Morning briefing

Old time rock ‘n’ roll at halftime

It’s unlikely Super Bowl viewers this season will have to be, well, exposed to another “wardrobe malfunction” during the halftime show.

Rock star Tom Petty, 57, and his band the Heartbreakers will perform at the 42nd Super Bowl on Feb. 3 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

In the three years since Janet Jackson sparked a firestorm by baring her breast during the halftime show with Justin Timberlake, Super Bowl organizers have picked Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones and Prince for the halftime event.

The game is broadcast to 230 countries and territories, and in the U.S. alone, nearly 140 million viewers watched the most recent halftime show, organizers said.

Trivia time

The United States finally won tennis’ Davis Cup again last weekend after a 12-year drought. In its prior victory in 1995, which country did the U.S. defeat and who led the team to victory?

Home advantage?

The New Jersey Nets are one of the top five NBA teams in terms of average road attendance and in their ability to help fill an opponent’s arena.

It’s a different story in New Jersey.

Entering last weekend, the Nets had averaged 14,770 spectators at their home Izod Center, or 73.7% of the center’s basketball capacity of 20,032, according to the Newark Star-Ledger. That ranked 23rd in the 30-team league.

Padre non grata

When the Providence Friars men’s basketball team played the University of Rhode Island last year, the Rhode Island cheerleaders complained that they were upstaged by Providence’s friar mascot.

The mascot was disrespectful, the cheerleaders said, by running around and ringing a cowbell during their routine.

So when the teams meet again today, Providence is leaving its mascot at home. But Providence officials said their decision had nothing to do with last year.

The Friars don’t bring their mascot and cheerleaders when they play other teams in the Big East Conference, and that policy was simply extended to Rhode Island.

“I know it may be a part of the history of this series,” Providence Athletic Director Bob Driscoll told the Associated Press, “but the focus should be on the game.”

Light up

Even a minor scoreboard fire at KeyArena in Seattle couldn’t distract the Golden State Warriors from beating the SuperSonics to win their sixth consecutive game.

With seven minutes left in the first quarter Sunday, officials noticed a small fire from a spotlight attached to the bottom of the large scoreboard above the court.

After placing a tarp on the court and lowering the scoreboard to just above the floor, firefighters put out the flames and detached the spotlight. After a 15-minute delay, Golden State won, 109-96.

One short

Tennessee Titans Coach Jeff Fisher took the rap for Rob Bironas failing to tie the team’s record for consecutive field goals.

Bironas’ streak ended at 19, one short of the Titans’ franchise record set twice by Al Del Greco, when he missed a 53-yard attempt in wet, windy conditions to end the first half Sunday against Houston.

“It was windy, but I thought we had a chance there,” Fisher said. “I’ll take responsibility for that. He’s got to start his streak over.”

Trivia answer

Pete Sampras led the U.S. over Russia to win the Davis Cup in 1995, on clay in Moscow.

And finally

NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Tony Stewart, offering his take on the series’ highlights this season, announced his inaugural “Stewie Awards” on his weekly show on Sirius satellite radio.

“Best original drama” went to Kevin Harvick edging Mark Martin by a nose to win the Daytona 500, and the same race provided the “best stunt sequence”: Clint Bowyer sliding across the finish line on fire and upside down.

--

james.peltz@latimes.com