U.S. District Judge Richard Berman has refused to let either the NFL or NFLPA submit its evidence in the Deflategate case "under seal, as a way to pressure both sides to settle outside of court." The result is that 1,408 pages of Patriots QB Tom Brady’s e-mails from his Patriots account, from last September through March, "were entered into evidence and made available to anyone with a PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) account." There is "nothing too embarrassing or incriminating" in the e-mails -- Brady "doesn’t provide a smoking gun as far as having any knowledge of a scheme to deflate footballs, and all sensitive information was redacted” (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/6).

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly confirmed that Las Vegas and Quebec City have “moved to ‘Phase II’ of the expansion process,” which would be for the ’17-18 season. The league has “moved somewhat slowly in regards to expansion, setting various criteria in front of groups … in order to ensure the viability of the markets” (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 8/5). The Phase III is “expected to begin in mid-August and wrap up” on Sept. 4 before the bid candidates are sent to the NHL BOG at a later date (TSN.ca, 8/6).

Meanwhile, poker pro Daniel Negreanu “wants to buy a slice of Las Vegas’ NHL expansion franchise if, as expected, the city is awarded one.” Negreanu “helped spearhead” prospective NHL Las Vegas Owner Bill Foley’s drive that sold more than 13,000 season tickets. Negreanu: “I’ll be at every game and maybe have a hockey talk show of my own” (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 8/6).

Thanks to a series of unfortunate scheduling changes, the world's top swimmers this week are competing at the FINA World Championships in Russia -- just as the Phillips 66 National Championships get underway today in San Antonio. All USA Swimming Exec Dir Chuck Wielgus can do is divide and conquer. USA Swimming President Jim Sheehan has been dispatched to Kazan, Russia, where he will handle the schmoozing, dinners and diplomacy and oversee a delegation of 70. Wielgus will be in Texas, while staying in constant contact with his colleagues eight hours ahead. Wielgus said, “This is a little bit unusual this summer. And if I were new to the job, it would be very overwhelming. But I’ve been here 18 years. I’ve been to the world championships, I know all the players, I know all the politics and how that works.”

This crunch developed after USA Swimming pushed its nationals back by one day to allow swimmers time to return from Russia, where the competition was supposed to end Aug. 2. But then FINA pushed back Worlds by a week to give athletes time to finish the PanAm Games.

Triple-A Int’l League Pawtucket Red Sox Managing Partner Larry Lucchino last night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park “hosted a group of Rhode Islanders who were told the stadium was a catalyst for economic development that enlivened city life in an old downtown area.” The trip was “part of the PawSox campaign to turn public opinion in its favor after the owners’ first proposal to move the team" from Pawtucket to Providence was "roundly criticized.” Lucchino said that he has “dramatically renegotiated a deal” with Rhode Island officials and hoped it would be "announced in the next few weeks” (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, 8/6).

The Nationals drew 37,572 fans for their game against the D-backs last night, when the team featured a Chia Pet giveaway of RF Jayson Werth. That attendance compares to the 32,606 fans the Nationals were averaging this year for their previous Wednesday games this season. The Werth Chia Pets were selling on eBay for as much as $60 by the end of the night.

Tickets for the Nov. 13 U.S. men’s national soccer team’s World Cup qualifier against either St. Vincent and the Grenadines or Aruba at Busch Stadium went on sale to the public yesterday and as of last night “only about 1,000 seats remained.” The crowd will “come close to the Busch Stadium record” of 48,263 for a Chelsea-Manchester City match in ’13. It will be “the largest crowd for a home World Cup qualifying match” for the U.S. since a game against Honduras in ’09 drew 55,647 at Soldier Field. The game will be “the first match for the U.S. men’s team in St. Louis” since ’97 and the first qualifier since ’89 (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 8/6).

Rays officials yesterday attended a Hillsborough County (Fla.) Commission meeting and several commissioners could not “resist making a few not-so-subtle quips about moving the Rays to their side of the Bay.” Rays President Brian Auld was touting the success of “Honor Pass,” a team initiative that gives veterans and active military two free tickets to a game, when Commissioner Sandy Murman said she was “proud of you and what you’ve done” and she was “just very excited for what it brings for the future, hopefully here in Tampa as we go forward.” Murman quickly added, “We won’t ask you to comment on that” (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 8/6).

The USTA will name its Grand Slam tournament’s press room the “Bud Collins U.S. Open Media Center” to honor the journalist and Tennis HOFer. A plaque will be unveiled during the U.S. Open next month. USTA Chair & President Katrina Adams said of Collins: “Few people have contributed as much to the sport of tennis as Bud has” (AP, 8/5).

