LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin was voted as a starter to the NBA All-Star Game on Thursday, but said he doesn’t plan on defending his slam dunk contest title during All-Star Weekend.

“As of right now I don’t plan on being in it,” Griffin said Thursday night. “Those dunk contests aren’t my thing, I said that last year. There’s a lot of guys that can put on a great show and do some good stuff.”

Last year Griffin won the slam dunk contest, played in the Rookie Challenge and played in the All-Star Game during a whirlwind weekend in Los Angeles.

This year, Griffin, who will be a first-time starter, would like to simply enjoy the weekend and play in the Feb. 26 All-Star Game in Orlando.

“Last year was hectic and it kind of made it unenjoyable,” Griffin said. “So this year, we’ll see what will happen, but I will try to tone it down a bit and get a break instead of being so busy.”

Clippers center DeAndre Jordan could take Griffin’s place in the slam dunk contest, but Jordan said he has not been contacted by the league yet.

“He’s got some stuff that people definitely want to see,” Griffin said of Jordan.

If he were asked to participate in the slam dunk contest, Jordan said he would do it on one condition. “If I didn’t have to go against Blake,” he said.

Arash Markazi is a columnist and writer for ESPNLA.com.

Follow Arash Markazi on Twitter: @ArashMarkazi

Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant prevented a clean Los Angeles sweep of the Western Conference starting lineup by earning a forward spot for the Feb. 26 game in Orlando.

Dwight Howard of the host Magic – unless he’s traded first – was the overall leading vote-getter with 1.6 million. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are going together again from Miami, while MVP Derrick Rose of Chicago and New York’s Carmelo Anthony round out the East starters.

The Clippers and Lakers are developing a spirited rivalry this season, but they’ll have to get along for a night to give the West a second straight win in the NBA’s midseason event.

Bryant and Paul will be in the same backcourt two months after the NBA, as owners of the Hornets, killed a trade that would have sent Paul to the Lakers. Instead, he was dealt shortly after to the Clippers, and he has teamed with Griffin to make them one of the league’s most exciting and improved teams, leading the Pacific Division over their Staples Center co-tenants.

Griffin and Bynum are first-time starters, while Bryant earned his record-tying 14th consecutive nod.

It’s the first time since 1997, when Houston had Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley, and Seattle sent Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp, that two pairs of teammates have been voted to start for one conference.

Bryant joins Shaquille O’Neal, Jerry West and Karl Malone – all one-time Lakers – with his 14th straight starting nod. He earned his fourth All-Star MVP award last year, equaling Bob Pettit’s NBA record.

Bynum grabbed the starting center spot that for years went to Yao Ming, who retired last summer. Griffin was chosen as a reserve forward last year, when he became the first rookie All-Star since Yao in 2003.

Starters were chosen by fan balloting, and none of the races was close. The reserves will be chosen by voting of the head coaches from each conference and will be announced next Thursday.

Bryant led all West players with nearly 1.6 million votes. Rose collected 1.5 million to finish third among all players, a year after becoming Chicago’s first starter since Michael Jordan.

“I remember not being in the All-Star game, just wanting to be in the game. It’s something you should take to heart, that I take to heart,” Rose said before the Bulls’ game against the Knicks. “Just want to accomplish something special while I’m in the league, and one of the accomplishments is being on the All-Star team.”

Howard will make his fifth consecutive start, and his status will provide much of the intrigue surrounding the event. He has told the Magic he wants to be traded and they have given his agent permission to talk to select teams, putting the franchise in a difficult position of deciding whether it should deal its superstar before hosting the weekend.

___

On Indianapolis’ front, the good news was tempered by Colts owner Jim Irsay, who tweeted that “Peyton has not passed our physical nor has he been cleared to play for The Indianapolis Colts.”

The sources said Dr. Robert Watkins, who performed the procedure on Manning, examined the player recently in Los Angeles and concluded the stability in his neck would have allowed Manning to play this Sunday, even, if the nerves in his arm had regenerated to a satisfactory performance level.

Watkins also instructed the quarterback to continue an aggressive rehabilitation path that provides an optimistic outlook for Manning to play in 2012. Watkins performed Manning’s spinal fusion on Sept. 8, and on Dec. 1 declared that the fusion had achieved “firm fixation.”

Watkins, according to the sources, joined Colts neurosurgeon Dr. Hank Feuer in clearing Manning to play. One source said that Feuer recently told Manning, “If you were my own son, I’d tell [you] to go play.”

