* Unforced error: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred keeps underscoring his support for a Tampa Bay Rays stadium deal. But like so many other clueless outsiders, he keeps referencing “Tampa” when he means Tampa Bay. Get it right, Commish; it’s that important to the Tampa Bay market.
* When the Rays were 20-3 and just off an 8-3 win over the Houston Astros, the defending World Series champions, they drew a Trop crowd of 9,916. No, that’s not a 4-figure misprint for the team that opened the season on a historic tear and had the best record in all of Major League Baseball.
* The Rays, however, did draw 32,142 for a game against the Yankees. The crowd, of course, was not all Rays’ fans.
* Yes, the Rays have scheduled some upcoming post-game, Trop concerts. But, no, Taylor Swift isn’t one of them.
* “I would say this is probably the worst (salary cap situation) we’ve had.” Lightning General Manager Julien BriseBoise, on the challenges the Bolts face in staying in the Stanley Cup hunt.
* “I don’t think you’ll find very many student-athletes who want to be employees. I think student-athletes want to be student athletes.”–NCAA President Charlie Baker.
* When it comes to athletes coming to the White House to celebrate victory, it should be limited to those who represented the U.S.–not a professional franchise or a particular university–in international competition, such as the Olympics or World Cup.