The Coyotes has signed an agreement calling for four Arizona State hockey games and two additional NCAA games will be played at Gila River Arena in ’15-16 (Coyotes).

EPL CEO Richard Scudamore said that clubs have “begun to rein in ticket prices, which could help the Premier League break its all-time attendance record in the coming season” (REUTERS, 8/5).

The Bulls are "selling a pair of limited-edition, autographed Jordans" for $4,000 through the team’s official shop. The sneakers have been signed by Michael Jordan on the toe of the right shoe (CHICAGO.SUNTIMES.com, 8/5).

The official NBA ’15-16 schedule is expected to be released next week, but an early draft “shows the Heat playing on Dec. 25 at AmericanAirlines Arena” (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 8/5).

The Patriots had "more than 20,000 fans" attend last night's training camp practice, which included the induction of former NFLer Willie McGinest into the team's HOF (ESPNBOSTON.com, 8/5)

“The problem is the bigger picture seems intractable. I think they’d hoped to use this Olympics as a way to find a permanent solution, and unfortunately that hasn’t been the case. But I think as far as the Olympics are concerned, the athletes are going to be fine” – NBC Olympics Exec Producer Jim Bell, on the water safety at the ’16 Rio de Janeiro Games (USA TODAY, 8/6).

“I get the whole health thing and all that. … I’m still going to dip tobacco and I’m sure (Madison) Bumgarner is still going to do the same. It’s not like they can tell us not to do it” – Cubs P James Russell, on S.F. passing an ordinance that bans smokeless tobacco from all public fields, including AT&T Park (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/6).

“I’m an adult and it’s a legal product, I feel like I should be able to do it. But I will follow the law if there is one” – Red Sox 1B Mike Napoli, saying he would support a Boston ordinance that would prohibit smokeless tobacco at city athletic venues, including Fenway Park (BOSTON GLOBE, 8/6).

“I think I might be invited back for Career Day now” – USWNT coach Jill Ellis, who was honored by the Miami-Dade County School Board in front of her daughter and her daughter's elementary school principal (MIAMI HERALD, 8/6).

“Once we get there, we’ll say, ‘Why didn’t we do this from day one?’ I would think within five years would be my hope” – Baylor AD Ian McCaw, who believes the CFP should expand from four team to eight (ESPN.com, 8/5).

NBC moves BC-Notre Dame FB game Nov. 21 at Fenway Park to cable -- NBC Sports Network -- which assures no one without ticket will see it.

— Michael Vega (@MBVEGA) August 5, 2015

Trust me: you will be pleased with @hochman as the new P-D columnist. I'm thrilled that he's coming home. Please treat him warmly. #Cheers

— Bernie Miklasz (@miklasz) August 5, 2015

CBS says it has sold a 30-second ad in next February's Super Bowl for a record $5 million.

— Brad Adgate (@badgate) August 6, 2015

Redskins tent is selling Redskins stuff of course but also No. 99. With Texans of course.

— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) August 6, 2015

21st Century Fox "reported fourth-quarter profit that beat analysts’ estimates, citing higher results at its cable-TV business." Fox said that cable "continued to be a bright spot -- citing sports events like the Women’s World Cup" (BLOOMBERG.com, 8/5).

Last night’s 2:00am ET edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” led with Mets-Marlins, followed by D-backs-Nationals, Red Sox-Yankees, Royals-Tigers and Seahawks QB Russell Wilson speaking from training camp. Last night’s 2:00am ET edition of FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” led with Red Sox-Yankees, followed by D-backs-Nationals, Mets-Marlins, an injury update on Texans RB Arian Foster and Barcelona-A.S. Roma.

USA TODAY writes Ray Rice deserves a second chance in NFL: “If we’re really serious about reaching the right people when talking about domestic violence, don’t we want Rice speaking from the grandest stage possible?”

The N.Y. POST writes writes about the closing of Nassau Coliseum under the header, “Nassau Coliseum Is A Dump, But It’s Our Dump, And It’s Hard To Say Goodbye.”

Also:

• Four big questions that Rio de Janeiro faces one year out from Games.
• Golf is back on the Olympic roster, but several challenges still remain.
• Why Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s lackluster finale does not spell doom for boxing.
• A look at some of the plans for stadium changes in the EPL.
• Q&A with actress and Touch Founder Alyssa Milano.

The CFL is expected to announce its violence against women policy during a press conference at BC Place. CFL Commissioner Jeffrey Orridge, B.C. Lions President & CEO Dennis Skulsky and Edmonton Eskimos President & CEO Len Rhodes, among others, will take part in the event.

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “The U.S. Constitution.”

“The three Latin phrases found in the Constitution are ‘pro tempore,’ ‘ex post facto’ and this legal two-word phrase.”

"What is ‘habeas corpus?’"