* The Washington Football Team—the erstwhile Redskins–will unveil its new name next month. Still on the short list: the Commanders, Defenders, Red Hogs, Armada, Presidents and Brigade. Not on the short list: the Bureaucrats, the Lobbyists, the Filibusters and the Insurrectionists.
* USF has extended football coach Jeff Scott’s contract by two years and will run through 2026. Imagine the extension if the Bulls had done better than 3-18 in Scott’s first two years.
* “You’re done. Get the eff out of here.“ The less-than-nuanced, sideline directive from Bruce Arians to Antonio Brown.
* Speaking of, will another team ultimately sign Brown? Don’t bet against it. The NFL is a big-money business with no lack of athletic mercenaries and win-at-all-costs ownerships and fan bases.
* “Sports is always a community builder. … It’s a way to remind us of the things we have in common, and to help bring us together.”–Tampa Bay Partnership CEO Bemetra Simmons.
* Tampa will host the 2022 U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Championship Aug. 18-21.
* “We believe (the Rays) Sister City Baseball plan with Montreal is a win-win-win for Tampa Bay, Major League Baseball and Montreal.”–From an open letter signed by prominent Tampa Bay business leaders.
* The Yankees have promoted Rachel Balkovec, 34, to manage its Tampa minor league affiliate. Balkovec becomes the first female manager of a team affiliated with Major League Baseball.