League Notes

Long Latest First-Rounder To Cash In On Rookie Contract

SI.com's Peter King reported DE Chris Long signing with the Rams Sunday is "more evidence for those who say rookie contracts will never be made sane unless the [NFL] legislates a stricter salary scale for rookies." King: "I'm told the deal is a couple of million below [Dolphins OT] Jake Long's five-year, $50[M] contract, with very similar guaranteed money. That would put Chris Long's guarantees at around $29[M]. Good deal for Chris Long. Eye-rolling deal, another one, to many GMs in the league" (SI.com, 7/21).

QUICK KICKS: MLS Deputy Commissioner Ivan Gazidis said that Canadian expansion is "something that is being considered, but he cautions [MLS] is taking its time and is [in] no rush to add another team, in Canada or elsewhere." Gazidis: "It's not a debate about quality of the ownership. It's not a debate about quality of the market. It's not a debate about the thirst of the game that exists in Canada. What we are taking a little bit of time doing is evaluating what our expansion policy should be" (CBC.ca, 7/21)....SI.com's Luis Bueno noted through events such as SuperLiga, Mexican coaches and players "are leaving with positive impressions" of MLS. Whatever complaints Mexican teams have had about SuperLiga "have had little to do with the American teams." With an "increasing level of talent and tournaments such as SuperLiga, MLS have more opportunities to show they can compete abroad" (SI.com, 7/18).

TIGER TOUR: PGA Tour player Phil Mickelson yesterday appeared on CNBC’s “Power Lunch,” where he was asked by host Darren Rovell, “Could there be a Tiger Tour where Tiger, instead of the PGA, could be running things because of his power?” Mickelson, with a puzzled look on his face, said Woods "certainly has done a lot for the game of golf. Since I came out on the Tour, purses have gone up five times, and a lot of it started in ’97 when he came along. … I don't know what that could lead to” (“Power Lunch,” CNBC, 7/21).

MONEY  BACK  Guarantee: In N.Y., Larry Brooks reports Ducks D Scott Niedermayer is getting back "every single cent of the $490,909.08 he was improperly fined by the NHL for missing Anaheim's training camp last season." Rather than file a grievance, Niedermayer and the NHLPA "negotiated a settlement" with the NHL. A letter of understanding was signed by the league and returned to the union on Friday (N.Y. POST, 7/22).