Brady returns to practice for first time since injury

Tom Brady practiced with the New England Patriots for the first time Tuesday since suffering a season-ending knee injury in last year’s opening game.

Brady and nearly the entire team participated in the first of four days of this week’s organized team activities, Patriots spokesman Stacey James said.

The only media access for this week’s sessions is Thursday. James said Tuesday that Brady threw passes and did other activities during his first formal practice with the club since he suffered a torn left knee ligament midway through the first quarter of the Patriots’ 17-10 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Brady had surgery Oct. 6 and a subsequent operation for an infection in the knee.

In an interview for this week’s issue of Sports Illustrated, Brady said he has no pain or restrictions in his movement when he runs and cuts.

He was quoted as saying that he is “as confident as anyone could be that I’ll be ready to play, back to playing normally, when the season starts.”

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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin is in the process of firing his agent, Drew Rosenhaus.

Boldin, in a long contract dispute with the team, informed the NFL Players Assn. in a letter that he intended to replace the agent. The players’ union said it received the letter Friday, so with the required five-day waiting period, Boldin can sign with a new agent Thursday.

Rosenhaus issued a statement saying he has “great respect” for Boldin.

“I’m hopeful we can work things out and he will return to the Rosenhaus Sports family in the near future,” Rosenhaus said.

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The NFL filed notice that it plans to appeal a federal judge’s ruling in the case of two Minnesota Vikings facing suspensions over positive drug tests.

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson last week threw out most of the claims by defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams. He also dismissed a lawsuit brought by the NFL players’ union on behalf of the Williamses and three New Orleans players also facing suspension.

But Magnuson sent the Williamses’ two remaining claims to state court.

In Tuesday’s filing, the NFL said it asked the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals to review whether Magnuson misapplied federal law when he didn’t dismiss those two claims outright.

ETC.

Garnett has knee surgery

Kevin Garnett is recovering from surgery on his right knee.

The Boston Celtics star forward had the operation Tuesday after sitting out all of the playoffs and most of the last two months of the regular season.

The team said the NBA’s 2008 defensive player of the year had bone spurs removed during the arthroscopic surgery.

Garnett played in only 57 games, the second fewest of his 14-year career. He averaged 15.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.

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The Edmonton Oilers have hired Pat Quinn as coach.

The 66-year-old Quinn has been out of the NHL since being fired as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs after the 2005-06 season.

Quinn replaces the fired Craig MacTavish.

He also coached the Kings, Philadelphia, Vancouver and Toronto.

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Florida State football Coach Bobby Bowden will have to wait a little longer to find out if he’ll lose up to 14 victories.

The NCAA gave its Committee on Infractions until June 2 to respond to Florida State’s appeal of sanctions resulting from an academic cheating scandal.

They include taking as many as 14 wins off Bowden’s coaching record.

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IndyCar driver Vitor Meira could be out four months after breaking two vertebrae in his back during a crash at the Indianapolis 500.

He will spend at least one more night in a hospital. IndyCar spokesman John Griffin said Meira could return to his Florida home by Saturday.

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Werder Bremen midfielder Diego is moving to Juventus, the Bundesliga club and the Turin team confirmed.

The transfer deal is worth $34.32 million, and with bonuses could reach $37.83 million, which would make it the biggest in Bundesliga history.

The Brazilian’s last game for Werder will be Saturday’s German Cup final.

PASSINGS

Bescos, USC Hall of Famer, 97

Julius “Julie” Bescos, 97, who lettered in football, basketball and baseball at USC and later coached at his alma mater, has died at Long Beach.

No cause was given.

He was inducted into the USC athletic Hall of Fame this month, having earned eight letters in the three sports.

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Peter Zezel, a center who played 15 NHL seasons after breaking into the league with the Philadelphia Flyers, has died at Toronto. He was 44. Zezel struggled with a rare blood disease called hemolytic anemia the last 10 years.