FOOTBALL

BRADY PRACTICES IN PATRIOTS’ FIRST SUPER BOWL SESSION

Tom Brady was back where he belongs yesterday, behind center for the New England Patriots’ first practice session of Super Bowl week.

The NFL’s Most Valuable Player missed three practices last week with a tender right ankle, which was taped for Monday’s training at Arizona State in nearby Tempe. According to the Chicago Tribune’s Dan Pompei, the designated pool reporter, the star quarterback appeared to have a slight limp but participated in all phases of practice, including jogging the length of the field twice at the end of drills.

Coach Bill Belichick, as usual, declined to comment on injuries or elaborate on Brady’s presence.

“Everybody practiced,”Belichick said. “The injury report will be out Wednesday.”

Brady’s return from an injury sustained in the AFC championship game against San Diego was a welcome sight to receiver Wes Welker.

“Anytime the MVP of the league is back, it has to be a positive,” Welker said. “He looks good — the same dimples and all.”

GIANTS ARRIVE IN PHOENIX

The Giants arrived for the Super Bowl on Monday, looking like the cast from “Men in Black,” and battling the flu. Rookie starting cornerback Aaron Ross threw up on the plane just before it left Newark-Liberty International Airport, the sixth player to be hit with the bug in the past four days.

Starting fullback Madison Hedgecock, backup defensive tackle Manny Wright and rookie safety Michael Johnson all missed practice on Friday after running temperatures.

“I hope that’s the end of it,” coach Tom Coughlin said after the team arrived at its hotel. “We had three guys missing last week, and some who were not quite as sick. But it didn’t drain those players like the three that stayed home” on Friday.

BASEBALL

KNOBLAUCH AGREES TO TALK TO HOUSE COMMITTEE

Chuck Knoblauch, a four-time All-Star who played with Roger Clemens on the Yankees, agreed yesterday to speak to a House committee investigating drug use in baseball after initially failing to respond to an invitation to testify.

His silence prompted the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to issue a subpoena last week, but federal marshals were not able to track down Knoblauch right away. The 1991 AL Rookie of the Year eventually did make contact, and his twice-postponed meeting with committee staff for a deposition or transcribed interview will be Friday.

That session is preparation for the panel’s hearing February 13, when Knoblauch is among five scheduled witnesses, including Clemens and his former personal trainer, Brian McNamee.

Also scheduled to testify are Andy Pettitte, a former teammate and workout partner of Clemens’ who also trained with McNamee, and ex-New York Mets clubhouse employee Kirk Radomski.