A spokesman for Watkins said in a one-paragraph email sent later Thursday night that the Colts’ star was cleared to play.

“Peyton Manning underwent a thorough medical re-evaluation as part of a postoperative visit with his surgeon,” Watkins’ statement read. “As a result of this examination, Manning is medically cleared to play professional football.”

Irsay said a team statement would be forthcoming later Friday.

In addition to Manning’s optimistic words expressed in an interview with ESPN on Tuesday, in which he indicated he plans to resume his playing career, the medical clearance by his two doctors, the sources said, will bolster his determination to play in 2012.

What remains in question is the timeline in which Manning’s nerve regeneration to his triceps will improve to the point where he is throwing passes in the manner that helped him win four MVP awards during his 13-year career.

According to one source familiar with Manning’s medical review, “It’s not a safety issue; it’s a performance issue.” This source added that Manning is “making progress.”

The source said Manning had a throwing session Tuesday with two of his Colts receivers — Anthony Gonzalez and Blair White — at an undisclosed location and that Manning has spent numerous recent days throwing to at least one wide receiver, aiming to regain as much strength as possible in his arm.

However, the source said Manning still cannot pinpoint a date when his performance will reach an acceptable level to him. The source alluded that it might take to the one-year anniversary of Manning’s May 23, 2011, surgery on a bulging disk in his neck.

Manning and Colts owner Jim Irsay have both said they expect to sit down after the Super Bowl to discuss his future with the team as a March 8 deadline nears in which Manning is due a $28 million option bonus that will trigger the final four years of a five-year, $90 million contract he signed before the 2011 season. The quarterback already received $26 million as part of that deal.

Manning has expressed a desire to settle his future with the Colts “sooner than later.” There is widespread belief around the league that Irsay will not exercise the $28 million bonus. Irsay was not available for comment.

Yet should the Colts opt not to exercise the option, they would be forced to release Manning, who would immediately become a free agent. And so, while the NFL’s free-agent signing period is set to begin with the commencement of a new league year March 13, Manning could be a free agent as early as next week.

If Manning becomes an unrestricted free agent, several teams are expected to bid for him, including the Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals and possibly the New York Jets, among others.

Teams such as Arizona already have debated the merits of pursuing Manning behind closed doors. Some people within the Cardinals organization believe Manning could do for Arizona what Kurt Warner once did, propelling the team into an instant playoff contender.

Manning likely would be willing to sign a contract that would tie bonuses and salary to his roster status for 2012, and sources say that he will heavily factor in a team’s ability to have a roster capable of competing for a playoff spot and, consequently, a Super Bowl title.

Trading Manning no longer is an option. Irsay has said he will not trade Manning — which means he would have to pick up the $28 million bonus to retain the quarterback’s rights — and he also will not trade the No. 1 pick in the April draft, when the Colts are expected to select Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck or possibly Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. Many NFL executives expect Luck to be the pick.

While it is well known that Manning philosophically believes a quarterback who is the first pick in the draft needs to start from day one and wants to avoid the potential controversy that could develop in that situation, the Colts also have aligned their coaching staff with Manning-friendly offensive assistants.

New Colts coach Chuck Pagano recently hired Bruce Arians as the team’s offensive coordinator and retained former offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen as the quarterback coach. Arians was Manning’s first quarterback coach with the Colts form 1998 to 2000, and Manning offered Pagano a strong endorsement on Arians last week when the new coach and quarterback met.

Despite the fact that some have wondered if Manning will play again, the signs have been encouraging, even dating back to December.

In December, Watkins released a statement through the Colts that said: “X-ray and CT examination of the surgical area shows that the fusion performed in September has achieved firm fixation. Peyton now will be allowed to increase the intensity and breadth of his workouts as tolerated.

“There remains every indication that his recovery will continue. There still is no timetable for Peyton’s return to practice, which is one of many steps in his expected return to game action. He is working hard on a rehabilitation program outlined in conjunction with myself, Erin Barill and Peyton. His response to this plan in the future will dictate his return date.”

That is what has happened. Manning has intensified his workouts and now those close to him are more optimistic than ever that he will be playing in 2012.

Chris Mortensen is ESPN’s senior NFL analyst and Adam Schefter is ESPN’s NFL Insider. Information from The Associated Press was included in this report.

The genial Dundee was best known for being in Ali’s corner for almost his entire career, but those in boxing also knew him as an ambassador for boxing and a figure of integrity in a sport that often lacked it.

