Associated Press

WINSTON-SALEM — Wake Forest admitted and enrolled football recruit Dennis Godfrey on Tuesday, less than a week after he entered an Alford plea on two misdemeanor charges stemming from an alleged sexual assault.

The 19-year-old Godfrey, from Sanford, entered the plea Jan. 12 on charges of simple assault and obstruction of justice, according to a written statement from the university.

Under the plea, Godfrey didn’t admit guilt but acknowledged that evidence would likely lead to his conviction on the charges. He was placed on probation for one year and required to perform community service.

Godfrey was denied admission to Wake Forest last summer when he was charged with kidnapping and raping a 16-year-old girl. The accuser said she was assaulted at a family cookout in October 2005.

Godfrey, a 6-foot-3 225-pound tight end who played at Lee County High School, met with Wake Forest administrators the same day he appeared in court last week.

BECKHAM MANIA

MADRID, Spain — David Beckham was belittled by Real Madrid’s president Tuesday as a Hollywood movie-star hopeful spurned by most of the world’s top soccer teams.

Team president Ramon Calderon, in comments expected to further sour relations between Beckham and the Spanish club, said the English midfielder joined the Los Angeles Galaxy because there were no other takers.

“The proof that our technical staff was correct not to retain him has been borne out by every other technical staff in the world not wanting him even though he was out of contract,” Calderon said. “David Beckham is going to be some sort of film actor living in Hollywood.”

* NEW YORK — Beckham’s jump to the Los Angeles Galaxy prompted a spike in tickets sales for several Major League Soccer teams.

The Galaxy said it had sold 5,000 season tickets since Thursday’s announcement while the expansion Toronto FC said it sold 2,600 of its 10,000 season tickets.

NFL TO LONDON

LONDON — London will hold the NFL’s first regular-season game outside North America this year, the start of a campaign to take American football to a global audience.

The opponents have yet to be announced, but the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants are believed to be front-runners for the game.

GIANTS

NEW YORK — Jerry Reese was a hard-hitting safety at Tennessee-Martin who compensated for his lack of size (5 feet 9) with ferocious hitting. The instincts it takes for undersized players to reach their potential is what later helped make Reese a successful NFL scout.

And Monday that helped make him the general manager of the Giants.

Reese, 43, who joined the Giants in 1994 as a scout, was be introduced as vice president and GM Tuesday.

DOLPHINS

MIAMI — The latest candidate to emerge for the Miami Dolphins’ coaching job has a big edge in name recognition: He’s a Shula.

Mike Shula, recently fired by Alabama, interviewed for the job Saturday and is one of at least five candidates still under consideration.

NBA

OKLAHOMA CITY — Jannero Pargo scored a season-high 25 points and the New Orleans Hornets held Orlando to one basket in overtime to win 84-78 on Tuesday night in a matchup of two cold-shooting teams.

Mavericks 109, Rockets 96

DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki and Devean George each sparked crucial rallies with consecutive 3-pointers, helping the Dallas Mavericks overcome 45 points by Tracy McGrady in a 109-96 victory over Houston.