NEW YORK (AP) -- The Big East hired CBS executive vice president Mike Aresco to be commissioner of a conference now in rebuilding mode.
Aresco has been a vice president in charge of programming for CBS since 1996. He's handled the network's contract negotiations with the NCAA for the rights to the men's basketball tournament. He also negotiated CBS's 15-year deal with the Southeastern Conference.
Aresco, a Connecticut native who resides in Southport, Conn., has never worked for a conference or university, but his experience lies in the field where the Big East needs the most help.
PRO FOOTBALL
METAIRIE, La. (AP) - New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in New York to discuss matters concerning both the team and the league.
The meeting came amid a backdrop of lawsuits filed by current and former Saints players who've challenged the findings of the NFL's bounty investigation. Benson also has hired the firm of former FBI director Louis Freeh to investigate the accuracy of the league's bounty probe.
It also came a day after Louisiana state police announced investigators had found no evidence to back allegations made in an April news report that Superdome wiring was rigged so general manager Mickey Loomis could eavesdrop on opposing coaches' radio communications between the 2002 and 2004 seasons.
NEW YORK (AP) - Evelyn Lozada is ending her 41-day-old marriage to Chad Johnson after the football star was arrested for allegedly head-butting her over the weekend.
A rep for the VH1 reality star confirmed reports that Lozada filed for divorce Tuesday.
Johnson released his own statement - the first since his arrest - on his official website, OCNN, and reaffirmed his love for Lozada.
CORTLAND, N.Y. (AP) - Former NFL quarterback Chad Pennington says the New York Jets can succeed with Tim Tebow and the wildcat-style package in their offense this season.
Pennington would certainly know. The former Jets quarterback made it work in Miami, where he played with the Dolphins under current New York offensive coordinator Tony Sparano. He said that Tebow ''adds another threat'' because he can throw the ball down the field or run it, making it difficult on defenses.
BOURBONNAIS, Ill. (AP) - Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and hopes to be ready for the season opener.
MANKATO, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson took another important step in his recovery from reconstructive surgery on his left knee: taking part in his first full-pads practice.
Finally cleared for full activity, Peterson carried the ball only a handful of times in full team drills with the first team offense and wasn't touched by the defense.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The interior of the New York Giants' defensive line is facing questions after veteran Shaun Rogers was lost for the season with a blood clot in his left calf and two other defensive tackles were diagnosed with back problems, including one that will require season-ending surgery.
Coach Tom Coughlin said that Rogers' treatment for the blood clot would prevent him from playing for the Super Bowl champions this season. His calf swelled after the Giants' preseason opener against Jacksonville, but fellow tackle Linval Joseph said Rogers also was leg whipped in practice last week.
Marvin Austin, the team's No. 2 draft pick in 2011, also was being seen by doctors in New York after his back acted up Monday night, a problem some players blamed on bad mattresses at training camp at the University at Albany.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Jimmy Carr, who won an NFL championship in 1960 with the Philadelphia Eagles, died in Indiana. He was 79.
Carr played nine NFL seasons with the Chicago Cardinals, Eagles and Washington Redskins. He was the starting left cornerback on the 1960 title team and had 13 of his 15 career interceptions with the Eagles. Carr also played one season with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL in 1958.
BASEBALL
BALTIMORE (AP) - Dustin Pedroia hasn't given up Boston's playoff hopes and believes none of the team's problems this season should be attributed to first-year manager Bobby Valentine.
Speaking after the Red Sox lost to the Baltimore Orioles 7-1, Pedroia addressed a report that he complained about Valentine's performance at a session last month with team owner John Henry and team president Larry Lucchino.
''We had a meeting in New York. I know coaches had a meeting, Bobby had a meeting. We all had a meeting,'' Pedroia said. ''... I don't think Bobby should be fired. Listen, we haven't played well and I am not going to blame anything on Bobby and I don't think anybody else is.''
The Red Sox are 57-60 after going 92-60 last year under Terry Francona, who was fired after Boston missed the playoffs with a loss to Baltimore on the final day of the regular season.
PRO HOCKEY
TORONTO (AP) - The National Hockey League Players' Association made its first proposal in the latest round of collective bargaining talks with the NHL.
The union said its proposal to the league includes a smaller percentage of revenues for players and an expanded revenue sharing program to help struggling teams.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said received the union's proposal and hopes to continue talks Wednesday.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - LSU coach Les Miles declined to close the door completely on the possibility of Tyrann Mathieu playing football for the Tigers in 2013.
''Tyrann can be a student at LSU,'' Miles said after practice, adding that he is ''not in any way speculating'' about whether Mathieu could conceivably play for the Tigers again. ''He will not be on this football team this year - I guarantee that's a fact. So I have no idea beyond that.''
TENNIS
MASON, Ohio (AP) - Andy Roddick developed back spasms during his opening match at the Western & Southern Open, setting up a two-set loss that left questions about his health heading into the U.S. Open.
Wild card Venus Williams survived a three-set opening match, another encouraging win coming off her Olympic gold medal in doubles with sister Serena.
Serena Williams beat Eleni Daniilidou of Greece 6-3, 6-4, overcoming 42 unforced errors as she struggled to get readjusted to a hard court.
OLYMPICS
LONDON (AP) - A court has delayed sentencing a British man who admitted spying on members of the Chinese Olympic swimming team in a women's changing room.
Declan Crosbie is accused of peering over the top of cubicles as members of the team were getting changed at a sports center where they were training in the northern city of Leeds. The swimmers were training in England ahead of the London Olympics.
