BRIEFLY : BENNETT: 2 MONTHS IN JAIL.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

In Buffalo, Atlanta Falcons linebacker Cornelius Bennett was sentenced Thursday to two months in jail for sexual misconduct, four weeks after his wife gave birth to a girl.

Bennett, who played 10 seasons for the Buffalo Bills before going to Atlanta two years ago, pleaded guilty in September.

``This is the first time in my life I've ever had to go through anything like this,'' Bennett said before sentencing. ``I just wish I could take back that night altogether.''

The case involved a woman in her 20s, whom Bennett had known for a long time. She was treated for trauma and skin cuts after their sexual encounter at a Buffalo hotel May 18. The woman went to Bennett's hotel room at his invitation.

Bennett also was placed on three years' probation, fined $500, ordered to perform 100 hours of community service and reimburse $617 of the woman's medical bills.

A month after signing television contracts guaranteeing at least $17.6 billion over eight years, the NFL and its players agreed to a collective-bargaining agreement that ensures labor peace through 2003.

The deal, which amounts to a four-year extension, is for a contract from 1998-2003. The salary cap, the centerpiece of the contract, was extended through the 2002 season. Under the old deal, the union could have played without a cap in 2000.

In addition, players and owners may mutually extend the cap through 2003 and add an uncapped season in 2004.

The outstanding De La Salle High football team will appear on the backs of 100,000 cereal boxes in Northern California as part of General Mills' Team Cheerios promotion, a company spokeswoman said.

BASKETBALL: Chuck Brown's girls' basketball coaching career at Thousand Oaks High ended Wednesday night when the Lancers were eliminated by Huntington Beach Marina 57-35 in the second round of the Southern Section Division I-A playoffs.

Brown, who won at least a share of eight Marmonte League titles in 16 seasons, announced he was retiring before the season began.

``This is the first time in a long time I don't have to think about next year,'' Brown said on Thursday.

TENNIS: Boris Becker has committed to play in the Mercedes-Benz Cup at UCLA in July, joining Pete Sampras, Patrick Rafter and Andre Agassi.

Czech Petr Korda became the fifth seeded player to lose in the Guardian Direct Cup in London when he was beaten in the second round by unseeded Cedric Pioline of France 6-3, 6-3. It took just 77 minutes.

BOXING: Mike Tyson is in the news again, this time over an $805,350 jewelry tab. A lawsuit filed in District Court in Las Vegas alleges that Tyson owes The Jewelers of Las Vegas the six-figure sum for purchases he has made since 1996.

HOCKEY: U.S. Olympic hockey player Gary Suter says the NHL has absolved him and captain Chris Chelios of blame in the trashing of three apartments during the Winter Games. The NHL is investigating the late-night rampage that followed the U.S. team's elimination.