IN BRIEF

Favre denies that he is thinking about playing

Brett Favre, in an interview with Sports Illustrated on Friday, shot down a published report that he is thinking about coming out of retirement.

“That’s the last thing I’m thinking about,” Favre said. “I have no idea where that came from, but it certainly didn’t come from me. I’m happy about my decision and I haven’t once said, ‘I wonder if I made the wrong decision?’ I know it’s the right one.”

The Los Angeles Times, citing unnamed NFL sources, reported Thursday that James “Bus” Cook, Favre’s agent, was quietly inquiring whether teams would be interested in trading for Favre. Cook later flatly denied the report.

Also: Former Bengal Chris Henry was released from jail in Cincinnati, spending an extra night there because no one was available to provide a court-ordered monitoring device.

Henry, 24, was cut by the Bengals on Thursday, a few hours before he was arraigned on charges of assault and criminal damaging. A man accused Henry of punching him in the face and breaking his car window with a beer bottle Monday night.

The Washington Redskins signed free-agent receiver and former Pro Bowl kick returner Jerome Mathis.

Mathis made the Pro Bowl as a returner with Houston in 2005, but he was injured for most of the last two seasons.

Presbyterian wide receiver Larry Carlson Thomas died in a car accident in Clinton, S.C.

Thomas, 20, lost control of his 2005 Dodge Neon around 3 a.m. on Interstate 26 in Newberry County, authorities said. The car struck a guardrail, then hit some trees.

Thomas died at the scene.

Former UNR star John Dutton threw eight touchdown passes in the Colorado Crush’s 67-54 victory over the Los Angeles Avengers in Denver.

Chris Greisen threw seven TD passes to help the Georgia Force beat the Kansas City Brigade 70-63 in Atlanta.

HOCKEY

Flyers gain playoff spot with win over Devils

Martin Biron stopped all 22 shots for his fourth shutout, and the Philadelphia Flyers clinched a playoff spot with a 3-0 home win over the New Jersey Devils.

The Flyers were the worst team in the NHL last season.

Also: Tim Thomas stopped 17 shots and Zdeno Chara scored against his former team, leading the Boston Bruins to a 2-1 road win over the Ottawa Senators as both teams clinched playoff berths.

MISCELLANEOUS

Former cyclist Thomas convicted of perjury

Former cyclist Tammy Thomas was convicted in San Francisco of lying to a grand jury investigating a steroid distribution ring that has implicated some of the biggest stars in baseball, football and track.

Thomas, the first person connected to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative case to go to trial, shouted at jurors after they found her guilty of three counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice.

Thomas was banned from cycling for life in August 2002 after the performance-enhancing drug Norbolethone was detected in her urine.

Also: Shane Mosley is accusing convicted steroids dealer and BALCO founder Victor Conte of slander for telling newspapers he saw the boxer knowingly inject steroids.

Mosley filed suit against Conte in federal court in San Francisco. He has said he unwittingly used steroids produced by BALCO.

Portland Trail Blazers swingman Martell Webster will miss Sunday’s game against San Antonio with an irregular heartbeat.

Webster, 21, was dizzy and felt sick before Portland’s loss to Houston on Thursday.