The NFL has told its teams and players to get back to football, at least for now, according to an Associated Press report on Thursday. Told twice in three days by a federal judge that its 45-day lockout was illegal, the league assured teams and players they could resume some of the normal day-to-day football operations beginning Friday, including voluntary workouts at team facilities, meetings with coaches and going over playbooks.

The NCAA has created a new task force to look at the criteria and process for licensing Division I bowls and will place a three-year moratorium on new bowls, according to an Associated Press report on Thursday. The task force of no more than 10 people will be co-chaired by Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman and another to-be-named person from outside higher education and athletics. It will look at governance and oversight by bowl sponsoring agencies, conflict-of-interest rules and policies, advertising and title-sponsorship standards, along with oversight and reporting of financial management of bowl games.

The federal judge who lifted the lockout two days ago dealt another blow to the NFL late Wednesday, denying its request to put her ruling on hold pending appeals and guaranteeing more limbo for the 32 teams, thousands of players and millions of fans, according to an ESPN.com report.

Redskins defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth allegedly slid his credit card into the bra of a waitress and then touched her breast, according to court papers filed Wednesday offering Haynesworth a plea deal in the sexual abuse case. Haynesworth's lawyer, however, said the deal was not one he'd take and that his client would fight the charge, according to an ESPN.com report.

Detroit police say Broncos defensive end Jason Hunter has been stabbed and taken to a local hospital. Hunter was stabbed Wednesday, but officer Dan Donakowski didn't have any additional information, including where the incident took place, who was responsible and Hunter's condition. The Broncos released a statement Wednesday saying they were aware of the report of Hunter's stabbing and were in the process of gathering more information.

Redskins defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth was charged Tuesday with misdemeanor sexual abuse for allegedly fondling the breast of his server in a hotel restaurant in Washington. A grand jury returned an indictment formally charging Haynesworth over the alleged incident at a downtown Washington hotel in the early hours of Feb. 13. If convicted, the All-Pro faces up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

NFL Statement: We will promptly seek a stay from Judge Nelson pending an expedited appeal to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. We believe that federal law bars injunctions in labor disputes. We are confident that the Eighth Circuit will agree. But we also believe that this dispute will inevitably end with a collective bargaining agreement, which would be in the best interests of players, clubs and fans. We can reach a fair agreement only if we continue negotiations toward that goal.

A federal judge has sided with NFL players and granted their request for a preliminary injunction to lift the lockout, according to an Associated Press report. U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson issued her ruling late Monday. The ruling gives the players an early victory in their fight with NFL owners over a new collective bargaining agreement in the $9 billion business.

Former running back Joe Perry, who led the NFL in career rushing yards until his mark was eclipsed by Jim Brown in 1963, died Monday at the age of 84, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced on its website. Perry averaged 4.9 yards per carry in his 16-year Hall of Fame career. Perry, who played fullback for the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Colts, was the first running back in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons (1,018 in 1953 and 1,049 in 1954). He retired after the 1963 season and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1969.

In a sharply worded rebuke of Ohio State’s Jim Tressel, the NCAA on Monday accused the 10-year coach with withholding information and lying to keep Buckeyes players on the field who had accepted improper benefits from the owner of a tattoo parlor. In a “notice of allegations” sent to the school, the NCAA said Monday that the violations relating to the coach are considered “potential major violations," according to a Associated Press report.