It’s comin’ right back at ya

Adam Jones, the Dallas Cowboys’ suspended cornerback, said Thursday that he has sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell asking to be allowed to play this season.

“I think it should be successful, I did everything he asked me to do,” Jones said of the 1 1/2 -page letter he typed on a laptop computer and sent Wednesday night after the Cowboys’ joint workouts with the Denver Broncos.

While Jones is allowed to play in preseason games, the Cowboys don’t know when they will find out if he will be fully reinstated for the regular season. Goodell has said only that a decision would come before the regular season.

“As part of the reinstatement review, he was given an opportunity to submit any relevant information he would like to provide. He was asked to do that by this Friday if he chose to do so,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in an e-mail.

New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Hollis Thomas could be out two months because of a right triceps injury, all but ensuring that top draft pick Sedrick Ellis from USC will be thrust into a major role on the interior of the defensive line this season.

Saints Coach Sean Payton disclosed Thomas’ injury after the 12-year veteran had surgery to repair an injury that occurred during pass-blocking drills on Wednesday.

San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman did not practice for the third consecutive day because of a virus, and his availability for Saturday’s exhibition game against the St. Louis Rams is in question.

Carolina’s Jake Delhomme completed nine of 14 passes for 54 yards in his first real action since ligament-replacement surgery in October, but Tony Hunt’s 51-yard touchdown run with 2:15 left led the Philadelphia Eagles to a 24-13 victory over the Panthers at Philadelphia.

Shaking off a sluggish performance in Buffalo’s exhibition opener last week, Trent Edwards was near-perfect in two series, completing nine of 11 for 104 yards and two touchdowns, in the Bills’ 24-21 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Toronto.

TENNIS

Roddick moves on with win

Top-seeded Andy Roddick needed a third-set tiebreaker to beat Eduardo Schwank, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2), and advance to the quarterfinals of the Legg Mason Classic at Washington. He will next play Viktor Troicki, who defeated Bobby Reynolds, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.

Fifth-seeded Amelie Mauresmo and sixth-seeded Aleksandra Wozniak easily advanced to the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Women’s Open. Wozniak defeated Julia Vakulenko, 6-2, 6-3, before Mauresmo became the last quarterfinalist with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Yanina Wickmayer.

SOCCER

Real Salt Lake gets Mathis

Clint Mathis returned to Real Salt Lake when the MLS team acquired the 31-year-old midfielder’s rights from Ergotelis of the Greek Super League.

Mathis, a star for the U.S. national team at the 2002 World Cup, scored three goals in 27 games for Real Salt Lake City during its inaugural 2005 season.

Michael Bradley, Brad Guzan, Maurice Edu and Sacha Kljestan, members of the U.S. Olympic team that was eliminated from the Beijing Games, were among 17 players picked for the American roster for next week’s 2010 World Cup qualifier at Guatemala.

The only MLS players selected were Landon Donovan (Galaxy) and Brian Ching (Houston).

HORSE RACING

Steroid ban is proposed

Kentucky horse racing officials are set to approve what they call the nation’s toughest steroid ban, which among other things would outlaw the drug Big Brown had in his system before winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

The ban on anabolic steroids was approved by the state’s equine drug research council. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission is expected to approve it later this month.

PRO BASKETBALL

Lakers sign former Clipper

Josh Powell was signed by the Lakers. The 6-foot-9 forward played 65 games for the Clippers last season, starting in 25, and averaged 5.5 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 46% from the field.

Powell, 25, played for North Carolina but he was not drafted and played two seasons overseas. He has spent parts of three seasons in the NBA with Dallas, Indiana, Golden State and the Clippers.

-- Barry Stavro

The Houston Rockets formerly announced the five-player trade with the Sacramento Kings in which they acquired forwards Ron Artest and Patrick Ewing Jr. and guard Sean Singletary for guard Bobby Jackson, rookie forward Donte Greene and Houston’s first-round pick next year.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

Gill named coach at Loyola

As expected, Loyola Marymount announced it has hired Jason Gill as coach.

Gill, 38, had been an assistant to George Horton the past four years, first at Cal State Fullerton and then at Oregon.

He was also an assistant at UC Irvine for three seasons, at Loyola Marymount in 1999 and 2000, and at Nevada the two seasons before that.

He replaces Frank Cruz, who was fired last month after 12 seasons as coach.

MOTOR RACING

Off-road event at Fairplex

Championship Off-Road Racing makes its third and final stop of the 2008 season at Fairplex in Pomona this weekend. Races will be held all day Saturday and all day Sunday. For more information, visit www.corracing.com.