Visiting Giants score first

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Ticketmaster avoided a potential legal hassle after reversing a policy that limited ticket sales for the Buccaneers playoff opener today against the New York Giants to residents of Florida.

New York Atty. Gen. Andrew Cuomo said he contacted Ticketmaster on Thursday and the company agreed to eliminate the Florida residency restrictions “the same day,” allowing Giants fans access to tickets.

Before Thursday, anyone buying tickets through the Ticketmaster website was greeted with a notice saying: “Sales to this event will be restricted to residents of Florida. Residency will be based on credit card billing address.”

The Buccaneers acknowledged instituting the policy, which came across as a ploy to increase the home-field advantage. “We wanted to ensure that our fans here in Florida had the best opportunity to purchase tickets to this week’s game,” Buccaneers director of public relations Jeff Kamis told the Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J.

Trivia time

Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer also owns another world-famous sports team. Name the team.

Bad deal

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is a shrewd businessman, and it turns out he’s a pretty good football general manager based on the Cowboys’ success this year after he took over the day-to-day operations of the team.

But there is one draft-day deal he figured would turn out better.

Jones traded the 22nd pick in the 2007 draft to the Cleveland Browns, who used it on Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn. In return, the Cowboys got Cleveland’s first-round pick this year, which Jones expected to be a top-10 selection.

Turns out, the Browns had a better-than-expected season and the Cowboys will get the 22nd pick. Again.

“I had plans for that pick,” Jones said, laughing at how the deal backfired.

Dresser for success

A Wisconsin furniture company has offered to waive the bill for some customers if Green Bay wins the Super Bowl.

The Fonti family, which owns eight stores, says any purchases made between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1 will be free if the Packers become world champions.

Vinnie Fonti says he and his brothers are lifelong Packers fans and took out insurance to pay for the items sold to ensure the company doesn’t lose money if the Packers win.

“We wouldn’t have run it if we had to root against Green Bay, so we want them to go all the way,” Fonti said.

Trivia answer

English soccer team Manchester United.

Making his mark

Trademork.com, an Internet blog that tracks trademark applications, reported that Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens has filed a request to trademark the phrase “I Love Me Some Me.”

Owens reportedly first uttered the phrase in a postgame interview while with the Philadelphia Eagles and has repeated it several times since.

The official trademark application, available at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website, states that the phrase will be used on cups and “clothing, namely shirts, T-shirts, pants, shorts, caps, dresses, skirts.”

And finally

Rain showers are predicted for today’s playoff game in San Diego, so the Chargers reminded fans through a news release to “bring rain jackets and water-proof shoes and clothing” to be prepared for wet conditions.

There is one caveat, however: “Umbrellas are not allowed in the stadium,” the release says.

So basically, you can do whatever you want to stay dry, as long as it doesn’t involve keeping the rain from hitting you.

peter.yoon@latimes.com