Patriots QB Tom Brady last night “delivered his first public comments on the Wells Report,” speaking “in front of a decidedly partisan crowd of 4,000 supporters” during a pre-scheduled event at Salem State Univ. Brady “entered to a standing ovation and a thundering MVP chant” (SI.com, 5/7).

Brady said the “Deflategate” investigation has not distracted from his recent Super Bowl title: “We earned everything we got and achieved as a team, and I am proud of that and so are our fans.” Brady said of the Wells Report: “I don’t really have any reaction. It has only been 30 hours. I’ve not had much time to digest it. When I do, I will be sure to let you know how I feel about it” (AP, 5/7). Watch a few minutes of Brady’s Q&A session.

The city of San Jose and the Sharks have reached an agreement to extend the SAP Center lease, “keeping the franchise at the 22-year-old arena past” the ’17-18 season. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo and Sharks COO John Tortora today will hold a joint press conference at the arena, “where it is expected they will make the official announcement and likely reveal more details.” The new lease is expected to see the Sharks’ payments earmarked for arena improvements “rather than going into the city’s general fund, something Sharks officials have wanted for some time” (MERCURYNEWS.com, 5/7).

Pelicans and Saints Owner Tom Benson wants a federal judge to keep the valuations of both teams “under wraps” in his lawsuit against the trustee who oversees trust funds that hold stakes in the teams. Benson’s attorneys yesterday filed a motion that “would keep confidential any non-public information about his businesses or ‘valuation information.’” Benson paid $70M for the Saints in ’85 and $340M for the Pelicans in ’12 (NOLA.com, 5/7).

Former USTA President David Haggerty confirmed his candidacy for president of ITF, “the sport’s global governing body.” Haggerty helped “lead the effort to build a roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium and a new national training center” in Florida. ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti, who has run the organization since ’89, has announced that “he will not stand for another four-year term” in September. The ITF “remains a European-dominated organization,” as it has previously had only three Americans in its top spot (N.Y. TIMES, 7/8).

President Obama today is slated to speak in Federer Platz, “a small plaza on Nike’s campus in front of the Mia Hamm building” that houses the Nike Sports Research Lab. The company today announced that it will “create up to 10,000 advanced manufacturing and engineering jobs” in the U.S. if “a controversial trade deal passes.” The Trans-Pacific Partnership & Trade Promotion Authority would “provide tariff relief that would allow it to accelerate the development of a domestic supply chain and start advanced manufacturing” domestically (BIZJOURNALS.com, 5/7).

The UAB Athletics Assessment Task Force has raised nearly $6M in pledges to “bring football back to the school.” A total of 154 pledges to “reinstate football, bowling and women’s rifle” had been received as of last night and the next step is “converting the UAB Football Foundation pledge agreements into official UAB gift agreements.” The goal is to have “a significant amount of gift agreements turned in before Collegiate Sports Solutions submits its CarrSports review on May 15” (AL.com, 5/7).

Maryland Jockey Club GM Salvatore Sinatra anticipates a “record crowd at the Preakness next Saturday, despite recent unrest and rioting in Baltimore.” Sinatra: “Sales have been very strong. Hopefully the weather holds, and we will probably break a record.” Sinatra said security at Pimlico Race Course as been “beefed up” with the recent unrest and added, “We’re going to make sure our fans are safe. I don’t anticipate any problems” (AP, 5/7).

Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. runs a full-page ad in today's N.Y. Times thanking CBS President & CEO Les Moonves for his role in helping set up the Manny Pacquiao bout: “Without You, This Historic Event Would Never Have Happened.”

USA Today has a slew of ads in its sports section, including a full-page advert from "Premier Boxing Champions" promoting Saturday’s broadcast on CBS and Charlotte Motor Speedway touting its “10 Days Of NASCAR Thunder” bookended by the May 16 All-Star Race and the May 24 Coca-Cola 600. The section also featured half-page ads from HBO promoting Saturday’s Canelo Alvarez-James Kirkland bout and Verizon hyping the IndyCar 15 app (THE DAILY).

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly last night took part in a roundtable discussion in Winnipeg at the Rady Jewish Community Centre annual sports dinner. Daly filled in for NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, who has to “cancel his appearance as guest speaker” due to kidney stones (WINNIPEG SUN, 5/8).

Ryan Cos. has submitted a proposal for a five-story, 164-room Radisson Red hotel to “its five-block Downtown East development project near the new Vikings stadium in Minneapolis” (STARTRIBUNE.com, 5/7).

Univ. of California-Berkeley today is expected to hold a press conference formally introducing Mike Williams as its next AD. Williams has “been serving as Cal’s interim AD the past 10 months” after the departure of Sandy Barbour (S.F. CHRONICLE, 5/8).

Iowa Speedway announced that 3M will be the title sponsor of next Sunday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race, which will be called the 3M 250 (Iowa Speedway).

The Univ. of Oklahoma Board of Regents approved the design plans for a Strength Training & Performance Center Addition project at the Lloyd Noble Center. The 18,400-square-foot addition has an estimated project cost of $7M (Univ. of Oklahoma).

"It’s so sad; I’ve had to turn away so many families because they didn’t have valid tickets, and we were sold out and we didn’t have another seat for them to go into. So it’s a buyer-beware situation on the secondary market” -- Ducks Dir of Ticket Sales Lisa Johnson, on counterfeit tickets still being a problem (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 5/8).

"While I do believe we have a system within which you can draft, acquire young talent and build a winner, it’s still a tall order to actually accomplish that in the way they have here" -- MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, referring to Royals Chair & Owner David Glass, President Dan Glass and Senior VP/Baseball Operations & GM Dayton Moore (K.C. STAR, 5/8).

