– Based on an initial audit, the Mets might owe the city $1 million in back rent for Shea Stadium, the New York Post reported. The Mets pay about $10 million in rent each year, but the amount fluctuates based on attendance and revenue. . . . Hunt Construction Group Inc. of Indianapolis, which has built eight of the last 11 major-league ballparks, has been selected to build the St. Louis Cardinals’ new stadium.
– Eli Manning hit Chris Collins with two TD passes to lead Mississippi (6-6) to a 24-12 victory over Mississippi State (3-9) in the 99th Egg Bowl.
– Retief Goosen and Chris DiMarco share the first-round lead at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa. The winner of the elite 12-player event earns $2 million. . . . Peter Lonard and Jarrod Moseley share the first-round lead in the Australian PGA. . . . India’s Amandeep Johl leads the Hong Kong Open. Taiwan’s Lo Shih-kai, 13, became the youngest player to start a European PGA Tour event.
– A foot infection ended Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Perfect Drift’s season. . . . Allamerican Bertie, ridden by Pat Day, won the $270,000 feature at Churchill Downs.
– U.S. national soccer team goalie Brad Friedel could rejoin England’s Premier League club Blackburn on Saturday after making a quick recovery from Nov. 17 left knee surgery. . . . Luiz Felipe Scolari, who led Brazil to its fifth World Cup title this summer, has agreed to coach Portugal through the 2004 European championships.
– Olympic fencer Laura Flessel of France dropped plans to appeal a three-month drug ban. . . . Hockey fan Daniel Jonstad, 20, was fined $700 for making a stiff-armed Nazi salute at a game in Sweden. The salute is punishable under Swedish hate-crimes law.
– World champions Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao of China finished first in the pairs short program at the NHK Trophy. Irina Lobacheva and Ilia Averbukh of Russia are first in ice dancing. Americans Kimberly Navarro and Robert Shmalo were ninth.
