The Indians eliminated the Red Sox from the playoffs last night with an ALDS sweep at Fenway Park, marking DH David Ortiz' final game. The crowd of 39,530, the "largest at Fenway since at least 1945, stayed in place as the Indians celebrated." Fans chanted "Papi, Papi," followed by "We Want David." After the Indians "withdrew to the visitors' clubhouse," Ortiz "emerged from the dugout." With "tears in his eyes, he stood on the mound and tipped his cap to the crowd." It was his "final act a player after 20 seasons." Ortiz said, "When I walked to the mound, I realized it was over" (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/11).

The Penguins yesterday presented their Stanley Cup championship rings to players, coaches and staff in a private ceremony at Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. The white gold rings feature 300 diamonds totaling almost 9 carats. They also include the phrase "Stanley Cup Champion" and the team logo crest. The left side panel displays the team name, player's last name and player's number. The right side panel features "2016" and four diamond-encrusted Stanley Cup trophies representing each of the franchise's titles (Penguins).

Tech vendor VenueNext has secured $15M in Series B financing led by Causeway Media Partners, an existing investor in the provider of mobile apps for sports facilities. In addition, VenueNext has signed Sharks Sports & Entertainment, parent company of the NHL team, as its newest client. The deal marks VenueNext’s first NHL account. Over the past year, VenueNext has raised a total of $26.6M to expand its business in sports and other markets. Causeway includes Celtics Managing Partner & CEO Wyc Grousbeck and Celtics/49ers investor Mark Wan.

Warriors co-Owner Joe Lacob last night accepted the '16 Entrepreneurial Company of the Year award from the Stanford Graduate School of Business Alumni Association on behalf of the franchise, which became the "first sports team to win the ENCORE Award." Lacob said, "The truth is, we’re not really a basketball team. In this day and age, we’re much more than that. We’re a sports, media and technology entity." ENCORE Chair Geoff Yang said, "It’s reinvented how the game is played, and how the organization is run" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 10/11).

Broncos Exec VP/Football Operations & GM John Elway said that Gary Kubiak "will not coach" the team for Thursday night's game against the Chargers in San Diego as he "recovers from a complex migraine." Special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis "will serve as Denver's interim head coach for the game," and offensive coordinator Rick Dennison "will take the lead in play-calling duties on offense" (DENVER POST, 10/11).

Numerous sports figures are sounding off this week on Donald Trump referring to a lewd recorded conversation from '05 as "locker-room banter." Heat F Udonis Haslem said, "I don't know Trump very well at all. But I don't know who he's played for in the last couple of years, to even say he's been in anybody's locker room to have those kinds of conversations. Has he played?" (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 10/11). Hornets F Marvin Williams: "I don't know what locker rooms he hangs out in or what they talk about, but I have never heard that in any locker room and I hope I never do" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 10/11). Lions WR Golden Tate: "Locker-room talk can be a wide range of things" (MLIVE.com, 10/10). The N.Y. TIMES goes with the header, "What Exactly Is ‘Locker-Room Talk’? Let an Expert Explain."

Clippers coach Doc Rivers also had some brief comments on Trump's claim: "That's a new locker room for me" (TMZ.com, 10/10).

At the '16 Momentum Sports Marketing Symposium (Nov. 9-10 at Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan), David Ortiz will take center stage with his agent, Alex Radetsky. They will discuss athletes as brands, Ortiz’ career and retirement, as well as what the future has in store for him.

For more information and to register for the Symposium, visit www.SportsMarketingSymposium.com.

Italian National Olympic Committee President Giovanni Malago today said that the organization has "officially withdrawn its bid" to stage the '24 Games in Rome after the city council "voted to oppose the project" (REUTERS, 10/11).

NASCAR driver Ryan Newman has reached a multiyear agreement to remain with Richard Childress Racing as the driver of the No. 31 Chevrolet in the Sprint Cup Series (RCR).

San Diego State's search for a new AD is "nearing its end, with finalists coming to San Diego this week for more extensive interviews and, possibly, a job offer" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 10/11).

The World Surf League announced that it will "open a regional headquarters in Hawaii" (HONOLULU STAR-ADVERTISER, 10/11).

"He’s a phenomenal talent, and I know there’s a lot of other owners that are mad at us, and at me. I felt that when I was in Las Vegas this summer (for the NBA’s annual league meetings), but sorry. We got him" – Warriors co-Owner Joe Lacob, on the team's signing of F Kevin Durant (WASHINGTON POST, 10/11).

“The NFL actually wants him to hand the ball to the ref, then look at the flag, put his hand over his heart and they’re going to play the Anthem again” – ESPN’s Bomani Jones, on Browns WR Andrew Hawkins’ touchdown celebration in which he pantomimed a robot, putting the ball on the ground and walking away (“Highly Questionable,” ESPN, 10/10).

The N.Y. DAILY NEWS as part of its series on Roger Goodell's 10 years as NFL Commissioner notes a quarter of the league "has upgraded" stadiums. The resulting construction race has "turned Goodell’s 10 years on the job into the golden age of NFL architecture and excess."

The TAMPA BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL writes if attendance is the "No. 1 reason the Rays are itching" to leave Tropicana Field, it "only seems logical that leaders," particularly those advocating that the team stay at the site, should address it. But "they're not – at least not successfully."

Also: 

• Tennis fans thank their favorite players by "lavishing them with bizarre presents."
• Can NHL spotters identify concussions on TV to remove players from games?
• Mark Shapiro has absorbed the "anxiety and occasional animus" of Blue Jays fans.
• Pistons players want to "express unity" while making a point about police brutality.

Vin Scully will make his first appearance since his final game this Thursday night on @JimmyKimmelLive! #LALovesVin pic.twitter.com/XjJTDggoMY

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 11, 2016

Knew I couldn't stay up for the Giants-Cubs game. I see now I could've just gone to bed kinda early and woken up for the end.

— Craig Calcaterra (@craigcalcaterra) October 11, 2016

After Thursday and Monday's games and the debate Sunday, I cannot fathom how NFL ratings are on the decline.

— Mike Tanier (@MikeTanier) October 11, 2016

Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Dan Fouts (analysis) and Evan Washburn (sideline) on CBS call for Patriots-Bengals on Sunday.

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) October 11, 2016

I like how the ad behind home plate makes batters glow like a ghost Obi-Wan Kenobi pic.twitter.com/C7SpesWe3G

— Dave Lozoctober (@davelozo) October 11, 2016

Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer, yesterday closed on its more than $100B "acquisition of rival SABMiller." The top two brewers "confirmed plans to merge in November after years of speculation." The brewer said that A-B InBev with the merger will have a "stronger presence in key emerging regions with attractive growth prospects, such as Africa and Latin America" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 10/11).

The Morning Buzz offers today's back page sports covers from some of North America's major metropolitan tabloids:

 N.Y. Post  Newsday   Boston HeraldChicago Sun-TimesPhiladelphia
Daily News

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Inaugural Addresses.”

“One of his addresses used the term ‘security shield’ about international affairs as well as ‘golden years.’”

Comedy Central’s Trevor Noah said of Donald Trump’s growing number of scandals this election cycle, “Trump’s scandals right now are like when the first black guy joined white sports. People were like, ‘I had no idea that was possible’” (“The Daily Show,” Comedy Central, 10/10).

“Who was Ronald Reagan?”