Ohio State trustees will meet at 9:00am ET on campus to "discuss the finding of the investigative committee" examining football coach Urban Meyer. The meeting will be "convened in open session before the board will go into a private executive session to discuss the Meyer case," which "could take several hours." OSU President Michael Drake, in "consultation with the board, will then make the final decision." The investigative board, led by attorney Mary Jo White, "finished its probe Sunday." Sources said Meyer, who has been on paid administrative leave since Aug. 1, met with investigators “more than twice.” OSU AD Gene Smith also "met with the investigative team at least twice" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 8/22).

President Trump during a rally in West Virginia last night "blasted" ESPN over the net's decision to not air the national anthem during NFL games. Trump: "Rather than defending our anthem -- our beautiful, beautiful national anthem and defending our flag -- they’ve decided that they just won’t broadcast when they play the national anthem. We don’t like that. The ESPN thing was terrible." Trump kicked off his rally by "praising his voters as patriots, while condemning the NFL." He said, "You are proud of our country. You are proud of our history. And unlike the NFL, you always honor and cherish the great American flag" (N.Y. POST, 8/22).

Highly touted White Sox P Michael Kopech made his MLB debut in last night's home loss to the Twins, throwing "two scoreless innings" in a rain-shortened start. Despite seeing limited action, Kopech was "everything the Sox could have hoped for." Fans at Guaranteed Rate Field frequently chanted "Let's go Kopech." White Sox Senior VP/Sales & Marketing Brooks Boyer said that walk-up ticket sales were "about 8,000 and they lifted the attendance to 23,133." Kopech jerseys "strategically were located at the entrance of the Sox merchandise shop on the lower level, selling briskly despite an $85 price tag" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/22).

The Worcester, Mass., City Council last night "promised not to be a rubber stamp in reviewing the agreement and financial package that will bring" the Triple-A Int'l League Red Sox to the city. Councillors said that it is their "duty to make sure the deal is in the city's best interests and benefits the community as a whole." They also promised a "transparent review process, with two public hearings scheduled in the coming weeks." City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. said that "no changes could be made" to the deal "without renegotiating them with all the parties involved" (Worcester TELEGRAM & GAZETTE, 8/22).

Marlins CEO Derek Jeter was "off limits to Yankees beat writers prior to the first of two interleague games this week" against the Yankees. A Marlins PR rep said, "We're not making him available." However, Jeter "did come out of hiding" before yesterday's game to do a "pre-game interview" with YES Network's Meredith Marakovits (NJ.com, 8/21). Meanwhile, Yankees LF Giancarlo Stanton "received a standing ovation" in his first game back at Marlins Park since departing Miami. Yesterday afternoon, a "throng of local and national reporters -- far more than he likely ever drew at any point during his eight years with the Marlins -- huddled together to talk to Stanton" (MIAMI HERALD, 8/22).

Giancarlo Stanton receives a warm welcome in his return to Miami. pic.twitter.com/rvHLtmKdgZ

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 21, 2018

Furniture Row Racing has grown more confident in recent days that it will renew deals with driver Martin Truex Jr. and engine manufacturer Toyota for '19, according to sources, though it is unclear where the funds are coming from. FRR has been actively pitching sponsors on joining or stepping up with the team next year after 5-hour Energy’s decision not to return after the '18 season. FRR Owner Barney Visser had made clear that he did not want to use his own funds to sponsor the team anymore. Truex said last week that he could not yet say for sure that he would be back with the team in '19.

The new Louis Armstrong Stadium in N.Y. will be dedicated at 11:30am ET today ahead of next week's U.S. Open as part of "Queens Day" festivities, which will include a performance by jazz musician Wynton Marsalis. Afterwards, John and Patrick McEnroe will play James Blake and Michael Chang in the honorary first match on the court. The opening will officially end the five-year, $550M reconstruction of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (USTA).

perform group

Live sports streaming service DAZN has signed Juventus F Cristiano Ronaldo as its first global ambassador. He will promote the service across its current live markets, including Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan, plus future territories (DAZN). The partnership was "arranged hastily" following Ronaldo’s transfer from La Liga's Real Madrid to Serie A club Juventus of Italy, "where the OTT platform launched earlier this month." DAZN has struck a "three-year deal with Serie A" to show "114 matches a season live in Italy." DAZN CMO Johnny Devitt said that activation "will not be limited to Ronaldo appearing in TV ads" (THEDRUM.com, 8/22).

