FOOTBALL

PENNINGTON CLEARED TO THROW

Jets quarterback Chad Pennington has started throwing again, four months after surgery to repair a torn right rotator cuff.

Last week, Pennington began tossing the football off to the side during the final few off-season training activity sessions. Though he didn’t participate in the practices, he was able to work on handoffs to the running backs. Pennington is throwing about 80 times every other day, and the Jets expect him to be ready for full practice when training camp opens July 29.

“While he did not throw during on-field OTA practices, Chad was given clearance and a schedule to throw the football and will continue to be evaluated as to the amount of throws he will make leading up to training camp,” coach Herman Edwards said in a statement yesterday. “We fully expect Chad to be ready for the start of training camp.”

Pennington had surgery in February after playing the final seven games of last season with a tear in the muscle of the rotator cuff, which the Jets initially said was a strain. The Jets went 3-4 in that span, and Pennington looked shaky, constantly underthrowing or overthrowing receivers.

HOCKEY

NHL APPROVES SALE OF MIGHTY DUCKS

The sale of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim to Henry and Susan Samueli was approved by the NHL’s Board of Governors yesterday. The board granted unanimous approval pending completion of the sale, which is expected shortly. The sale for a reported $75 million was announced February 25 and includes Disney Ice, a Mighty Ducks practice facility.

Henry Samueli is co-founder, chairman of the board and chief technical officer of Broadcom Corporation. He also owns the company that manages Anaheim Arena, the Mighty Ducks’ home ice. When the sale was announced, Samueli said he didn’t intend to move the team. Although the Ducks were Western Conference champions and went to the Stanley Cup finals during the 2002-03 season, Disney had them on the market for years. Disney paid $50 million for the Ducks to join the NHL as an expansion franchise in 1992.

BASKETBALL

NBA TO RESUME LABOR TALKS TODAY

Billy Hunter had promised to make one more call to NBA commissioner David Stern, and he wasted little time picking up the phone. As a result, collective bargaining talks between owners and players will resume today. No meetings have been held since June 1 when the sides met for 2 1/2 hours at the union’s offices in New York.

The past two weeks have been marked by public posturing from both sides, with the latest salvo coming Wednesday when Hunter, director of the players’ union, traveled to the NBA Finals to explain his side of the story as to why talks have been stalled. Hunter said he would call Stern before the current labor agreement expires June 30, and that call apparently was made yesterday. Officials from the league office and the union both confirmed that talks would resume today.

SOCCER

BRAZIL, MEXICO EARN WINS IN CONFEDERATION CUP

World Cup champion Brazil overwhelmed European champion Greece 3-0 yesterday in the Confederations Cup, while Mexico stayed unbeaten in 19 games by rallying to beat Japan.

The Brazilians dominated on goals by Adriano, Robinho, and substitute Juninho Pernambucano. In the other Group B match, Mexico rallied to beat Asian champion Japan 2-1 on goals from Zinha and Jose Fonseca.

The eight-team Confederations Cup is a low-key prelude to the next year’s World Cup in Germany. There are no games scheduled for today, but Germany faces Tunisia and Australia plays Argentina tomorrow in Group A. On Sunday in Group B, it’s Brazil vs. Mexico and Greece vs. Japan.

AC MILAN, CHELSEA TO TOUR AMERICA AC

Milan and Chelsea will play a series of friendly matches in America this summer. Champions League finalist Milan and English Premier League champion Chelsea are scheduled to play three matches each in the World Series of Football, organizers said yesterday.

The two European powerhouses will face each other twice, and then play one match each against a team from Major League Soccer. The first match between Milan and Chelsea will be on July 24 in Foxboro, Mass. On July 27, Milan will meet the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field in Chicago. Chelsea and D.C. United will compete the next day at FedEx Field, home of the Washington Redskins. Milan and Chelsea will then play again on July 31 at Giants Stadium.

BASEBALL

BRAVES PUT HUDSON ON DISABLED LIST

The Atlanta Braves put right-hander Tim Hudson on the 15-day disabled list yesterday, forcing them to scramble their pitching plans before the start of a four-game series against Cincinnati.

Hudson lasted only 2 2 /3 innings Monday, giving up five runs in a 7-3 loss to Texas. It was his shortest start since 2001 with Oakland. The Braves said Hudson had a strained muscle in his left side. The right-hander is 6-5 with a 3.78 ERA in 14 starts.

– Associated Press