EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Dallas Cowboys waited all year for another shot at the New York Giants. When they got it in the 2012 season opener, they were ready.

So were the replacement officials, who barely were a story with Dallas dominating the Super Bowl champions for much of a 24-17 victory Wednesday night that wasn't nearly so close.

It won't make up for the New Year's Day loss that cost the Cowboys the NFC East title and sent the Giants on their way to the NFL championship. It sure could provide impetus for this season, though, particularly with the discovery of a new game-breaker, Kevin Ogletree.

While the officials were expected to be a big factor with the league's lockout of the regulars, there were no controversies, no blatant mistakes or rampant confusion. The spotlight belonged squarely on the Cowboys, from Tony Romo's three touchdown passes and 307 yards passing, to DeMarco Murray's 129 yards rushing, to Ogletree's two scores.

"A huge emphasis for us was big plays," said Ogletree, who enjoyed his big night not far from where he grew up in the New York borough of Queens. "I don't want the focus to be on me too much, but I am very, very humbled and appreciative of how we played today."

Dallas' defense frustrated Eli Manning and his offense with three sacks and a half-dozen pressures, all before the largest crowd at MetLife Stadium for a Giants game. The 82,287 saw the defending league champions lose in the now-traditional midweek kickoff contest for the first time in nine such games.

"We let them know where we are as a defense, and that we'll play that way every week," DeMarcus Ware said after getting two sacks to give him 101 1/2 for his career, now in its eighth season.

When the Cowboys were threatened late -- a spot they often have folded in against the Giants -- Romo hit Ogletree for 15 yards on third down to clinch it. That gave Ogletree 114 yards on eight catches; he had 25 receptions for 294 yards and no scores entering the game.

"I'm close to home, so it's a good feeling," Ogletree said. "But Dallas is my home now."

The Cowboys' big-time receivers -- Miles Austin, Dez Bryant and Jason Witten -- were eclipsed by Ogletree, who sure didn't resemble a backup. In the first half, he had five catches for 47 yards and a TD, and broke free for a 40-yard reception early in the third quarter.

Ogletree thoroughly fooled New York's top cornerback, Corey Webster, on his long score to start the second half -- the kind of big play the Cowboys couldn't make enough of in that Jan. 1 showdown that ended their season. And they got another huge play from Murray, who broke two tackles in the backfield, scooted down the right sideline for 48 yards and set up Dan Bailey's 33-yard field goal for a 17-10 lead through three quarters.

After Manning connected with former Cowboys tight end Martellus Bennett for a 9-yard touchdown with 2:36 remaining, Dallas never gave the ball back.

"Take a bite out of humble pie, that's basically what it is," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "It brings you right back down to earth."

Murray's counterpart with the Giants, Ahmad Bradshaw, scored on a 10-yard run -- New York's first effective rush all game -- for the hosts' first touchdown. And Ogletree's opposite number, Giants third wideout Domenik Hixon, made a spectacular leaping grab for 39 yards over two defenders to set up that score.

Dallas overcame its sloppiness late in the opening half basically on two big plays. Romo hit Bryant in stride over Webster down the right sideline for a 38-yard gain on third down. Two plays later, he sidestepped the pass rush and lobbed to a wide-open Ogletree for a 10-yard score.

America's thirst for football hardly could have been quenched by the first half -- unless you enjoy strong defensive line play. Each team had one solid drive that was stymied in scoring position, and the only players moving the ball with consistency were punters Steve Weatherford for New York and Chris Jones for Dallas.

Sean Lee, the Cowboys' rising-star inside linebacker, slammed into first-round draft pick David Wilson and the running back fumbled at the Dallas 29. Then the Cowboys moved 29 yards to fourth-and-inches at the Giants 37. Rather than try a quarterback sneak, Romo handed to fullback Lawrence Vickers, who never got close to converting.

Dallas showed similar strength after Michael Boley's 51-yard interception, throwing Bradshaw for losses on consecutive runs on which New York's line was overrun. Lawrence Tynes' 22-yard field goal made it 3-0 moments after the first murmur of officiating controversy.

