Bledsoe is released by Cowboys

Quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who lost his starting job midway through last season to Tony Romo, was released Thursday by the Dallas Cowboys as NFL teams began cutting players to make salary cap room for the free-agent period that begins today.

Receiver Joe Horn, one of the leaders of the New Orleans Saints during their 2005 season in Hurricane Katrina-enforced exile, also was cut. Horn, 35, was let go at his own request after he declined to take a pay cut.

Among the other transactions:

* Receiver Keenan McCardell, 37, was released by San Diego. He had 36 receptions last season, his 15th in the league. San Diego also let go two troubled players: linebacker Steve Foley, who missed the season after being shot by a policeman, and safety Terrence Kiel, who pleaded guilty last month to felony and misdemeanor drug charges for shipping codeine-based cough syrup to Texas.

* Pittsburgh cut linebacker Joey Porter, an outspoken sack specialist whose trash-talking was one of the subplots leading to the 2006 Super Bowl, won by the Steelers. Porter was to receive a $1-million bonus Tuesday, and was due to earn $4 million in 2007.

* San Francisco waived receiver Antonio Bryant, one season after signing him to a lucrative four-year, free-agent contract.

* Minnesota released three former starters: cornerback Fred Smoot, tight end Jermaine Wiggins and tackle Mike Rosenthal.

* Mike Alstott, the six-time Pro Bowl fullback who considered retirement after each of the last two seasons, signed a one-year contract with Tampa Bay.

* Oft-injured running back Fred Taylor extended his deal with Jacksonville through 2010.

* Defensive lineman Bryant Young, 35, the last member of the San Francisco 49ers from the Super Bowl years, agreed to return for another season.

* Detroit and Denver agreed to a deal that will send cornerback Dre’ Bly to the Broncos for offensive tackle George Foster, running back Tatum Bell and a fifth-round draft pick.

* Tennessee receivers Drew Bennett and Bobby Wade will become free agents.

NFL spokesman Michael Signora confirmed cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones’ behavior is being reviewed under the league’s personal conduct policy.

The Tennessee Titans cornerback’s most recent brush with police was at a Las Vegas strip club where three people were shot and one man paralyzed Feb. 19. This week, it became public that he was charged with another felony in another case in Georgia last year.

Former Dallas Cowboys defensive back Everson Walls donated a kidney to former teammate Ron Springs. The men, recovering from the surgeries, are scheduled to hold a news conference today.

TENNIS

Blake eliminated, then

let back in tournament

Top-seeded James Blake was given a quarterfinal spot in the Tennis Channel Open in Las Vegas, hours after the ATP Tour initially ruled he had been eliminated during round-robin play.

Blake led Juan Martin del Potro, 6-3, 3-1, when the Argentine player retired because of respiratory distress. In letting Blake back into the tournament, the tour ruled that he would have won his round-robin group if Del Potro hadn’t retired.

Roger Federer defeated Serbian teenager Novak Djokovic, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3, to reach the Dubai Open semifinals in the United Arab Emirates.

Federer’s big rival, Rafael Nadal, did not fare as well, losing to Mikhail Youzhny, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Top-seeded Justine Henin survived a scare from No. 5 Patty Schnyder to reach the Qatar Open semifinals with a 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory in Doha.

Sixth-seeded Daniela Hantuchova rallied from a set down and 1-4 in the second to upset No. 3 Martina Hingis, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Fourth-seeded Juan Ignacio Chela advanced to the semifinals of the Mexican Open in Acapulco, beating sixth-seeded Nicolas Massu, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 7-5.

MISCELLANY

Pro beach volleyball

to stop in Long Beach

The pro beach volleyball tour is adding a new stop in Long Beach, with men’s and women’s matches set for July 19-22.

The event marks the debut of the women’s circuit in Long Beach, where the men return for the first time since 1985.

Dentist Lawrence Rosenthal has filed a $7-million lawsuit against the estate of late New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle, claiming his home was destroyed when the ballplayer’s small airplane crashed into his apartment building Oct. 11.

Using an idea from billionaire donor Boone Pickens, Oklahoma State will purchase $10-million life insurance policies for 25 of its supporters in a fundraising program for the athletic department.

John Daly was injured trying to stop his backswing after being distracted by a fan taking his picture, forcing him to withdraw from the Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., after only two holes. Charlie Wi shot a five-under 65 in windy conditions at PGA National, giving him a one-shot lead over Bernhard Langer after the first round.

Rookie Anthony Hamilton scored in each half, including the final goal, as Chivas USA tied Cal State Fullerton, 3-3, in an exhibition at the Home Depot Center.

Kelly Gray scored in the 74th minute to help Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo advance to the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals with a 2-0 victory over Costa Rica’s Puntarenas at College Station, Texas.

At Washington, Luciano Emilio scored twice to help D.C. United to a 3-2 victory over CD Olimpia of Honduras and a berth in the semifinals.

Harvey Schiller was elected president of the International Baseball Federation.

USAC/CRA sprint cars will be back at Perris Auto Speedway Saturday night, when Garrett Hansen of Manhattan Beach will try for his second consecutive victory. Hansen, 21, won the main event two weeks ago, in only his eighth race as a sprint car driver. Racing will begin at 7.

Wes Horton, one of the nation’s best defensive linemen, committed to USC. Horton had 13 sacks last season as a junior at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.