Weekend Hot Reads....

The N.Y. TIMES' Joe Nocera noted as the Rio Games near, the host country is letting the "bad times roll." Cities that "hold Olympics rarely, if ever, break even on the Games." In Rio's case, it "won't even be close," as Brazil "originally budgeted" more than $14B to hold the Olympics. That number is now estimated at about $20B. Smith College economist Andrew Zimbalist said that Rio "is only likely to reap, at most," $4.5B in revenue. The Games "will go on, of course, and for those of us watching on television, it will be a splendid spectacle." But after the Games end, "most of us will move on," and the people of Rio "will be left to pick up the pieces."

The WASHINGTON POST's Neil Greenberg wrote under the header, "Analytics Come To The Fore In Golf Because Of Lasers." The PGA Tour is "revolutionizing the way players, their coaches and fans understand the sport."

Elsewhere:

• As LGBT rights progress, "why do gay athletes remain in the closet?"
• A reporter tries out virtual reality as the NFL Panthers use it.
• Two "astonishing views of O.J. Simpson and his trial."
• Outgoing Old Dominion AD Debbie White was a "true pioneer."
• Astros P Doug Fister's turnaround "is a salute" to the military.
• How new Knicks G Derrick Rose "escaped and inspired" Chicago.