Associated Press
HONOLULU ó Larry Fitzgerald played as if the Super Bowl never ended.
Fitzgerald caught five passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns, 44-year-old John Carney kicked two fourth-quarter field goals, and the NFC rallied to a 30-21 victory over the AFC.
The Arizona Cardinals’ All-Pro receiver, coming off a record-breaking postseason and a spectacular Super Bowl in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, earned MVP honors. He caught a 46-yard scoring pass before the half and a 2-yard TD pass from Eli Manning for the go-ahead score with 4:07 to play.
The NFC defense took care of the rest.
– INDIANAPOLIS ó Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Darrell Reid was arrested on disorderly conduct and trespassing charges early Sunday after refusing to leave a nightclub’s parking lot.
According to a police report, Reid, 26, arrived at Club Oxygen about 1:30 a.m. as an off-duty officer was helping clear the nightclub’s parking lot because the club was at capacity.
The officer told Reid he could not enter the nightclub, but the Colts player said he knew the owner and should be allowed to go inside, the police report said.
When the officer again asked Reid to leave, the report said Reid backed up his vehicle and nearly collided with a car that was trying to leave the parking lot.
The officer then told Reid to immediately leave the parking lot. But, according to the report, Reid replied, “I don’t have to because I am a football player with the Indianapolis Colts.”
NHL
PITTSBURGH ó Pavel Datsyuk scored twice, Marian Hossa got the pivotal second goal midway through the third period and Ty Conklin shut out his former Pittsburgh Penguins teammates, leading the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-0 victory Sunday.
Datsyuk scored on a power play midway through the second period after the Penguins squandered three opportunities with the man advantage in the first. Conklin didn’t need much help after that, turning aside all 25 Pittsburgh shots.
Flyers 3, Thrashers 2
ATLANTA ó Jeff Carter scored twice and the Flyers withstood an Atlanta comeback for their 14th straight win over the Thrashers.
Carter scored just past the midway point of the first period, beating Thrashers goalie Johan Hedberg to the glove side. The Flyers center another goal, his 34th of the season, on a power play less than 3 minutes into the third to give the Flyers a 3-0 lead.
Ilya Kovalchuk and Slava Kozlov scored power-play goals for the Thrashers.
Wild 3, Oilers 2, SO
ST. PAUL, Minn. ó Mikko Koivu skated in on Oilers goaltender Dwayne Roloson’s right side, slipping the puck through the five-hole after teammates Antti Miettinen, Marek Zidlicky and Brent Burns all failed to score in the shootout.
BASEBALL
PHILADELPHIA ó Ryan Howard has agreed to a $54 million, three-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies ó avoiding a potentially contentious arbitration hearing.
Howard, the 2006 NL MVP, led the majors with 48 homers and 146 RBIs last season while helping the Phillies win their first World Series title since 1980. He batted just .251, struck out 199 times and made 19 errors at first base, but also was runner-up to Albert Pujols for MVP.
Howard will earn $15 million this season, $19 million next year and $20 million in 2011.
– WASHINGTON ó Left-hander Scott Olsen has agreed to a $2.8 million, one-year contract with the Washington Nationals, avoiding arbitration.
GOLF
SAN DIEGO ó Nick Watney appeared to be along for the ride Sunday until making two birdies over the final three holes to take advantage of a late collapse by John Rollins and win the Buick Invitational.
Watney knocked in a 40-foot birdie putt from the fringe on the par-3 16th, then completed his five-shot rally with a two-putt birdie on the 18th hole. He closed with a 4-under 68 for his second career victory.
Rollins let this one get away. He had a three-shot lead with five holes to play.
BOWLING
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. ó Coming off a disappointing 39th-place finish in a tournament two weeks ago, PBA Hall of Famer Norm Duke defeated Michael Fagan 278-168 in the championship match to win the Dick Weber Open on Sunday.
Duke’s win was the 32nd of his career tying him for fifth all time with fellow Hall of Famer Parker Bohn III.