Associated Press
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — It wasn’t the Canyon of Heroes and there wasn’t as much tickertape, but that didn’t seem to bother about 30,000 New York Giants fans who flocked to MetLife Stadium Tuesday to celebrate the team’s rousing Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.
Some of them even got to touch a piece of history when Giants running back Brandon Jacobs capped the boisterous celebration by taking the Vince Lombardi Trophy and walking it around the stadium to give delirious fans in the lower rows a chance to lean over and put their hands on it. It was an impromptu moment that fit the mood of the afternoon.
• NEW YORK — For the third consecutive year, the Super Bowl set a record as the most-watched television show in U.S. history.
The Nielsen Co. said that an estimated 111.3 million people watched the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots on Sunday night. That narrowly beat the 111 million who watched Green Bay’s win over Pittsburgh last year.
• EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — New York Giants tight end Jake Ballard tore his left anterior cruciate ligament during the second half of the Super Bowl,
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
The Big Ten, which helped squash the notion of a four-team playoff to crown a national champion in college football several years ago, is taking another look.
Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis said all of the Big Ten athletic directors are comfortable exploring the possibility of a four-team playoff.
“Four is better than two,” Hollis said.
• ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan has sold out its allotment of tickets to the Cowboys Classic game against Alabama.
The school has sold nearly 25,000 tickets to the game against the national champions on Sept. 1 in Arlington, Texas.
NBA
SAN DIEGO — San Diego prosecutors won’t file criminal charges against Kobe Bryant after reviewing allegations by a man who accused the Los Angeles Lakers star of injuring him during a scuffle at church.
Police have said Bryant took the man’s cellphone in August, apparently thinking it was being used to take his picture during a Sunday service at the St. Therese of Carmel Church in San Diego. The man went to a hospital for treatment of an injured wrist.
Bryant has denied the allegations.
• LOS ANGELES — Clippers guard Chauncey Billups will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his left Achilles tendon during Los Angeles’ 107-102 victory over the Magic in Orlando on Monday night.
BASEBALL
ATLANTA — Hank Aaron recognized the look. Just not the feel.
The Atlanta Braves unveiled a new alternate home uniform that is based on the attire worn when the team moved from Milwaukee in 1966, with Aaron as its biggest star.
“It’s a beautiful uniform,” he said during a ceremony held at Turner Field in the 755 Club — which is named after Aaron’s career home run total. “And it’s not wool. Those first uniforms were wool.”
• ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Miami Marlins pitcher Anibal Sanchez became the first player to win in salary arbitration this year when a three-person panel awarded him $8 million rather than the team’s offer of $6.9 million.
• DENVER — The Colorado Rockies acquired veteran right-hander Jeremy Guthrie from the Baltimore Orioles.
WASHINGTON — The Nationals agreed to a minor league contract with outfielder Rick Ankiel.
• ROCK HILL, S.C. — Police say former major league outfielder Danny Clyburn Jr. has been shot and killed in his South Carolina hometown.
Lancaster police say officers found the 37-year-old Clyburn in the front yard of his home around 2 a.m. Tuesday.
NHL ROUNDUP
WASHINGTON — Mathieu Perreault scored with 13 seconds elapsed, Alex Ovechkin had two goals and the Washington Capitals beat the Florida Panthers 4-0 Tuesday night to take over first place in the Southeast Division.
DEVILS 1, RANGERS 0
NEW YORK — Martin Brodeur stopped 30 shots for his first shutout of the season and the record 117th of his NHL career, and New Jersey beat the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers for its fifth consecutive win.
CANADIENS 3, PENGUINS 2, SO
MONTREAL — Tomas Plekanec scored on Montreal’s eighth attempt in the shootout to lead the Canadiens over Pittsburgh.
ISLANDERS 1, FLYERS 0, SO
PHILADELPHIA — Evgeni Nabokov made 45 saves and Frans Nielsen and John Tavares scored on Ilya Bryzgalov in a shootout, helping New York beat Philadelphia.
BLUE JACKETS 3, WILD 1
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Rookie defenseman David Savard scored his first career goal and added an assist to lift the Blue Jackets past Minnesota and give Columbus’ Todd Richards a win in his first game as coach against his former team.
KINGS 3, LIGHTNING 1
TAMPA, Fla. — Kyle Clifford and Dustin Penner had second-period goals to lead Los Angeles past Tampa Bay.
BLUES 3, SENATORS 1
OTTAWA — David Perron scored twice and Brian Elliott made 28 saves in his regular-season return to Ottawa as St. Louis handed the Senators their seventh straight loss.
CANUCKS 4, PREDATORS 3, SO
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Alex Edler scored in the sixth round of a shootout and Vancouver beat Nashville for its fifth win in six games.
CROSBY UPDATE
MONTREAL — Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby practiced but said he is no closer to returning from a concussion and neck injury that have sidelined him for most of the season.