Manning threw to Victor Cruz in the middle of the end zone and Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick arrived along with the ball. Manning and Cruz motioned for a flag, but it did not come, perhaps because the ball was thrown a bit behind Cruz.

Otherwise, the feared flops by the replacement officials didn't materialize, although Dallas couldn't have been happy with 13 penalties for 86 yards.

The Cowboys could be happy with just about everything else, including Witten's playing despite having lacerated his spleen last month.

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NEW YORK -- Chants of "Let's go, Andy!" rang out between points during the last service game of Andy Roddick's career, and again before the start of what would wind up as the last return game.

Always a fan favorite at the U.S. Open, and the 2003 champion, Roddick headed into retirement with a 6-7 (1), 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-4 loss to Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows on Wednesday.

It was an emotional farewell for Roddick, who sat in his changeover chair, covering his face with a white towel, after sailing a running forehand long on the last point. He choked up during an on-court speech at Arthur Ashe Stadium, telling the crowd, "Oh, wow. For the first time in my career, I'm not sure what to say."

"Since I was a kid, I've been coming to this tournament. I felt lucky just to sit where all of you are sitting today, to watch this game, to see the champions that have come and gone," Roddick told the fans. "I've loved every minute of it."

The American surprisingly announced last Thursday, his 30th birthday, that the U.S. Open would be his final tournament. That impromptu news conference came a day before Roddick's second-round match, and he wound up winning that one, and a third-rounder, too, riding a wave of support in the stands.

But those two opponents were ranked 43rd and 59th, and the seventh-seeded del Potro, the 2009 U.S. Open champion, provided a far more daunting challenge - especially once he lifted his energy level and got his big, flat forehand cranked up.

The match was suspended because of rain Tuesday night after Roddick took the first point of the opening-set tiebreaker, and they resumed more than 18 hours later in front of thousands of empty blue seats. It took Roddick only four minutes to close that set, fresh and strong as can be, while del Potro was rather sluggish.

The key, probably, was the third set. Neither man faced so much as a single break point, and this time it was del Potro's turn to dominate the tiebreaker. Gaining more traction on his opponent's once-all-powerful serve, del Potro whipped a cross-court forehand return right at Roddick's feet on set point. Del Potro's momentum swing continued when he broke to begin the third set. He hit a drop shot that Roddick chased, grunting loudly, and eventually del Potro deposited a passing winner that left Roddick hanging his head.

Del Potro broke again for a 3-0 edge in that set, producing a drop-shot winner that Roddick didn't even chase. As he walked to the sideline for the changeover, Roddick grimaced and flexed his right shoulder -- the one that hit a then-record 155 mph serve years ago but now aches. He jokingly referred to it as "Hamburger helper" after his previous match.

Up 1-0 in the fourth, Roddick got a chance to make one last stand and postpone retirement for at least a set, if not another match, when del Potro double-faulted to hand over a break point. But Roddick sailed a backhand long, then dropped his racket at his feet and leans forward with hands on head, the very picture of exasperation.

When Roddick double-faulted, then missed a forehand, to fall behind 3-2, the competitive portion of the match was essentially done. The rest of the way was a chance for spectators to salute a guy who always wore his emotions on his sleeve while finishing nine consecutive seasons ranked in the top 10.Roddick made a brief appearance at No. 1 following his only Grand Slam trophy -- and the most recent for an American man -- nine years ago. He appeared in four other major finals, losing to Roger Federer each time, and wound up with 32 tournament titles overall.

"It's been a road of a lot of ups, a lot of downs, a lot of great moments. I've appreciated your support along the way," Roddick said. "I know I certainly haven't made it easy for you at times but I really do appreciate it and love you guys with all my heart. Hopefully I'll come back to this place someday and see all of you again."

Del Potro joined the fans in standing to applaud. He moved on to a quarterfinal against defending champion Novak Djokovic, who advanced when his opponent, No. 18 Stanislas Wawrinka, stopped because of illness and fatigue while trailing 6-4, 6-1, 3-1.

Andy Murray rallied to take all the momentum from Marin Cilic and reach the semifinals.

The Olympic gold medalist won 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-0. He trailed 5-1 in the second set before breaking twice to come all the way back.

In the tiebreaker, Cilic had a 4-2 lead and a point on his serve, but Murray ran off five straight points to even the match.

With royal in-law Pippa Middleton in the crowd, the third-seeded Brit won the last 11 games to wrap up the victory in 3 hours.

Cilic, seeded 12th, was seeking his first U.S. Open semifinal berth. The Croat had a set point at 5-2 in the second but Murray saved it with a backhand volley winner.

Earlier, Djokovic's Serbian Davis Cup teammate, No. 8 Janko Tipsarevic, finished his rain-interrupted 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-2 victory over No. 19 Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany, and gets No. 4 David Ferrer of Spain in the quarterfinals.

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A 69-year-old woman known throughout the drug world as the "Godmother of Cocaine" was gunned down by an assassin on a motorcycle in Colombia Monday, according to international news reports.

Griselda Blanco, once listed alongside Pablo Escobar as one of the "most notorious drug lords of the 1980s" by the Drug Enforcement Administration, was fatally shot as she left a butcher's shop in western Medellin Monday afternoon, according to a report by Univision and El Colombiano. Colombia's El Espectador reported authorities are looking for Blanco's killers and are investigating possible motives for the killing.

Blanco served nearly 20 years in an American prison on drug trafficking charges and was at one point tied to as many as 40 murders in the U.S., according to a 1997 Senate testimony given by then-director of DEA international operations Michael Horn. Horn said that Blanco ordered a Florida mall shooting in 1979 that left two dead and four injured, and she apparently enjoyed her line of work.

"To foster her reputation as the 'Godmother' of cocaine, [Blanco] named her fourth son Michael Corleone, after the fictional mob character portrayed in the movie 'The Godfather,'" Horn said.

Court documents filed in 1988, three years after Blanco was caught, detail the shadowy, decade-long hunt for the queenpin that involved federal agents chasing false identities and checking Miami hospitals for gunshot wound victims that matched Blanco's description. But she wasn't able to elude them forever and after being captured in 1985 in Irvin, Calif. and serving nearly two decades behind bars in America, Blanco was released from prison and deported back to Colombia in 2004.

The DEA referred all inquiries into Blanco's death to Colombian authorities, telling ABC News, "she served her time here." The Colombian National Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment for this report.

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Apple has just invited members of the press to attend a San Francisco-based product launch event on September 12th, where the next generation iPhone is expected to be officially unveiled. As rumored, it seems as if the company's prior iPod-focused fall events may be split off into two. It's been reported that an October event may follow this one, with a miniaturized 7-inch iPad on the docket for that. This event, however, seems a lock for the iPhone 5 -- or "new iPhone," or whatever it ends up being coined -- and while CEO Tim Cook confessed at D10 that it would be doubling down on secrecy, leakers seem to have doubled down on tipping the world off on what's to come. The keynote kicks off at 10AM PT in SF, and you can bet we'll be there covering every second of it live. Didn't have any "lunch" plans for 9/12? Looks like you do now.

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(CNN) -- Michael Clarke Duncan, nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the 1999 film "The Green Mile," died Monday morning at age 54, according to a representative for his family.

Duncan "suffered a myocardial infarction on July 13 and never fully recovered," a written statement from Joy Fehily said.

Clarke died at a Los Angeles hospital where he had been since having the heart attack more than seven weeks ago.

According to TMZ, it was Duncan's girlfriend Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, a reality star and former contestant on "The Apprentice," who had acted quickly and provided lifesaving efforts when he had the heart attack.

Most recently he was on the TV series, "The Finder," on the Fox network.

His co-star Mercedes Masohn tweeted: "Today is a sad day. Michael Clark Duncan passed away this morning. Known for his moving performance in The Green Mile. RIP MCD. You'll b missed."

According to Entertainment Weekly, the TV series was canceled in May.

A towering and hulking figure, the 6-foot-5-inch Duncan also was known for his deep voice.

A Chicago native, Duncan went to college at Alcorn State University in Mississippi with plans to major in communications, but he dropped out and moved home.

In his 20s, he worked digging ditches for Peoples Gas during the day and as a bouncer at night. He told CNN in 1999 that his coworkers at the gas company called him "Hollywood" because he'd often talk about becoming a movie star.

