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NFL tabs Scott Green as Super Bowl referee

MIAMI, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Scott Green, a 19-year NFL veteran game official, will be the referee Sunday for Super Bowl XLIV between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints.

It is the third Super Bowl assignment for Green, who was the back judge for the NFL title games in 2002 and 2004. He has been on the field for 12 playoff games, including one conference championship.

The other game officials will be: umpire Undrey Wash, head linesman John McGrath, line judge Jeff Seeman, field judge Rob Vernatchi, side judge Greg Meyer and back judge Greg Steed, the NFL

said.

The crew members have more than 66 years of combined NFL officiating experience.

The NFL said Jim Lapetina will be the replay assistant and the video operator is Jim Pearson.

Officials must have a minimum of five years NFL experience and previous playoff assignments before earning the opportunity to work the Super Bowl. The NFL then chooses the high-rated official from each position to call the Super Bowl.

Report: Wes Welker has left knee surgery

Wes Welker has undergone surgery to repair two left knee ligaments, the Boston Herald said.

His anticipated recovery time of six to 12 months, could force him to miss the 2010-11 season.

The procedure was performed Tuesday at Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital by team doctor Thomas Gill.

"He's got a tough road (ahead)," quarterback Tom Brady told the newspaper.

Welker, one of the NFL's top possession receivers, finished the season with a career-best 123 receptions for 1,348 yards, scoring four touchdowns.

The six-year veteran was injured Jan. 3 during the first possession in the Patriots' 34-27 loss to the Houston Texans.

Brady missed the 2008-09 season after suffering a left knee injury Sept. 7, 2008 on the first play in New England's season-opening 17-10 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Cilic among winners at Zagreb indoors

ZAGREB, Croatia, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- No. 1-seeded Croat Marin Cilic and the other three tournament top seeds swept to straight-set wins Wednesday at the Zagreb Indoors tournament in Croatia.

Cilic and second-seeded Ivan Ljubicic, another Croat, each won first-round matches. Third-seeded Austrian Jurgen Melzer and No. 4-seeded Serb Viktor Troicki claimed second-round wins.

Cilic, coming off a semifinal appearance at the Australian Open and playing in his hometown, blitzed Czech Jan Hajek 6-2, 6-2 in 56 minutes. He saved the lone break point he faced and converted all four times he had Hajek at break point.

Ljubicic got past Frenchman Arnaud Clement 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 behind 11 aces.

Also in first-round action Wednesday, seventh-seeded Ivo Karlovic advanced when fellow Croat Antonio Veic, who was up 5-4 in the first set, withdrew with an injury

Melzer needed just more than an hour to get past Belgian Olivier Rochus 6-2, 6-3, while Troicki topped Kazak Mikhail Kukushkin 7-5, 7-5. Ukrainian Illya Marchenko stopped Coat Ivan Dodig 6-4, 6-2 in another second-round match.

Clijsters, daughter made Barbie dolls

NUREMBERG, Germany, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Reigning women's U.S. Open winner Kim Clijsters and her daughter have been honored in Germany with Barbie dolls in their likenesses, Barbie International said.

The dolls were unveiled Wednesday in Nuremburg on the first day of the world's largest toy fair along with ones resembling Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and British author J.K. Rowling. While the commemorative dolls are one-of-a-kind versions for now, they could be mass-produced for the retail market later, the company said.

"When I was a young girl I played with my Barbie dolls all the time and took them with me everywhere I went," Clijsters, 26, said in a statement. "I am therefore deeply honored and humbled (and) I was really excited when I found out that Jada would also receive her very own Barbie doll."

Jada was born Feb. 27, 2008, to the Belgian tennis star and former U.S. basketball player Brian Lynch when she retired for two years to start a family.

"She is a reflection of today's women who manage successful careers while enjoying their families and celebrating motherhood," said Barbie International Senior Vice President Rosa Zeegers.