LSU football coach Les Miles "canceled his yearly visit to ESPN in light of the killing of three police officers" yesterday morning in Baton Rouge. He was "scheduled to visit ESPN’s studios in Bristol" today for the annual seven-hour tour through its facilities. He was "set to be interviewed in 25 separate sets or rooms at ESPN’s facilities," starting at 8:05am ET with "Mike & Mike" and ending with Paul Finebaum’s show at 2:45pm. Miles "will not reschedule his appearance at the 'car wash' for later this week" (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 7/18).

The Big 12's football media days begin today in Dallas, and conference Commissioner Bob Bowlsby "will address the media to kick off" the two-day event (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/17). The Big 12 BOD will meet tomorrow, and the "primary topic facing the conference is whether to expand" (TOPEKA CAPITAL-JOURNAL, 7/17). Also in Dallas, Baylor today will introduce Mack Rhoades as its new AD at a 4:15pm CT press conference (Mult.).

The first two games in the Yankees' three-game series against the Red Sox on Friday and Saturday "drew healthy crowds of 47,439 and 48,329," the latter of which was the "biggest paid audience at Yankee Stadium this season." The series finale last night "attracted 42,884, not bad" for a Sunday night, although "many thousands" of the fans in attendance were rooting for the Red Sox (NEWSDAY, 7/18).

Even during "this ho-hum season for the Yankees," the sound of cheers for the opposing team "was stunning." The N.Y. DAILY NEWS' John Harper wrote, "I can’t remember noticing such a Red Sox fan presence at the Stadium – certainly not since the Yankees started winning again back in the 1990s." It was "as strong a statement as Yankee fans could make as to their feelings about this team and this season" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/17).

Crowds estimated at more than 100,000 attended Honda Indy Toronto and the "three-day race festival" surrounding competition. Honda Indy Toronto President Jeff Atkinson said that a "rain-free weekend combined with an expanded roster of events and attractions and a Fan Friday promotion ... made for a successful weekend in the view of organizers." Will Power won the street-course race, now in its 30th year of existence and seventh year under promoter/operator Green Savoree (TORONTO SUN, 7/18).

The LPGA Marathon Classic yesterday drew "record crowds" at Highland Meadows Golf Club and saw "the longest playoff in tournament history." A "typical final round at the Marathon Classic draws 10,000 or so fans," but the galleries yesterday "almost doubled that." Fans "crammed the grandstands, lined the ropes shoulder to shoulder the length of the fairway, and pressed five deep around the greens." The LPGA – which will soon announce the site of the '21 Solheim Cup – likely "took a long look" at the scene, as the Inverness Club in nearby Toledo "is one of six finalists" (Toledo BLADE, 7/18).

FIFA has "filled the first of 20 sponsor slots" for the '18 World Cup, as Russia-based Alfa-Bank has "bought one of four European slots in a 'Regional Supporter' category." The regional program also "offers four sponsor slots for each of Asia, the Middle East and Africa, North America and South America" (AP, 7/18). FIFA has "struggled to find commercial partners since it was battered by a corruption scandal last year" (REUTERS, 7/18).

A former federal prosecutor said that former MLB Cardinals Scouting Dir Chris Correa "could face a prison term of more than three years" today for his guilty plea to "gaining unauthorized access to the Astros' computer database." His sentencing hearing "has three times been delayed" prior to today's scheduled appearance. Correa "faces a maximum penalty of not more than five years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 on each of five felony counts to which he pleaded guilty" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/18).

Execs at the Thought Leaders Retreat on what challenges their businesses are facing:

A Cal spokesperson said that about 70,000 tickets have "been sold for the Aug. 27 game against Hawaii at the 83,500-capacity ANZ Stadium, the first college football game to be played in Australia since BYU defeated Colorado State" in '87 (AP, 7/18).

Mutual of Omaha today runs a full-page in ad in USA Today congratulating its endorser, Henrik Stenson, on his win at the British Open (THE DAILY).

"I don't know that you could recapture it, simply because of the changing dynamic of what the media is today" – Former Univ. of Texas SID Bill Little, contrasting modern football media days to the more raucous and informal press tours that died out in the early '90s (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 7/18).

"I'm a voter for the top 25. It's a complete waste of time and crapshoot the first five-or-so weeks" – Univ. of Washington football coach Chris Petersen, on early-season rankings (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 7/16).

“Have you been transported here from another time? Modern era big-time sports isn’t about fun. It’s about sneaker deals, unrestrained bad behavior and Twitter followers” – CBS News contributor Paul Mecurio, on Spurs F Tim Duncan retiring in part because it was not “fun” playing anymore (“CBS News Sunday Morning,” 7/17).

The South Florida SUN-SENTINEL goes with the header, "Want Competitive NBA Balance?  Don't Cap Individual Salaries." Meanwhile, former NFLer Domonique Foxworth writes for THE UNDEFEATED under the header, "Franchise Tag Keeps NFL Players From Making What They're Worth."

ESPN.com notes the "takeaway from this year's Las Vegas NBA Summer League wasn't the winners and losers – it was the interest." It "helped carry the league's momentum forward from a highly watched NBA Finals and another news-heavy free agency period."
 
Also:

• Pirates use data to calculate players' daily capacity to perform.
• Athletic departments join program to become more LGBT inclusive.
• Bobby Valentine "paints a new picture" for Sacred Heart Univ. as AD.
• Former 76ers GM Sam Hinkie's "process" is unfolding as he foresaw.

.@NBCSports and @GolfChannel could not have asked for a better debut at #TheOpen.

— Ken Fang (@fangsbites) July 17, 2016

Patriots safety @NateEbner34 has become only NFL player selected to qualify for Rio Olympics and represent @usarugby per agent @seanstellato

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 18, 2016

Natl Olympic Committee of Greece prez Spyros Capralos is disappointed at efforts to ban a "family member" [Russia] from Rio games.

— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) July 18, 2016

Bleacher Report has made just such an offer, which is why I'll be their NFL Lead Scout starting on 7/25. More on that soon.

— Doug Farrar (@SI_DougFarrar) July 18, 2016

Friday night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”

“A quartet inducted in 2010 and a trio inducted in 2004, they’re the first and last inductees alphabetically.”

During the recurring “Thank You Notes” segment on NBC’s “The Tonight Show” Friday night, host Jimmy Fallon said of Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes, “Thank you, the Mayor of Rio, for asking Nintendo to bring ‘Pokemon Go’ to Brazil for the Olympics. And thank you, Nintendo, for introducing your newest Pokemon, ‘Zikachu’” (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 7/15).

Friday’s edition of CBS’ “Late Show” aired a segment called “Big Furry Hat” in which host Stephen Colbert assumed the role of a furry-hat-wearing despot and decreed a number of outlandish laws. Colbert: “Golf is no longer a sport. If you wear plaid shorts, funny shoes, and spend hours riding in a tiny car, you are not an athlete, you are a clown” (“Late Show,” CBS, 7/15).

"Who are ABBA and ZZ Top?"