He died with his family surrounding him, said son, Jimmy Dundee, but not before being able to attend Ali’s 70th birthday bash in Louisville, Ky., last month.

“It was the way he wanted to go,” Jimmy Dundee said. “He did everything he wanted to do.”

A master motivator and clever corner man, Dundee was regarded as one of the sport’s great ambassadors. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994 after a career that spanned six decades, training 15 world champions, including Leonard, George Foreman, Carmen Basilio and Jose Napoles.

But he will always be linked to Ali as one of the most successful fighter-trainer relationships in boxing history, helping Ali become the first to win the heavyweight title three times. The pair would travel around the world for fights to such obscure places as Ali’s October 1974 bout in Zaire against Foreman dubbed “The Rumble in the Jungle,” and Ali’s third fight against Joe Frazier in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, called by promoters as the “Thrilla in Manila.”

“I just put the reflexes in the proper direction,” Dundee said in a 2005 interview with The Associated Press.

Their partnership began in Louisville, Ali’s hometown, in 1959. Dundee was there with light heavyweight Willie Pastrano when the young Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, called their room from a hotel phone to ask if he could have five minutes. Clay, a local Golden Gloves champion, kept asking the men boxing questions in a conversation that lasted 3½ hours, according to Dundee’s autobiography, “My View From the Corner: A Life in Boxing.”

After Ali returned from Rome with a gold medal at the 1960 Olympics, Dundee ran into him in Louisville and invited him to come to Miami Beach to train. Ali declined. But that December, Dundee got a call from one of Ali’s handlers, seeking to hire Dundee. After Ali won his first pro fight, Dundee accepted.

He helped Ali claim the heavyweight title for the first time on Feb. 25, 1964, when Sonny Liston quit on his stool after the sixth round during their fight in Miami Beach.

In an age of boxing when fighter-manager relationships rarely last, Dundee and Ali would never split.

When Cassius Clay angered white America by joining the Black Muslims and become Muhammad Ali, Dundee never wavered. When Ali defied the draft at the height of the Vietnam war, losing 3½ years from the prime of his career, Dundee was there waiting for the heavyweight’s return. And when Ali would make bold projections, spewing poetry that made headlines across the world and gave him the nickname “The Louisville Lip,” Dundee never asked him to keep quiet.

“Through all those days of controversy, and the many that followed, Angelo never got involved,” Ali wrote in the foreword to Dundee’s book. “He let me be exactly who I wanted to be, and he was loyal. That is the reason I love Angelo.”

Born Angelo Mirena on Aug. 30, 1921, in south Philadelphia, Dundee’s boxing career was propelled largely by his older brother, Chris, a promoter. After returning from World War II — “We won, but not because of anything I did” — he joined Chris in the boxing game in New York, serving as his “go-fer” and getting the tag “Chris’ kid brother.” Angelo and Chris followed another brother Joe, who was a fighter, in changing their surname to Dundee so their parents wouldn’t know they worked in boxing.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

“Miguel Cotto is a world-class fighter who can never be taken for granted and continues to prove he is one of the best in boxing,” said Mayweather, whose long-discussed match with Manny Pacquiao has been put off yet again. “It will be a challenge for me to compete with him at this weight, but this is the type of test I thrive on and gives me the motivation to train even harder. I have no doubt in my mind that my title belt collection will increase once again and Cotto’s reign as champion will come to an end on May 5.”

Mayweather (42-0, 26 KOs) has had one previous fight in the 154-pound division, which was when he outpointed Oscar De La Hoya to win a belt in May 2007.

The selection of Cotto (37-2, 30 KOs) as the opponent for the fight, which will be on pay-per-view (although the network that will handle the event was not announced), does not come as a big surprise. He was one of the leading names to get the fight along with fellow titleholder Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Besides Mayweather and Pacquiao, Cotto is the next biggest pay-per-view attraction in boxing.

“I am here to fight the biggest names in boxing,” said Puerto Rico’s Cotto, a three-division titleholder. “I’ve never ducked anyone or any challenge in front of me. I have accepted everything to give the fans what they like — great and exciting fights. That is what the sport of boxing is all about, making the fights that the fans want and deserve to see. On May 5, stay tuned, because I will convincingly beat Floyd Mayweather.”

Mayweather tweeted after the announcement, “I’m fighting Miguel Cotto on May 5th because Miss Pac Man is ducking me.”

Both fighters have agreed to random blood and urine testing for the fight, which Mayweather has demanded of his recent opponents.

