Manning returns, eyes season opener

Quarterback Peyton Manning made it to his first practice of the season yesterday, then ended his self-imposed silence by saying he wanted to play in the Indianapolis Colts' first regular-season game Sept. 7 against Chicago - although he couldn't provide a guarantee. "I've not really had a whole lot to say, to tell you the truth," he said. "As to when I'll be back on the practice field, that's still to be determined. Obviously, the sooner, the better for me. My goal is to be back for the first game." Manning had surgery to remove an infected bursa sac from his left knee July 14. Also at practice for the first time were Bob Sanders (shoulder), last season's Defensive Player of the Year, and three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney (foot) . . . Buffalo Bills quarterback Trent Edwards sustained a deep bruise to his right quadriceps during practice, and it's unclear whether he'll return to practice this week . . . Tampa Bay guard Davin Joseph injured his foot during Sunday night's exhibition win over the Patriots and could be out for the Buccaneers' season opener.

Receiver Chris Henry is back with the Cincinnati Bengals because their owner has a soft spot for troubled players. Henry signed a two-year deal with the team that let him go after he was arrested for the fifth time, a decision that seemed to mark a change in philosophy for owner Mike Brown. Instead, the Bengals took him back at Brown's behest. Coach Marvin Lewis had no interest in bringing back the troubled receiver. "I obviously know that at the end of the day, that the owner has the final say-so on whether or not he wants to give a guy an opportunity or not," Lewis said. Henry must serve a four-game suspension from the NFL, his third such punishment, before he can fully rejoin the team. The Bengals' two Pro Bowl receivers - Chad Johnson (sprained left shoulder) and T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hamstring) - have been sidelined much of the preseason . . . Arizona Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin asked to be traded, saying he doesn't think his dissatisfaction over his contract can be resolved and declaring he has no relationship with coach Ken Whisenhunt. A team spokesman said the Cardinals have no plans to trade the sixth-year standout . . . Chargers tight end Antonio Gates was taken off the physically unable to perform list and participated in parts of practice after passing a physical. Gates had surgery nearly six months ago to repair a tear in the plantar plate of his left foot . . . Veteran receiver Joe Horn, 36, was released by the Atlanta Falcons after the team couldn't trade him . . . A day after he returned to the practice field, Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck again left practice with a balky back . . . Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian is day to day with a sore toe on his right foot and may not be able to play Saturday at Baltimore.

Boston College will host the East Regional and play Loyola (Md.) in the first round of the NIT Season Tip-Off basketball tournament, beginning Nov. 17. Cornell will face St. John's in the other East Regional game. Other teams in the multi-site tournament include Arizona, Purdue, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Davidson, a surprise Elite Eight team last year led by Stephen Curry, who returns for his junior season. The four regional winners advance to Madison Square Garden for the semifinals and final . . . New Indiana basketball coach Tom Crean signed a 10-year deal worth at least $23.6 million.

The University of Massachusetts is ranked fifth in The Sports Network's preseason Football Championship Subdivision poll. New Hampshire is ranked 16th and Harvard 24th . . . Former Duke lacrosse player Zack Greer, who was granted an extra year of eligibility after his team's season was cut short by now-debunked rape allegations against three of his teammates, will rejoin former coach Mike Pressler at Bryant University. Greer, a three-time All-American and the NCAA's all-time career goals leader, will attend Bryant as a business graduate student. Bryant also announced that Pressler has signed a four-year contract extension that will keep him at the school through 2015. Bryant will begin its first year in Division 1 in 2009.

NASCAR released its 2009 schedule, with New Hampshire Motor Speedway running the LENOX Industrial Tools 301 June 28 and the Sylvania 300 Sept. 20. The Loudon track will have a Nationwide Series race June 27 and a Craftsman Truck Series event Sept. 19 . . . Clay Bennett's ownership group has reached a final settlement with the city of Seattle, completing the former SuperSonics franchise's move to Oklahoma City . . . The Detroit Shock signed recently acquired six-time WNBA All-Star Taj McWilliams-Franklin to a one-year contract extension . . . Amelie Mauresmo continued her struggle back to form with a 6-2, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2 victory over Kaia Kanepi in a first-round match at the Pilot Pen Tournament in New Haven . . . Rafael Nadal was seeded No. 1 for the US Open, making it the first time since January 2004 that a man other than Roger Federer holds the top spot at a Grand Slam tournament. Ana Ivanovic is the No. 1 seed on the women's side. Lleyton Hewitt announced he will withdraw from the tournament after undergoing hip surgery. The tournament begins Aug. 25 . . . . . . Parker Buckley, an exercise rider for trainer Steve Asmussen, has died after suffering head injuries in a riding accident Monday at Saratoga Race Course. He was 40.