Policy Steps Down as Browns’ President

Carmen Policy has decided to let someone else run the Cleveland Browns.

Policy will step down after five years as the club’s president and chief executive May 1 but will stay on as a consultant through the 2004 NFL season.

John Collins, the NFL’s senior vice president of marketing and sales, will succeed Policy as the Browns’ top executive.

“That means that I will have a business card, I will have a relationship with the Browns,” Policy said at a news conference to announce the abrupt change. “That means I will get paid and that means I really won’t have to work that hard.”

Policy was picked by late Brown owner Al Lerner when Cleveland returned to the league as an expansion franchise in 1999 after a three-year absence.

Policy will now serve as an executive advisor this year while helping owner Randy Lerner take a larger role in running the team.

After helping build the San Francisco 49ers into a power in the 1980s and ‘90s, Policy has been unable to turn the Browns into consistent winners.

His five-year tenure in Cleveland has been marked by losing records and some turmoil. The Browns are 26-53 since returning to the NFL in 1999, including a playoff loss to Pittsburgh in 2001.

Policy fired coach Chris Palmer after a 3-13 season in 2000, replacing him with Butch Davis. Policy was then unable to stop Dwight Clark, his close friend who had followed him from San Francisco, from resigning in 2002 as the club’s director of football operations after a power struggle with Davis.

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The New York Giants, known to covet Mississippi quarterback Eli Manning, have spoken with the San Diego Chargers about obtaining the first pick in the NFL draft April 24.

Charger General Manager A.J. Smith confirmed he spoke with Giant GM Ernie Accorsi on Tuesday.

“They would like to move from four to one,” Smith said without elaborating. “Anything we discuss is football business between the two of us.”

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The Oakland Raiders signed free agent wide receiver Chris Cole.

Cole has played 35 games over the last three seasons with the Denver Broncos as a returner and receiver.

College Basketball

North Carolina rescinded a scholarship offer to JamesOn Curry, two days after the leading scorer in North Carolina high school history pleaded guilty to drug charges. Tar Heel Coach Roy Williams said he informed Curry and his family Wednesday evening.

A standout guard for Eastern Alamance High, Curry pleaded guilty to six felony counts: two each of possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana; two each of the sale of marijuana; and two each of delivering marijuana.

Nate Robinson, Washington’s leading scorer last season, plans to skip his last two years of college and make himself available for the NBA draft, a Seattle TV station reported.

College Football

Texas Christian Coach Gary Patterson received a one-year contract extension through 2008. TCU was 11-2 last season.

The San Francisco Bowl changed its name to the Emerald Bowl after signing a three-year contract extension with its title sponsor. The game was sponsored by Diamond Walnut in its first two seasons, but the company changed the name to highlight its new Emerald Nuts line of snack foods.

Tennis

Serena Williams needed just over an hour to defeat Mary Pierce, 6-3, 6-1, in a second-round match in the Bausch & Lomb Championships at Amelia Island, Fla.

Williams took the first three games and last three of the second set to close her fourth win in five meetings against Pierce.

Earlier, defending champion Elena Dementieva withdrew from the tournament because of a strained right hip. Dementieva had lost the first set of her second-round match to unseeded Jelena Kostanic of Croatia.

In other matches, third-seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France breezed, 6-0, 6-3, over Akiko Morigami of Japan; No. 13-seeded Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi of Israel lost to Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1); and No. 15-seeded Magdalena Maleeva of Bulgaria lost in straight sets to Karolina Sprem of Croatia, 6-2, 6-4.

Top-seeded Emilie Loit of France beat Silvija Talaja of Croatia, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4, in the second round of the Grand Prix SAR at Casablanca, Morocco.

The Newport Beach Breakers selected Bob and Mike Bryan in the World Team Tennis draft. The twin brothers are the world’s top-ranked doubles team.

The team also said that Lindsay Davenport would not return this season.

The Breakers also drafted Ellis Ferreira, Aniko Kapros, Ramon Delgado and Nana Miyagi. Maria Sharapova will return to play two home matches.

Two-time U.S. Open champion Patrick Rafter was taken by the Philadelphia Freedoms with the No. 1 pick. Reigning U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick was chosen No. 2 by the St. Louis Aces, followed by Martina Navratilova by the New York Buzz.

Boxing

Undefeated junior-bantamweight Jose Navarro (19-0, seven knockouts) has been added to the undercard of the heavyweight title fight between Vitali Kiltschko and Corrie Sanders at Staples Center on April 24. Navarro, from Los Angeles, will face Martin Armenta (10-5-3, 6 KOs).