In brief: Jones given permission to join Cowboys

Adam “Pacman” Jones can join the Dallas Cowboys for everything but the regular season – for now.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday he would decide by Sept. 1 whether to fully end Jones’ suspension, which wiped out the entire 2007 season when he was with the Tennessee Titans. The Cowboys play their opener Sept. 7 in Cleveland.

“Commissioner Goodell told Jones that his continued participation in the NFL depends on demonstrating that he can conduct himself in a lawful and reliable manner,” the league wrote in a statement. “Jones will be expected to continue the personal conduct program established for him by the NFL and the Cowboys and to avoid further adverse involvement with law enforcement.”

Jones could be in action as soon as today, the team’s next organized practice.

“Terrell Owens has agreed to a three-year contract extension worth around $27 million to stick with the Cowboys.

A person close to the negotiations who asked to remain anonymous because the deal hasn’t been announced confirmed the extension.

“The Denver Broncos released running back Travis Henry, saying his commitment to the team was in question.

The Broncos signed Henry to a five-year, $22.5 million contract in March 2007. He was hampered by injuries in his only season in Denver, rushing for 691 yards on 167 carries with four touchdowns.

“Police investigators want to talk to Marshawn Lynch after examining the Buffalo Bills running back’s vehicle, which allegedly struck and injured a pedestrian during a hit-and-run accident last weekend.

Buffalo Police Department spokesman Michael DeGeorge said that investigators have attempted to contact Lynch and his lawyer. DeGeorge wouldn’t go into specifics, but stressed that no charges have been filed and added police are still attempting to determine who was inside the SUV when the accident occurred early Saturday morning.

Softball

ASU wins opener

Freshman Krista Donnenwirth homered and had two RBI singles, and Katie Burkhart threw a two-hitter to lead Arizona State past Texas A&M 3-0 in Game 1 of the Women’s College World Series finals at Oklahoma City.

Game 2 of the best-of-three championship series will be played tonight.

Golf

Tiger preparing

Tiger Woods has started playing some holes, taking another step in his comeback from knee surgery.

With the U.S. Open just a week away, Woods is not worried about how he and his left leg will fare.

“Hopefully, it will be close to a hundred percent,” Woods said. “But if it’s not, no big deal.”

“Jim Brown, the longest tenured coach in Ohio State history, will step down a year from now after his 36th season as men’s golf coach.

Brown is the winningest active NCAA golf coach, with a career record of 5,609-1,791-43. He has 157 tournament victories and coached the 1979 NCAA championship team.

Miscellany

Veteran coach done

Texas Tech’s Larry Hays, one of four Division I baseball coaches with more than 1,500 wins, has resigned.

The 63-year-old Hays was 1,509-860 at Tech but was coming off just his second losing season in 22 years.

“In Kiev Ukraine, Olympic gymnastics champion Boris Shaklin, the only athlete to win four gold medals at the Rome Olympics, has died. He was 76.

Shaklin, nicknamed the “Mask of Iron,” won 13 Olympic medals, seven of them gold.