Mediate starts slowly

After pushing Tiger Woods for five-plus rounds at the U.S. Open and doing countless interviews, Rocco Mediate didn’t have much left Thursday in the first round of the Buick Open in Grand Blanc, Mich.

“I’m about to faint,” Mediate said after signing for a one-under-par 71.

“This whole experience has been unbelievable.”

Mediate’s first tournament since falling short of winning his first major might not last long.

He will have to play better today to make the cut at Warwick Hills, where players who don’t reach about three under after two days usually go home.

Corey Pavin, Bo Van Pelt and Dudley Hart shared the opening-round lead at eight-under 64, a shot ahead of Briny Baird and Daniel Chopra.

Woody Austin was in a group at 66. Bubba Watson was in a pack another stroke back with Charles Warren, who had six straight birdies to tie the longest birdie-eagle streak this year on the PGA Tour.

Jim Furyk was among a big group four shots behind the leaders.

FOOTBALL

UCLA tackle Sheller lost for 2008 season

UCLA tackle Sean Sheller will sit out the 2008 season after an MRI revealed extensive damage in his left knee, UCLA officials said.

Sheller, listed as the Bruins’ starter at right tackle on the depth chart, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and torn medial collateral ligament in an ATV accident last Friday. He will undergo reconstructive surgery on the knee. Sheller also suffered a “wound” on his left ankle that will be treated daily to prevent infection.

-- Chris Foster

The New York Giants will charge fans between $1,000 and $20,000 for the right to buy season tickets in the new $1.6 billion, 82,500-seat stadium in the Meadowlands they are building with the New York Jets. The stadium is scheduled to open in 2010.

Offensive lineman Barry Sims, 33, signed with the San Francisco 49ers, crossing the bay after nine years with the Oakland Raiders.

Meanwhile, the Raiders signed former Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller to a contract and waived quarterback Erik Meyer.

HOCKEY

NHL salary cap increases $6.4 million to $56.7 million

NHL teams will have a maximum of $56.7 million to spend under the salary cap for the 2008-09 season -- up $6.4 million from last season, the league and the players’ association announced .

Former Kings forward Martin Straka decided to leave the New York Rangers and join HC Lasselsberger Plzen -- his former Czech club -- as a player and sports director.

Straka, 35, scored 257 goals and had 460 assists in 954 NHL regular-season games with six teams.

SOCCER

Italy fires Donadoni, rehires Lippi as coach

Roberto Donadoni was fired as Italy’s coach, replaced by Marcello Lippi -- Donadoni’s predecessor who led the country to victory in the 2006 World Cup.

The decision by the Italian Football Federation came following a meeting between Donadoni and federation president Giancarlo Abete, four days after Italy was eliminated from the European Championship in the quarterfinals by Spain on penalty kicks.

The Iraqi Football Assn. has dissolved the national soccer team and dismissed coach Adnan Hamad after a loss to Qatar on Sunday ended the country’s hopes of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

MISCELLANY

Indiana athletic director to resign amid allegations

Indiana Athletic Director Rick Greenspan will resign at the end of December amid new NCAA allegations that the school failed to monitor the men’s basketball team.

Greenspan would not specify the charge, saying, “I say, as I always have, I take responsibility for what happens in the athletic department. I strongly disagree with the allegation and the vagueness of the term ‘business practices.’ ”

Indiana is awaiting a decision on penalties from the NCAA over five major recruiting violations allegedly committed by ex-coach Kelvin Sampson.

The deadline for South African double-amputee 400-meter runner Oscar Pistorius to qualify for the Beijing Olympics was extended from July 11 to July 17. It lets him compete in four European races to meet the qualifying time of 45.55 seconds.