“What we have here are two champions of amazing caliber set to meet in the ring on May 5 and give boxing and sports fans one of the most compelling matchups in the sport’s history,” said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, who will be working with Mayweather on his sixth consecutive fight even though they do not have a long-term agreement. “Floyd Mayweather has already achieved worldwide recognition as one of the best fighters ever and Miguel Cotto is one of the greatest fighters of this era.

“I commend both fighters for agreeing to fight each other on one of the biggest weekends for boxing [Cinco De Mayo, even though neither is Mexican] and also commend them for agreeing to participate in Olympic-style drug testing, a precedent set by Floyd, which continues to uphold the integrity of the sport.”

Said Leonard Ellerbe, one of Mayweather’s advisers, “Floyd always asks us to find the best available competition for him to fight and we have found that in Miguel Cotto. This is a very risky fight for Floyd as Miguel is a solid 154-pound champion who has already proven to have great boxing abilities and to be a very competent and strong puncher. This is a big test for Floyd, but as always I believe, he is the superior fighter with unmatched skills. This will make the difference and lead to another Mayweather victory the night of May 5.”

Cotto, 31, who will be making the third defense of his title, will be in a fight without Top Rank as his promoter for the first time in his career. His contract with Bob Arum’s company expired following his Dec. 3 revenge, 10th-round knockout victory against Antonio Margarito and he will be working with Golden Boy Promotions, Top Rank’s archrival, on the fight with Mayweather.

When Mayweather, who turns 35 on Feb. 24, and Cotto were both promoted by Top Rank several years ago their eventual meeting was often discussed but never came about. Now it has with another company.

Top Rank president Todd duBoef, the person at Top Rank closest to Cotto, wished him well.

“Miguel Cotto is at a point in his career where he has outlined certain parameters — that he wants only the biggest fights and this is one,” duBoef said. “We have a great relationship and I think it’s a credit to our relationship with him and where he is in the industry that he is a superstar because of our efforts together and I wish him luck.”

Top Rank would have liked to continue promoting Cotto and had tried to negotiate a rematch between him and Pacquiao, but the fighters could not agree on the weight. Pacquiao wanted Cotto to come down several pounds to meet him at a catch weight between 147 and 154 pounds. DuBoef said he appreciated that Cotto called him directly to tell him about the deal with Mayweather.

“I give him an incredible amount of credit because he reached out to me personally and said this was a great opportunity,” duBoef said. “He had to look out for his family and this was the biggest thing out there. So for the next three months he is tied to a fight for a good opportunity. It’s terrific for him. When he’s done with the fight and what we do after that we’ll discuss it.”

Mayweather’s Nevada boxing license normally would have been a rubber stamp, but the commission insisted that he appear in order to question him about the criminal case he recently made a plea deal in.

Mayweather faces an 87-day jail sentence at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas after a plea deal on domestic violence charges related to a September 2010 incident with his ex-girlfriend Josie Harris, who is also the mother of three of his children.

It is unprecedented for the commission to grant a license to a fighter with a jail sentence pending.

Mayweather, who reclaimed one of his old welterweight titles by knocking out Victor Ortiz in the fourth round at the MGM Grand on Sept. 17, was supposed to begin his sentence on Jan. 6, but the judge in the case, Justice of the Peace Melissa Saragosa, deferred his report date to June 1 after his attorney, Richard Wright, successfully argued that he should be allowed to fight on May 5 in order to honor an existing deal with the MGM Grand and because a Mayweather fight would inject $100 million into the ailing Las Vegas economy.

Mayweather, who faced intense questioning from the commission about his legal situation, reiterated that he was not guilty of striking Harris and that the reason for his plea deal was to keep his children, two of whom were present during the incident, from having to testify. Mayweather said that he restrained Harris, whom he said was under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time.

“I feel I’m automatically guilty without getting a chance,” Mayweather told the panel. “I could have fought the case. I chose to take a plea bargain.”

He told the commission that he had been going to his weekly court-ordered counseling sessions and actively participating in the community service he was ordered to perform.

“If I could go back to the time when that happened, would I do something different? Absolutely,” Mayweather told the commission.

The commission said it was skeptical about licensing him while he had a jail sentence pending and made a major issue out of getting Mayweather and Wright to assure it that he would begin his sentence on June 1 and not ask for any further deferrals.

