Sports briefs for April 20, 2005

Wednesday, April 20, 2005 | 10:45 a.m.

Army football signs exclusive ESPN deal

Army and ESPN have reached a five-year multimedia agreement, guaranteeing live television coverage of every Black Knights home football game to fans and troops around the world.

Under the agreement announced today, all games at Michie Stadium and select neutral-site games in which Army is the home team will be available on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic or ESPNU, its new college sports station. ESPNU also will offer coverage of seven additional men's or women's Army athletic events a year.

The games will be available live and free of charge to soldiers and military personnel around the world.

"I can't begin to say what a big boost this is for our program," Army head coach Bobby Ross said. "I know people say that Dallas is America's team, but I think we are."

Fired-up Agassi win

Second-seeded Andre Agassi received a court violation for smashing his racket and then rallied in a second-set tiebreaker to beat Michal Tabara 6-2, 7-6 (5) in the first-round of the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships in Houston. Top seed Andy Roddick and No. 3 Tommy Haas also won.

Tenn. Tech coach ill

Tennessee Tech coach Mike Sutton, 49, was in critical condition today in a Nashville hospital where he is being treated for Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare illness that attacks his immune system. Most patients recover but the length of the illness is unpredicatable.

Armstrong 15th

Lance Armstrong took a safe approach in the first stage of the Tour de Georgia in Macon, Ga., avoiding risk of injury and finishing 15th. Armstrong, who won 648-mile event last year, is using this race as a tuneup for what he said will be his final Tour de France this summer.

NHL, union talk again

The NHL and players' association returned to the bargaining table and met for six hours, hoping to build momentum off talks that began two weeks earlier.

Three to Hall of Fame

Former U.S. national team stars Tab Ramos, John Harkes and Marcelo Balboa were elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame and will be inducted Aug. 29. -- Associated Press