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Cowboys lock up Romo with six-year $67 million deal

DALLAS: Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys became one of the NFL's highest-paid quarterbacks when he agreed a six-year $67 million contract extension on Tuesday.

Romo, who has won 12 of 17 career starts since taking over the Dallas offense midway through last season, will receive an $11.5 million signing bonus and nearly $30 million in guaranteed salary, www.dallascowboys.com reported.

"This is a feel-good story," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told a new conference. "In many ways it's a story about an individual who wouldn't take no for an answer.

"He (Romo) is the man for the 2000s. I wouldn't have done this if I didn't think he gives us a chance to win Super Bowls."

The 27-year-old Romo became the Cowboys starter in October last season, taking over for Drew Bledsoe, and made the most of the opportunity by going 6-4 in 10 games to lead Dallas back to the playoffs for the first time since 2003.

His performance also earned him a place in the Pro Bowl.

Pele conspicuously absent from World Cup decision

RIO DE JANEIRO: Pele was absent as Brazil was awarded the 2014 World Cup by FIFA on Tuesday, once again highlighting his frosty relationship with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).

CBF president Ricardo Teixeira dismissed the absence of the Brazilian great who for most people symbolizes football in the South American country.

Instead, Teixeira included former World Cup striker Romario and national team coach Dunga, captain of the victorious 1994 team, in the huge Brazilian delegation.

"I don't know where he is but we invited two players here that represent the great generation of players during my presidency," Teixeira told reporters in Zurich.

The rift between Pele and Teixeira first became public in 1993 when Pele was snubbed by FIFA, who refused to invite him to take part in the 1994 World Cup draw, held in Las Vegas.

This followed a bitter attack by Pele on Teixeira, whose father-in-law Joao Havelange was FIFA president at the time.

Schuster happy with Real form

MADRID: Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster has said he is delighted with the way his team is playing despite criticism from the Spanish media that it is not producing the entertaining football he promised when he took charge at the Bernabeu.

"I'm really happy because we are playing like a big team," Schuster told a news conference. "We play with our opponents and when we need to, we go into fifth gear and win the game.

"Roger Federer does the same thing when he plays tennis. He wins the first set 6-4, the second on a tiebreak and the third 6-1. We start off losing 1-0, then come back to 1-1 and suddenly we hit them and win 4-1, 3-1 or 5-0. You can't ask for more.

"It seems that criticizing has become fashionable. I'd love to have a job where I could criticize everybody without any knowledge or understanding."

Pellegrini approached by Chelsea: agent

LONDON: Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini has been approached by Chelsea to take charge of the team next season, according to the Chilean manager's agent.

"A short time ago some people from Chelsea asked about him (Pellegrini) and it is something that could firm up in the future," Alberto Poletti was quoted as saying in the Spanish sports daily AS on Tuesday.

"Villarreal want to extend his contract... and will make him an important offer but I don't think he will accept it, not because of the money but because of objectives. I think the most likely thing is that he will think his cycle has come to an end."

McLaren's De la Rosa interviewed by magistrate

MILAN: McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa was interviewed by an Italian magistrate on Tuesday as part of a legal probe into Formula One's spying controversy.

The Spaniard tried to avoid the waiting media as he arrived at the offices of Giuseppe Tibis, a magistrate in Ferrari's home district of Modena.

McLaren was stripped of all its constructors' points last month after being found guilty of benefitting from the possession of Ferrari information.

E-mails between de la Rosa and McLaren driver Fernando Alonso about Ferrari were used as evidence in a hearing of the FIA, the sport's governing body, which led to the punishment.

Alonso was questioned by Tibis as a witness on Octorber 9.

(China Daily 11/01/2007 page23)