"The great thing about playing us is that you can get on real TV" -- Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp, referring to the Longhorn Network and discussions to renew a football rivalry with Texas (TEXASTRIBUNE.org, 5/7).

Last night’s 12:00am ET editions of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” both led with Orioles-Yankees in which Yankees DH Alex Rodriguez hit his 661st career home run. ESPN followed with Dodgers-Brewers, Cubs-Cardinals and Lightning-Canadiens. FS1 followed with Blackhawks-Lightning, Canadiens-Lightning and Tom Brady discussing the Deflategate controversy.

ESPN’s Keith Olbermann called out his “world’s worst” persons in sports: The Cavaliers for airing a "Dirty Dancing" parody that made light of domestic violence. Olbermann also put on notice the Brewers as the “doorknob inside the Brewers radio booth fell off' trapping the team’s broadcasters inside, and a golfer on a Connecticut course flashing a gun to other players who complained about his slow play.

It's because I like Tom Brady that I wish he wouldn't use adoring, cheering fans to block tough questions for him.

— Scott Simon (@nprscottsimon) May 8, 2015

A perfect response for our times: the Wells report "absolutely does not" mar what we've achieved BECAUSE I SAID SO...

— Howard Bryant (@hbryant42) May 8, 2015

It'll be much more uncomfortable for the Yankees to be asked what kind of research they've put into the question of A-Rod's marketability.

— Craig Calcaterra (@craigcalcaterra) May 8, 2015

Looking forward to meeting the other panel members for #NCState professional sports counseling panel this am.

— Chasity Melvin (@chasitymelvin) May 8, 2015

From all reports, former @SydneyKings @NBL Champ Matt Neilsen was the @spurs paintball MVP (pic via @ricardoza). pic.twitter.com/OCvRyTKaos

— Downtown (@Downtownball) May 8, 2015

The N.Y. Times notes how schools are using loss-of-value insurance to help “persuade elite athletes to return,” providing “a boon to their teams.”

The Cleveland PLAIN DEALER looks at the cost-of-attendance issue in college athletics under the header, "New NCAA rule adds money to athletic scholarships, But Can Strain Athletic Budgets."

Also:

• Real-time digital tools changing way ad wars are fought.
• Building S.F. arena will not be slam dunk for Warriors.
• Examining the candidates for the next round of MLS expansion.
• A look at some of the “bizarre” occurrences in Patriots’ history.

Tribune Publishing, which owns the L.A. Times, announced on Thursday it "has agreed to buy" the San Diego Union-Tribune, "combining two of Southern California's oldest and most-recognizable media companies." Tribune "owns nine other daily newspapers including the Chicago Tribune and Baltimore Sun." The company said that it "will pay" $85M for the Union-Tribune (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 4/8).

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Mascots.”

“For the first time in almost 100 years, this pro team has an official mascot, a bear named Clark.”

Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart said “there’s not much that can get to me anymore” after hosting his show for “like five wars,” but he said of the Deflategate controversy and Tom Brady, “He (EXPLETIVE) knew! He knew that the balls were being deflated!” Stewart later spoke into the camera and said, “Tommy, you cheating (EXPLETIVE)! Why!? You’ve got four Super Bowl rings. You’re married to the biggest supermodel in the world. Your face, your beautiful face, is a wonder of symmetry, a platonic ideal of beauty that can survive even the stupidest of haircuts” (“The Daily With Jon Stewart,” Comedy Central, 5/7).

CBS’ David Letterman: “The Patriots ‘more probably than not’ deflated footballs and I said, ‘I'm sorry, that's just not vague enough for me.’ There apparently are incriminating texts and e-mails about what they called Deflategate. Earlier today, (Hillary Clinton) announced that she would be happy to delete them. Four-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady is in trouble. He may have to spend weekends in a cell with Aaron Hernandez or play for the Jets. By the way, this raises an interesting question: Which way does the commissioner look if he's already looking the other way?” (“Late Show,” CBS, 5/7).

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel: “Some people believe the Patriots are cheaters who should be fined and penalized and possibly even made to forfeit the games, and other people are from Boston" (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 5/7).

NBC’s Jimmy Fallon: “The NFL released a 243-page report on the Deflategate scandal. They said the chance that Tom Brady knew the balls were tampered with was ‘more probable than not.’ Who did this investigation, a Magic 8 Ball? ‘Try again later?’ ‘Reply hazy?’” During his monologue last night, Fallon “interviewed” Football #6 from the AFC Championship game between the Patriots-Colts” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 5/7).

Last night’s Top Ten list was “Top Ten Surprising Facts About Sesame Street.” Letterman said, “(There’s) a new documentary called ‘I Am Big Bird’ and it opened yesterday. … It’s about the Sesame Street character and the man who played him” (“Late Show,” CBS, 5/7).

10) “When the show is not in production, Grover is used as an oven mitt.”
9) “The earliest Muppets were made from hollowed out animal carcasses.”
8) “Each month puppeteers cough up about a pound of lint.”
7) “90% of show’s profits are funneled to ISIS.”
6) “Elmo was the first puppet successfully born in captivity.”
5) “The Count has undiagnosed obsessive compulsive disorder.”
4) “After years of speculation, Bert and Ernie confirmed that they are indeed brothers.”
3) “Big Bird and his wife sleep in separate cages.”
2) “Oscar the Grouch slightly nicer since announcing May 20th retirement.”
1) “There’s also a guy working the puppeteer.”

“Who are the Chicago Cubs?”