USC players won’t be punished

The USC football players who as a joke participated in a “White Nation” Internet group do not face disciplinary action, even though a top university administrator said in a statement Friday that they “demonstrated very poor judgment and insensitivity toward others.”

Michael L. Jackson, USC’s vice president of student affairs, said: “While the group was evidently created as an offshoot to joking between races among teammates at USC, this joke was clearly taken to an improper length. ... The action of the students involved goes against the core values of what it means to be a member of the Trojan Family -- and doesn’t represent our diverse community.”

The controversial page created on Facebook.com resulted from good-natured racial bantering between Trojans assistant coach Todd McNair and some of the players he supervised on special teams.

McNair, who is black, coined the nickname “White Nation” as a compliment to white players Clay Matthews Jr., Dallas Sartz, Brian Cushing and David Buehler.

However, Matthews took it a step further, starting the Facebook.com group page that included a racially insensitive greeting.

Later, someone outside the team added a graphic showing a black baby in handcuffs with a caption calling for the arrest of “black babies before they become criminals.”

Matthews has since apologized and several black teammates have come to his defense, saying a joke within the team was blown out of proportion once it was taken public.

-- Lance Pugmire

PRO FOOTBALL

Rhodes leaves Colts to become a Raider

Running back Dominic Rhodes is going from the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts to the team that posted the worst record in the NFL last season, agreeing to a two-year contract with the Oakland Raiders that could be worth $7.5 million.

Rhodes probably will split time with LaMont Jordan, who is staying with the Raiders after agreeing earlier in the week to reduce his roster bonus from $4.75 million to $3 million. Rhodes, who has played his entire six-year career with Indianapolis, started all 16 regular-season games last season, rushing for 641 yards and five touchdowns. He shared the job with rookie Joseph Addai.

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Reuben Droughns, Cleveland’s only 1,000-yard rusher since 1985, was traded to the New York Giants, who need a feature running back after Tiki Barber’s retirement.

In return for Droughns, who became expendable after the Browns signed free agent Jamal Lewis to a one-year, $3.5-million contract on Wednesday, the Giants sent Cleveland receiver Tim Carter.

The Browns also terminated the contract of cornerback Daylon McCutcheon, a former USC standout who was sidelined last season after undergoing knee surgery.

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Tennessee Coach Jeff Fisher doesn’t expect troubled cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones to return to the Titans’ facility with the rest of his teammates when they report March 19.

The NFL is examining 10 incidents in which Jones has been questioned by police since being drafted. Fisher said the Titans will gather their own information before deciding whether to keep Jones on the roster.

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Former Avengers quarterback Tony Graziani threw five touchdown passes -- three to Charles Pauley -- to lead the Philadelphia Soul to a 63-30 victory over the Nashville Kats in an Arena League game at Philadelphia.... Andy Kelly threw four touchdown passes to help the host New Orleans VooDoo defeat the Columbus Destroyers, 52-45.... Matt D’Orazio threw five touchdown passes and the host Chicago Rush beat the San Jose SaberCats, 48-45.

WINTER SPORTS

Demong wins World Cup Nordic combined event

Bill Demong of Vermontville, N.Y., won a World Cup Nordic combined race at Lahti, Finland, his second career victory after a 2002 win in Liberec, Czech Republic.

Demong was 10th after the ski jumping portion and dominated the 15-K cross-country race to win in 39 minutes 31.9 seconds.

Demong, who jumped 120.5 and 121 meters, beat Sebastian Haseney by 6.6 seconds and World Cup leader Hannu Manninen by 15.6.

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Benjamin Raich won a super-combined event at Kvitfjell, Norway, to increase his overall World Cup lead over Aksel Lund Svindal, who clinched the discipline title.

Raich, the defending overall champion, had an overall time of 2:21.22 after a brilliant slalom race to boost his overall lead over Svindal. Raich has 1,045 points, while Svindal has 928.

Silvan Zurbriggen was second in 2:22.63, with Svindal third in 2:22.78. Raich finished 11th in the opening downhill leg, which was won by Didier Cuche.

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Five-time Olympic medalist Apolo Anton Ohno won the 1,500 meters at the world short-track speedskating championships in Milan, Italy.

He won with a time of 2 minutes 33.793 seconds. Nicola Rodigari was second in 2:33.841, and Olympic champion Ahn Hyun-soo was third in 3:22.818.

MISCELLANY

Cardinals coach arrested on solicitation charge

Former NFL running back Richie Anderson, an assistant coach with the Arizona Cardinals, was arrested Thursday night during a Phoenix police anti-prostitution operation. He was arrested for allegedly soliciting prostitution, Sgt. Andy Hill said.

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UCLA sophomore Rhonda Watkins won the women’s long jump at the NCAA indoor track and field championships in Fayetteville, Ark., with an indoor lifetime-best mark of 21-6 3/4 .

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Two days after Pokey Chatman resigned as Lousiana State’s women’s basketball coach, the university’s board of supervisors deferred action on a new contract for Athletic Director Skip Bertman.

A board spokesman said the unanimous decision had nothing to do with the circumstances surrounding Chatman’s resignation or how that was handled by the athletic department.