“The only reason we are considering this today is because we respect the judicial system and the court granted you a deferral of your [report to jail] date,” chairman Raymond “Skip” Avansino said. “We wanted to be certain that you are committing to the commission you will serve that time beginning on June 1.”

At one point during the hearing commissioner Pat Lundvall asked Mayweather if he had an opponent contracted for the May 5 fight, at which point Mayweather announced that it was Cotto.

The commissioners approved the one-fight license as long as Mayweather continues to perform all of his court-ordered requirements, does not get into further trouble and does not fight his June 1 report date. If he does, the commission said it would impact his ability to be licensed in Nevada in the future.

Dan Rafael covers boxing for ESPN.com. Follow him on Twitter.
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The Clippers star went down the lane, elevated, made contact with Perkins and then threw the ball down into the basket, the fingers on his outstretched hand grazing the rim. The play has been the talk of the league.

“I have no appreciation for it at all,” said Perkins’ Thunder teammate, Kevin Durant. “It was a layup, I think. He threw the ball in and got fouled and made his free throw, so it was three points at the end of the day, no matter how it happened, how it went in the basket. I really wasn’t impressed. He finished it. So what? We’ve moved on.”

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Durant wasn’t surprised the play gained so much attention.

“I wasn’t surprised because Blake is a poster child,” Durant said. “He dunks the ball a lot and makes spectacular plays. If it wasn’t against us, maybe I’d say it was a good play, but it was against us, so it was a bad play. I have nothing against Blake, don’t get me wrong. But it was against us, so I’ve got to stick up for my teammate.”

Mavericks swingman Vince Carter, who is still capable of putting a big man on a poster at the ripe old age of 35, said Griffin’s dunk was “amazing.”

“That just shows the true athlete that he is,” said Carter, whose Mavs host the Thunder Wednesday night. “I look at and analyze things different. You got to think about the body control and what it takes to really, not only to just do that, but the impact you take from Kendrick Perkins, first of all, is a lot. For you to still have the body control to finish is second to none, because there’s not a lot of people that can really do that.”

Carter put Durant on the short list of guys in the league right now with that type of body control. Mavs big man Brendan Haywood, the victim of a vicious Durant and-1 dunk during the West finals last season, can testify to that.

But Durant seems to think that dunk doesn’t get its due.

“I knew that wasn’t going to get attention because we never get attention like that,” Durant said. “We’re not an L.A. team or a Chicago team or a Miami team. All our plays get thrown under the radar.”

Thunder coach Scott Brooks said Perkins isn’t worried about being posterized.

“I’ve been around a lot of defensive-minded players. You’re going to get dunked on. There’s no way around it,” Brooks said. “There’s a lot of tremendous athletes in this league, but it doesn’t affect him. He’s going to come out and do the same thing tonight and guard the basket. That’s what he does for us. Let’s face it, I’m a fan of the game [and] that was a great play, but we move on.”

Tim MacMahon covers the Mavericks for ESPNDallas.com.

Follow Tim MacMahon on Twitter: @espn_macmahon

INDIANAPOLIS — New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski said Wednesday that the team is looking into a specialized cleat he could wear in Super Bowl XLVI to make it easier for him to play despite a high left ankle sprain.

“I think we’re going over that tonight, so we will see with the training staff,” Gronkowski said.

Gronkowski added that he was unsure whether he would practice Wednesday, while Patriots coach Bill Belichick didn’t reveal the team’s practice plans for Gronkowski.

“Rob is doing better, so we’ll just have to see where he is today,” Belichick said. “I think he’s making improvement, getting better every day. We’ll just take it day to day and see what he’s able to do today.”

It is widely assumed that Gronkowski will play Sunday night. The bigger question figures to be the degree of his effectiveness, and even he acknowledged he’s not sure how his time away from the practice field would affect him.

“I’m just staying at weight and doing what I possibly can do to stay in shape,” he said.

Tuesday was Gronkowski’s first day without a walking boot since injuring the ankle Jan. 22 in the AFC Championship Game.

Gronkowski, who was selected to the Pro Bowl after finishing with 90 receptions for 1,327 yards and a tight-end record 17 touchdowns in the regular season, repeated multiple times that he was adopting a short-term focus. He didn’t want to forecast how it would feel by Sunday night.

“I don’t know yet, we’re going day to day,” he said Tuesday. “We’re making new steps every day and feeling better every single day. You just want to keep going in the right direction. I want to be out there with the team, obviously.”

In other injury news, Patriots tackle Matt Light was back in action after missing media day due to an illness.

