best season was 1998, when he established career highs in wins (14), ERA (3.90), innings (221 1/3) and strikeouts (123). The 30-year-old Moehler will make his Reds debut on Wednesday afternoon against Pittsburgh.

Three seeds eliminated in Austria match

KITZBUHEL, Austria, July 24 (UPI) -- Rainer Schuettler of Germany was among three seeds eliminated in straight sets in their first match Tuesday at the $880,000 claycourt Generali Open.

Schuettler, the seventh seed, bowed out meekly in a 6-4, 6-2 loss to unheralded Nikolay Davydenko of Russia. It was the second straight impressive win for Davydenko, who knocked off Sargis Sargsian of Armenia in the opening round.

Other seeds going home early were No. 14 Hicham Arazi of Morocco, who suffered a 6-2, 6-4 loss to Martin Verkerk of the Netherlands, and No. 16 Felix Mantilla of Spain, who was beaten, 6-3, 6-4, by Michael Kohlmann of Germany.

Schuettler, Arazi and Mantilla all received first-round byes. Arazi received a wild card into the draw.

Fifth-seeded Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador, the defending champion, nearly joined them before rallying for a 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 6-4 victory over Italian qualifier Renzo Furlan. Lapentti won a title in St. Poelten earlier this season.