Signing

The Baltimore Ravens continue to bolster their passing attack, this time re-signing two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Derrick Mason.

Mason and the Ravens agreed on a two-year deal that is reported to be worth $8 million, with $3.5 million coming in the first year. Mason originally joined the Ravens in 2005 and with this new deal, he is likely to finish his career in Baltimore.

In the world of sports, the effort to enhance the number of minority college coaches has increased in recent years through various initiatives put on by the Black Coaches Association (BCA) and through what is called the “Rooney Rule”, which affords minority coaches in the NFL the opportunity to be interviewed by teams during the hiring process.

Former Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Ed Johnson has signed with the Carolina Panthers as he adds depth to the team’s defensive line with his potential and size.

Johnson, who started all 16 NFL regular season games in the 2007 season [his rookie year] was an undrafted player coming out of Penn State. He also played under current Colts defensive coordinator Ron Meeks so the coach is aware of the potential and energy Johnson brings to the team for next season.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, wide receiver Donte Stallworth has agreed to a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens.

The deal is reported to be worth $900,000 with the ability for Stallworth to earn up to another $300,000 in incentives. Just last week, Stallworth’s contract with the Cleveland Browns was terminated. Stallworth was also recently reinstated by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after serving a year-long suspension for killing a pedestrian while driving drunk.

According to ESPN.com, Sebastian Janikowski and the Oakland Raiders have agreed to a four-year, $16 million deal on Tuesday which will be the richest contract for a kicker in NFL history.

Janikowski was eligible to be an unrestricted free agent if the Raiders did not place a franchise tag on him by February 25 or sign him to a contract. Oakland decided to lock Janikowski up with the same contract their All Pro punter Shane Lechler received last year so he can stay out of free agency.

San Francisco Giants and star pitcher Tim Lincecum have both agreed to a two-year, $23 million deal. The deal was reported to be struck after a salary arbitration hearing that was first delayed then canceled in Tampa. Lincecum is subject to a physical for the agreement to go ahead.

Apparently, Lincedum the 2008 and 2009 Cy Young winner had demanded a $13 million salary for the 2010 season. That amount if agreed would have been a record for a player entering his first year of arbitration.

The Houston Texans with a 9-7 record this season almost made the NFL postseason and in a way to reward their head coach Gary Kubiak, owner Bob McNair and the organization have given the coach a contract extension.

The Texans announced Wednesday that the coach has signed a contract extension that runs through the 2012 season. With Kubiak leading the Texans to their first winning season and record in franchise history, there really is no need for the organization to let go of a successful and a possibility of building on what they had this year.

NFL players have gone after the aid of congress to prevent the NFL owners from inflicting a lockout after next season. The players are hoping lawmakers in Washington D.C. can help overturn a possible victory in the Supreme Court antitrust case which would affect free agency amongst other things like ticket prices.

“We want Congress to know that management is pushing us toward a lockout,” said Tennessee Titans center Kevin Mawae who is also the union president and part of the 30 current and former players who were on Capitol Hill to discuss the issue.

Boston Celtics will be glad once their forward Kevin Garnett returns to the court on Friday as planned. Garnett who returned to practice is optimistic about his return and his familiar voice could be heard around the practice facility Tuesday as the team scrimmage after their 99-90 home loss Monday night to the Dallas Mavericks.

“When it comes to intensity, I don’t have to try,” Garnett said. “That’s just something that’s instilled in me and that I do naturally.”

The English Premier League club Everton FC has formally announced Friday that United States forward Landon Donovan will be joining the Merseyside club on a short-term loan deal from MLS club Los Angeles Galaxy.

This is one story everyone in soccer circles in the United States already knew before it broke today that America’s best talent Donovan was on his way to the English Premier League to play a two-and-a-half-month loan deal that will start in January and end around mid-March.