Off the wire

LITTLE ROCK — FOOTBALL

WR Nicks breaks foot

New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks is expected to be sidelined up to three months after breaking his right foot at an organized team activity early Thursday in East Rutherford, N.J. Nicks fractured the fifth metatarsal of his right foot as he was running a route during individual drills in the Timex Performance Center field house, the team said in a release later in the afternoon. Nicks is scheduled to have surgery today to have a screw inserted into the broken bone. The fifth metatarsal generally takes a long time to heal because there isn’t a lot of blood flow to the area. The expected recovery time for Nicks is approximately 12 weeks. The Giants, who lost wide receiver Mario Manningham to free agency, have depth at receiver with Victor Cruz returning along with Domenik Hixon, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, and Ramses Barden. Second-round draft pick Rueben Randle showed potential in the recent rookie minicamp as well. New York is scheduled to report to training camp at the University at Albany on July 26. Also Thursday, the Giants waived injured cornerback Brian Witherspoon. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament for the second year in a row in an OTA on Wednesday. Defensive back Dante Hughes, a six-year veteran who tried out for the team at the rookie minicamp, was signed to replace him. Hughes has played for Indianapolis and San Diego, seeing time in 53 regular-season games with two starts. He also played in one postseason game for the 2008 Colts against the Chargers. He has 81 tackles (61 unassisted), 1 interception and 5 passes defensed. Witherspoon was signed by the Giants on Dec. 30, 2010, after stints with Jacksonville, Detroit and Carolina.

The NFL and its referees’ union have agreed to federal mediation. George Cohen, director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, will conduct the talks between the on-field officials and the league. Cohen also mediated between the NFL and its players’ union before last year’s lockout. No dates or sites have been announced for the mediation, and NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said “the goal is to negotiate an agreement.” The officials’ contract with the league expired after the 2011 season. The NFL is looking into replacement officials if a new deal is not reached by the preseason. In 2001, replacement officials were used for one preseason game and the first week of the regular season before a contract was finalized.

BASKETBALL

O’Neal not pursuing job

Shaquille O’Neal’s flirtation with the Orlando Magic’s front office opening didn’t last long. O’Neal released a statement Thursday afternoon in which he said he will not pursue the job. “When I first heard about the vacancy for the Orlando Magic general manager position, I was clearly intrigued,” O’Neal said in his statement. “I was drafted by the Magic, I have a great love for the franchise, and I have made the city of Orlando my home. ... However, this is not a job I have an interest in pursuing. I feel very fortunate to be with TNT and to have the best job in sports. ... I wish the best for the Magic and I am confident that they will select a great GM and coach.” ESPN reported Wednesday night that the Magic would meet with O’Neal to discuss the position. The team is looking for someone to head its basketball operations department after the team and Otis Smith parted ways Monday.

LSU Coach Johnny Jones said guard John Isaac will not return to the team for the 2012-2013 season. Isaac played in 31 games and averaged 2.7 points per game and 1.2 rebounds per game last season. The university said Wednesday that Isaac failed to meet the institutional and NCAA requirements to be eligible for next season.

GOLF

Johnson leads at Colonial

Zach Johnson shot a bogeyfree 6-under-par 64 Thursday to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Colonial in Fort Worth. Johnson opened his round with a 40-foot birdie putt on his first hole, No. 10. After blasting from a greenside bunker at No. 12 to save par, he had four birdies in a row. “Today was great. I got off to a good start, just hit some quality shots. I didn’t put myself ever in a position that was too worrisome,” Johnson said. “I kept the golf course in front me. I attacked when I could attack. I had a couple of nice saves when I needed it.” Jason Dufner, the Byron Nelson Championship winner Sunday, was a stroke back along with PGA Tour rookie Harris English, Tom Gillis and Kyle Reifers. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) shot 68 and was tied for 15th. John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) shot 70 and was tied for 31st. Bryce Molder (Conway) shot 72 and was tied for 71st.

Leaders Peter Lawrie and David Drysdale each shot 6-underpar 66 Thursday at the BMW PGA Championship in Virginia Water, England. Jamie Donaldson and Justin Rose each shot 67, while second-ranked Luke Donald joined a group two shots back after a 68. Rory McIlroy had five bogeys and a double bogey in his round of 74 to go with three birdies and an eagle.

Roger Chapman shot a 3-under-par 68 Thursday to take the first-round lead at the Senior PGA Championship in Benton Harbor, Mich. John Cook was a stroke back, and Steve Pate, J.L. Lewis, Jeff Sluman, Jay Haas, David Frost and Jim Carter shot 70.

TENNIS

Isner loses at Nice

Nikolay Davydenko beat topseeded John Isner 6-4, 7-6 (4) Thursday, joining second-seeded Gilles Simon and third-seeded Nicolas Almagro in the Open de Nice semifinals in France. Isner finished with 13 aces, but Davydenko saved three break points and broke the big-serving American once in the first set. Davydenko, once ranked No. 3, next plays the winner of the match between Brian Baker and Mikhail Kukushkin. Simon, who grew up in Nice, did not face a single break point in a 7-5, 6-0 victory over Thomaz Bellucci. He will face Almagro for a place in Saturday’s final. The Spaniard beat Steve Darcis 6-4, 6-4.

Second-seeded Francesca Schiavone defeated Johanna Larsson 6-0, 6-3 to reach the Strasbourg International semifinals Thursday in France, but three-time champion Anabel Medina Garrigues lost. Schiavone dropped serve once in the second set, but the former French Open champion recovered. She next plays Sloane Stephens, who beat Ayumi Morita 6-3, 6-4. Alize Cornet clinched her 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5) victory against Garrigues on her first match point against the fourth-seeded Spaniard, with both players losing their serve five times. Cornet, who has one WTA title, next faces Pauline Parmentier in an all-French match. Parmentier won 6-3, 6-3 against Alexandra Panova.

MOTOR SPORTS

Almirola wins first pole

Aric Almirola took the pole for the Coca-Cola 600 with a lap of 192.940 mph Thursday night in Concord, N.C., giving Richard Petty Motorsports a front-row sweep at Charlotte Motor Speedway for NASCAR’s longest race. Teammate Marcus Ambrose was second at 191.598 in qualifying for the Sunday night race. Jimmie Johnson, who won last week’s All-Star race, was third, followed by Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer.