Del Rio: ‘Deflategate’ penalty too excessive
Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio is not a fan of the discipline given to the New England Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady in the “Deflategate” scandal, likening it to the heavy sanctions received by his alma mater, USC, in the NCAA’s Reggie Bush investigation.
“I think there are some similarities in terms of an overreaction, from my standpoint,” Del Rio said Saturday, prior to the former All-America linebacker’s induction into the USC Athletics Hall of Fame. “I think it was a little bit overdone, but that’s somebody else’s problem right now.”
Del Rio said the NFL would have been better served by warning quarterbacks that tampering with the ball would not be tolerated going forward, noting that prolific passing offenses have helped drive the game’s popularity.
ELSEWHERE
Canada, Russia in hockey worlds final
Four final-period goals propelled defending champion Russia past the United States 4-0 in the semifinals of the ice hockey world championship in Prague and set up a final with Canada, which shut out host Czech Republic 2-0.
The Russia-U.S. semi was scoreless until more than seven minutes into the third when Sergei Mozyakin wristed a shot over goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. Alex Ovechkin, making his first appearance in the tournament following the end of his NHL playoffs run, scored three minutes later. Tennis: Roger Federer dispatched Swiss countryman Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 6-2 in less than an hour in the semifinals of the Italian Open and will play top-ranked Novak Djokovic, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over David Ferrer, in Sunday’s final.
On the women’s side, Maria Sharapova reached the final by overpowering qualifier Daria Gavrilova 7-5, 6-3 in an all-Russian matchup. Sharapova will play for the title against Carla Suarez Navarro.
College softball: Cal (39-18) lost 6-3 to Pittsburgh in an elimination game in the Ann Arbor Regional, ending the Bears’ season. Cheyenne Cordes homered for Cal, which led 2-1 heading into the fifth but saw the Panthers score five runs that inning. In an earlier game Saturday, Danielle Henderson homered in the Bears’ 9-1 loss to host Michigan.
College baseball: Jeremy Martinez had three hits and three RBIs as No. 15 USC (35-16, 16-9 Pac-12) cruised 11-3 at No. 22 Cal (31-17, 15-10). ... No. 23 Oregon State (35-14-1, 16-9-1 Pac-12) won 7-5 at Stanford. The Beavers have won 10 straight games against the Cardinal (22-30, 7-19). ... USF’s losing streak stretched to six games as the host Dons (23-30, 15-11 WCC) fell 4-0 to Loyola Marymount (30-20-1, 15-11). The winner of Sunday’s LMUUSF game advances to the four-team WCC playoffs, which begin Thursday in Stockton.
College golf: Stanford advanced to the NCAA men’s championships by finishing second in the regional held in Chapel Hill, N.C. Maverick McNealy won the individual competition at 9-under-par, his sixth victory of the season. Cal finished seventh in the Lubbock, Texas, regional and missed a playoff by one stroke. St. Mary’s was eighth in the San Diego regional and also failed to advance.