Tiger Woods is playing in the PGA Tour The Northern Trust for the first time since '13 this week, and ticket sales "have jumped" 170% on StubHub "compared with a year ago" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/22).

An order issued yesterday by a Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District judge "affirmed an earlier decision by St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Chris McGraugh denying the Rams and Owner Stan Kroenke’s request to force claims made over the team’s relocation to arbitration" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 8/21).

COPA90 and Heineken USA are collaborating with The Players' Tribune on an original content series about Knicks G Tim Hardaway Jr.’s journey to becoming a soccer fan with a two-part series called "The Convert" (Liz Mullen, Staff Writer). 

Rentschler Field will "sell Two Roads Brewing Company and Sam Adams Brewhouse products during UConn football games" this season (HARTFORD COURANT, 8/22).

Kobe Bryant has "no plans to join" the Big3 next year after the "rumor mill began churning after remarks" by league co-Founder Jeff Kwatinetz yesterday (WASHINGTON POST, 8/22).

Maryland Dairy, the Univ. of Maryland's ice cream shop that "offers Terps-themed desserts, has rebranded its flavor 'Terpin’ Durkin Crunch' to 'Pretzel Logic'" in light of the situation surrounding the school's football program and coach DJ Durkin (BALTIMORE SUN, 8/22).

"These moves allow us financial flexibility going into the 2019 season, to allocate our resources in that direction" -- Nationals President of Baseball Operations & GM Mike Rizzo, on the team trading 2B Daniel Murphy and 1B Matt Adams yesterday, effectively waving the "white flag on a season that began with World Series hopes" (WASHINGTON POST, 8/22). 

"I’d average 80 right now, without the free throws" -- Shaquille O’Neal, on whether he could play in today’s NBA (“Beat Shazam,” Fox, 8/21). 

The WASHINGTON POST writes under the header, "Prehistoric College Football Coaches Are Killing Players. It's Time To Stop Them." The investigation into what Maryland did wrong after Jordan McNair collapsed is "misplaced." It is "what came first -- the deranged college coaching mentality that drove McNair to the staggering point -- that requires full inquiry, and no one should be allowed to forget it." An NFL player "hasn’t died from heat exertion in 17 years."

The N.Y. TIMES goes with, "For The U.S. Open, It's 40 Years In Flushing Meadows, And Still Missing Forest Hills." Deep in the "mosh pit of the current" U.S. Open, there is the "gentle living Ghost of Tennis Past -- another time, another place, only a few miles away in the borough of Queens."

Also:

• Columbus "leans on lawsuit to save the Crew." 
• Where the Univ. of Wisconsin is looking at facility renovations.
• Inside Brad Stevens and Josh McDaniels' "suburban bromance."

Ravens say they will welcome Jimmy Smith back from his domestic violence suspension. Runs counter to their stated policy after Ray Rice's release. Begs the question would they have cut a less-vital player for the same actions?

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) August 21, 2018

The final question of the night is about uniforms. Taggart very stingy with information but says there will be "some new combinations." Addresses a new uniform council made up of some of the team members which will decide what they want to wear each week.

— Curt Weiler (@CurtMWeiler) August 22, 2018

The Nats have underachieved so badly this year I am starting to wonder if in subsequent years we will be referring to the Curse of Dusty. I know this: no managerial firing ever was less deserved.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) August 22, 2018

I am pleased to announce that I’ve claimed Teddy Roosevelt on waivers from the Nats

— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) August 21, 2018

Mariner's TV attempting to promote upcoming Orioles series and the video they show is Buck arguing with an umpire...Sign of the times in B'more...

— Steve Levy (@espnSteveLevy) August 22, 2018

If you see a tweet we will not want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.

Executives from both FedEx and the PGA Tour will be on hand to watch Tour player Andrew Landry ring the Closing Bell at the NYSE ahead of this week's Northern Trust event, the first of the FedExCup Playoffs.

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Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “Russian Culture.”

“This work was over 50 years old and excerpts had been popularized when it had its first full U.S. performance on Christmas Eve 1944.”

“What is ‘The Nutcracker’?”