FOOTBALL
SF, SOUTH FLORIDA, HOUSTON BID FOR SUPER BOWLS: CHICAGO (AP) — Houston, San Francisco and South Florida are bidding for the 2016 and 2017 Super Bowls.
NFL owners will vote next May between San Francisco — the 49ers are building a new stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., — and South Florida for the 50th Super Bowl in 2016. The loser of that race will then compete with Houston for hosting the 2017 game.
Several owners have said a return to SunLife Stadium in Miami would require major upgrades to the building, and commissioner Roger Goodell says Tuesday that the Dolphins "feel that (renovations) are a large part of their bid."
South Florida has hosted the most Super Bowls, 10, the last in 2010. Houston has done two, the most recent in 2004.
JUDGES WANTS TO SEE NFL BOUNTY DOCUMENTS: NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal magistrate judge has ordered NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to provide the court with documents related to the league's bounty investigation of the New Orleans Saints.
The order by Magistrate Daniel Knowles on Tuesday came in response to suspended linebacker Jonathan Vilma's efforts to initiate the discovery process in his defamation case against the commissioner. Vilma has said the NFL has allowed him to review only a fraction of documents related to bounty matter.
Knowles issued a compromise order in which only the court, and not Vilma, may see the documents — including reports of interviews with witnesses — before a subsequent order is made on whether to allow discovery to proceed.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said league officials have already discussed the order with Knowles and have agreed to comply.
BEYONCE SET FOR SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW: NEW YORK (AP) — All the single ladies will be watching the upcoming Super Bowl along with football lovers — that's because Beyonce is the halftime show performer.
NFL confirmed the news Tuesday afternoon after Beyonce posted a photo of herself sporting eye black, where "Feb. 3" is written on one and "2013" on the other, on her Tumblr page. The Super Bowl is set for Feb. 3, 2013 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
Beyonce, whose pop and R&B hits include "Crazy in Love," ''Irreplaceable" and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," has won 16 Grammy Awards. The 31-year-old sang the national anthem at the 2004 Super Bowl in her hometown of Houston when the New England Patriots defeated the Carolina Panthers.
SAILING
ORACLE TEAM USA BOAT CAPSIZES IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Officials say an Oracle Team USA boat involved in America's Cup race has capsized in San Francisco Bay.
U.S. Coast Guard officials say after the boat flipped near the San Francisco Yacht Club Tuesday afternoon, the currents in the bay pulled the boat out past the Golden Gate Bridge.
Coast Guard spokesman Lt. j.g. Josh Dykman says no injuries have been reported. Coast Guard crews are not taking part in any sort of rescue attempt, but Dykman says the Coast Guard is observing for safety purposes.
Race officials say the boat was on a training run when it flipped over.
AUTO RACING
EARNHARDT VISITS CONCUSSION SPECIALIST IN PA.: CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Dale Earnhardt Jr. visited a noted concussion specialist in Pittsburgh on Tuesday as part of the planned rehabilitation program to get NASCAR's most popular driver back in a car.
Hendrick Motorsports confirmed that Earnhardt met with Dr. Micky Collins, the clinical and executive director of the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program.
Collins is one of the leading experts in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of athletes who have suffered concussions. He and Dr. Mark Lovell developed the ImPACT test now used by many professional sports leagues, including the NFL, to assess concussions and determine when an injured athlete can safely return to play.