“I’m doing well. It’s a good morning,” he said.

Light added that he was excited about practicing later Wednesday.

“We have a good game plan here. We are ready to go,” he said.

Fellow tackle Sebastian Vollmer, who also missed media day because of illness, assessed his chances of playing in the Super Bowl. He’s been out since suffering a foot injury Nov. 27.

“I feel all right. I was under the weather for a little while, but I think it’s clearing up now,” Vollmer said of his recent illness. “Physically, I started practicing again, I think it went well. If I’m ready to play or not, Bill (Belichick) and the medical staff make the decision.”

Vollmer missed five of the first six games of the season with a back injury, which lingered even as he tried to rehabilitate his more recent foot ailment.

“It’s hard to deal with. You feel like you beat something, and then you want to get out there. You play a few games. You’re obviously on a good team, you see there’s a chance of going somewhere,” Vollmer said of the two injuries. “I think just dealing with injuries is hard for any player. But just missing time, and just trying to get better. It’s tough sometimes.”

Mike Reiss covers the Patriots for ESPNBoston.com.

It happened again Tuesday, when Colts quarterback Peyton Manning denied whispers that he was pondering retirement.

“I have no plans on doing that,” he said.

It’s the strongest indication that, despite having his third neck operation in September, he hopes to play in the NFL when the new season kicks off later this year – something the league is happy about.

“My plan hasn’t changed,” he said. “I’m on track with what the doctors have told me to do, and I’m doing that. I’m rehabbing hard.”

The NFL would prefer to keep the focus on this week’s juiciest story lines — Giants quarterback Eli Manning trying to outdo his older brother by winning a second Super Bowl; Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick chasing their fourth titles and maybe exacting a little revenge for their loss to New York four years ago.

But as everyone knows, this is Peyton’s place, his town, and fans hang on every detail of his recovery.

“It’s not the way it should be,” he said earlier Tuesday in a taped interview with ESPN.

The Colts ended their most tumultuous month in more than a decade with another flurry of moves.

Team officials confirmed Tuesday that they had hired Bruce Arians, Manning’s former quarterbacks coach, as offensive coordinator, and Harold Goodwin as offensive line coach. They also fired tight ends coach Ricky Thomas and assistant offensive line coach Ron Prince.

The whirlwind of changes began Jan. 2, the day after the Colts clinched the No. 1 overall draft pick with a league-worst 2-14 record. Irsay has since fired vice chairman Bill Polian, general manager Chris Polian, and dismissed coach Jim Caldwell and most of his staff — a series of changes that prompted Peyton Manning to voice his complaints two days after the conference championship games.

Two days later, Irsay called Manning a “politician,” fueling a public spat that drew national attention. The two tried to put out that fire before the team’s scheduled arrivals, but the fallout has continued into this week.

“I would think he’s very uncomfortable, especially with the Giants here and Eli,” former Colts coach Tony Dungy said. “When you get to a Super Bowl, even though it’s the second (recent) one for the Giants, you want the focus to be on that achievement. He would much rather have the focus on Eli and what they’ve done to get here, and unfortunately, that’s not going to happen.”

If there were any doubts, they were answered in a strange 24-hour period that began with the host committee’s news conference Monday.

Irsay joined the mayor, governor and two committee officials to discuss game-week preparations, but wound up taking most of the questions, nearly all of which focused on Manning’s future. Afterward, Irsay said he didn’t plan to discuss the Manning situation again this week.

On Tuesday, Manning piped in.

Shortly after the NFL’s annual Super Bowl media day event ended, Peyton Manning met with a small group of reporters with the idea of turning the attention back to Sunday’s game.

That didn’t work too well, either.

“I’m working hard, I had a really good session today,” Manning said after repeatedly being asked about his rehab. “I continue to make progress and work hard. The doctors are encouraged and that’s encouraging to me.”

The four-time league MVP hasn’t played in more than a year because of a damaged nerve that caused weakness in his throwing arm. He had neck surgery in May, then underwent his third and most invasive neck surgery in 19 months in September. Doctors fused two vertebrae together, a procedure that forced him to miss the Colts two-win season.

Since then, there has been rampant speculation about his recovery, the potential risks of a return, whether the Colts will pay Manning a $28 million roster bonus in early March to prevent him from becoming a free agent or whether the soon-to-be 36-year-old might retire.

“My plan hasn’t changed,” Manning said. “I’m on track with what the doctors have told me to do, and I’m doing that. I’m rehabbing hard.”