"I'd be digging a ditch and they'd say, 'Hey, man, Bruce Willis wants to talk to you about a movie.' And they'd just crack up laughing," he said while doing press for 'The Green Mile.'

"Those coworkers had no way of knowing how that joke would turn on them."

In 1990, he decided to measure up his nickname and he moved to Los Angeles. He worked as a bodyguard then got a part in a commercial as a drill sergeant.

More roles followed -- often ones that depended more on his 315-pound frame than his acting ability. He was a guard in "Back in Business," a bouncer in "A Night at the Roxbury," a bouncer for 2 Live Crew in "The Players Club," and a bouncer at a bar in the Warren Beatty film "Bulworth."

In 1998, he landed his first significant movie part, playing Bear in the film "Armageddon," where a crew of drillers from an oil rig save the Earth from an asteroid.

"Armageddon" was the beginning of his friendship with Bruce Willis. They appeared in four films together. And it was Willis who called 'The Green Mile' director Frank Darabont to put in a good word for Duncan.

In the Oscar-nominated film, Duncan played John Coffey, the huge black man wrongly convicted in a Louisiana town for the rapes and murders of two white girls. Coffey has supernatural powers, though; his hands can heal, even bring back the dead.

A microcosm of faith, Coffey is a messenger of hope and lost hope who develops a relationship with Tom Hanks' character, a guard named Paul Edgecomb.

Film critic Roger Ebert wrote that Duncan's performance "is both acting and being." Ebert tweeted Monday that Duncan was "A striking screen presence."

Duncan was nominated for an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor, which was won that year by Michael Caine for "The Cider House Rules."

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who starred with Duncan in the movie "The Scorpion King" said on Twitter: "When something happens, we always say it happens for a reason ... Michael Clarke Duncan 12/10/57 - 9/3/12 I'll miss you my brother."

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A state appeals court on Thursday upheld the murder conviction of a Harlem rapper who is serving a 75-year term for masterminding a deadly robbery at a Fort Lee hotel six years ago.

Charly Wingate, better known in the hip-hop world as “Max B,” was convicted after Bergen County prosecutors argued during a trial in Hackensack that he deployed his stepbrother, Kelvin Leerdam, and his girlfriend, Gina Conway, to the Holiday Inn on Route 4 to commit the robbery.

The two targets of the robbery, David Taylor and Allan Plowden, had been seen a few days earlier in Harlem in September 2006, driving a 2007 Mercedes Benz and showing off lots of cash.

Plowden testified during the trial that he had obtained the money from a mortgage and credit-card scheme before being arrested himself. He was an inmate in a federal prison when he testified at the 2009 trial.

Conway, who pleaded guilty for her role and testified against Wingate and Leerdam, said she met Plowden in Harlem and that he took her to a Mahwah hotel. She said she later told Wingate that Plowden had lots of cash, and Wingate devised a robbery plan, enlisting Conway as the bait and Leerdam as the muscleman.

The next day, Plowden was staying at the Holiday Inn in Fort Lee. Conway testified that she and Leerdam went to the hotel and confronted Plowden in his room, where he was being entertained by a prostitute. When they couldn’t find any money in his room, they ordered him to call Taylor, who was in a different room, she said. Plowden called Taylor, who arrived at the room a few minutes later, only to be shot point-blank in the face by Leerdam, prosecutors said.

Conway and Leerdam fled with less than $1,000 cash, a laptop and a few other belongings. They were arrested a few days later and charged with murder, armed robbery and kidnapping. Wingate was charged as an accomplice although he was not at the scene.

Both Wingate and Leerdam were convicted in the trial, and Leerdam is now serving a sentence of life plus 35 years. Conway received a 15-year sentence as part of her plea deal.

Wingate and Leerdam appealed their conviction, alleging trial errors and prosecutorial missteps. They also argued that the trial judge erred in imposing excessive sentences.

The Superior Court Appellate Division panel, however, upheld their convictions and sentences in a detailed 52-page opinion on Thursday.

Wingate and Leerdam were represented in the appeal by the state’s Office of the Public Defender. Office spokesman Thomas Rosenthal declined to comment Thursday.

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