Marlins President David Samson yesterday said that the team has a "signed agreement" to be sold to Derek Jeter and former Private Capital Management co-Founder Bruce Sherman for $1.2B, and the deal is "projected to close in the first few days of October." Samson added that he has been "assured by the Sherman/Jeter group that they will not be adding" MasTec co-Founder & Chair Jorge Mas to their group. Samson said that Jeter will "run the Marlins’ baseball and business operations departments and that Sherman will be the 'control person.'" The sale "will be discussed" during the owners' meeting next week in Chicago, but a vote is "not expected for a few weeks" (MIAMI HERALD, 8/13). Jeter will be the "first African-American to run business and baseball ops" of an MLB team (TWITTER.com, 8/11).

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott has until Wednesday to "file his appeal of his 6-game suspension, but it is likely to be submitted Tuesday," according to a source (TWITTER.com, 8/13). Cowboys Exec VP, COO & Dir of Player Personnel Stephen Jones yesterday before the Cowboys-Rams game said that the Cowboys take the allegations "very seriously" but continue to support Elliott. Jones: "We understand the very, very, very serious nature of domestic violence and certainly that people should be held accountable if that takes place" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 8/13). Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said that he heard "rumblings about the suspension on Thursday night but didn't know officially" until Jones called him Friday morning. Garrett "talked to the team about the situation and how they were going to handle it" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 8/13).

ESPN's Adam Schefter noted Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones had been "very public" that he did not expect any suspension for Elliott, and now Jones "is furious." Schefter noted Jones "read the report that the league had come up with, and he could not see any traces of domestic violence in that report" ("E:60," ESPN, 8/13). Elliott's suspension "raises the prospect of the league yet again beginning its season without a star player because of disciplinary action." Last year, Patriots QB Tom Brady "served a four-game suspension over his role" in Deflategate. Jones, one of the league's "most powerful owners," could "end up in a showdown" with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (N.Y. TIMES, 8/12). 

Raiders RB Marshawn Lynch last night "sat on the bench" during the national anthem in the team's preseason opener against the Cardinals. Raiders coach Jack Del Rio was "surprised that Lynch sat during the anthem and talked to him afterward." Del Rio said, "He said, 'This is something I have done for 11 years. It's not a form of anything other than me being myself.' I told him I very strongly believe in standing for the national anthem. But I respect him as a man and he can do his thing. So, it's a non-issue for me" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 8/13).

Meanwhile, 15 protesters yesterday "knelt between the Johnny Unitas and Ray Lewis statues in front of M&T Bank Stadium" to "encourage the Ravens to sign" free-agent QB Colin Kaepernick (BALTIMORESUN.com, 8/12).

The Senators said that Senior Advisor Bryan Murray died yesterday morning after 35 consecutive years "working in" the NHL. Murray coached for 18 seasons and 1,239 games and "led the Senators" to the Stanley Cup Final as their coach in '06-07. He was the "first member of the Senators installed in the Ring of Honour." Murray, who was Senators GM before moving to the advisory role last year, coached the Capitals and was coach/GM for the Red Wings, Panthers and Ducks (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 8/13).

The Cardinals hosted the Braves yesterday at Busch Stadium, and about 100 protesters "gathered outside" days after the "third anniversary of the death of Michael Brown" in Ferguson, Mo. They said that they were also "enraged by the events in Charlottesville." Toward the end of the game, Ballpark Village "closed the entrance closest to Busch Stadium due to the presence of the protesters" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 8/13).

People at Cardinal game, alert: try to avoid Clark outside Ballpark Village. Already, fans are getting in shouting altercations w protestors

— Benjamin Hochman (@hochman) August 13, 2017

The Red Wings are "exploring possible legal action after a slightly modified team logo appeared on signs held by protesters" in Charlottesville yesterday. The signs "showed the team’s winged-wheel logo spokes altered to look more like swastikas" and "sparked outrage" in the NHL. The Red Wings in a statement said they "vehemently disagree with and are not associated in any way with the event taking place today in Charlottesville." The NHL in a statement said, "We will take immediate and all necessary steps to ensure the use is discontinued as promptly as possible, and will vigorously pursue other remedies, as appropriate" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 8/13). The logo "appears to belong to a group based out of Michigan that refers to itself as the 'Detroit Right Wings'" (THEATHLETIC.com, 8/12).

Meanwhile, Cavaliers F LeBron James took to Twitter to "express his sadness and anger" over the Charlottesville incident. He also used the opportunity to "criticize" President Trump for his "poor leadership." James tweeted, "It's sad what's going on in Charlottesville. Is this the direction our country is heading? Make America Great Again huh?! He said that" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/13).

Lawyers for the plaintiffs in two lawsuits "challenging the NCAA's current compensation limits for athletes" on Friday asked a federal judge to "decide the case in their favor without a trial." The filing asks U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken to "issue a permanent injunction that would apply" to D-I men's and women's basketball players and to football players at FBS schools. The injunction would "upend the NCAA's relatively new rules that allow athletes to receive scholarships that can cover tuition, fees, room, board, books and incidental expenses up to their full cost of attending school." The system envisioned by the plaintiffs, as "outlined in the new filing: 'individual conferences and/or schools would be free to make their own independent determinations about how to fairly compensate' the athletes" (USATODAY.com, 8/12).

NBA officials are in Israel this week as part of "Basketball Without Borders" in an effort to "attract more foreign players and expand" the league's global reach. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is part of the delegation, and some 60 of the top Under-17 players from Europe "will participate -- including 40 boys and 20 girls." Warriors F Omri Casspi, a native of Israel, will serve as a coach. Off the court, the program also "promotes cultural awareness." Basketball Without Borders has "held camps in 26 countries since it was launched" in '01. This is the "first time Israel, which is part of FIBA's Europe region, has hosted the program" (AP, 8/13).

The USL on Friday in Las Vegas "made it official" in awarding Owner Brett Lashbrook an expansion franchise. Officials also "announced a poll to name the team." The six names "under consideration" are: Las Vegas FC, Las Vegas Lights, Las Vegas Action, Viva Vegas, Club Vegas and Las Vegas Silver. The poll "will run through Aug. 28, and the team name will be announced on Aug. 29" (LASVEGASSUN.com, 8/11).

A "sold-out crowd" turned out to Safeco Field yesterday to see Mariners hitting coach Edgar Martinez' No. 11 jersey retired. Martinez, who played for the club from '87-'04, was "greeted with a roar and a continuous standing ovation as he walked in from center field to the infield area" (SEATTLE TIMES, 8/13).

A "sellout crowd of 47,306" yesterday turned out to Globe Life Park for the retirement of Baseball HOFer Ivan Rodriguez' No. 7 (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/13).

The Nebraska Board of Regents on Friday "agreed to a five-year contract extension" with Paciolan Systems for ticketing software. The cost will total $1.6M "over five years to be covered by athletic revenues." NU has "had a ticketing contract" with Paciolan since at least '06 (OMAHA.com, 8/11).

"It feels like a U.S. Open. We are dealing with a long golf course, tons of rough, and crazy fast greens. I don't think that's the stereotype of a PGA Championship. ... The setup has been too tough for a PGA, to be honest" -- Golfer Webb Simpson, on the course setup at Quail Hollow this weekend (GOLFWEEK.com, 8/12).

"Nike, they make little guy-shoes. They're super thin. They make shoes for women and small men. They don't make shoes for big dudes, and I like Under Armours because they got the wide base, and I got a wide foot. I'm 330. I can't be wearing no little-boy shoes" -- Redskins DT A.J. Francis, explaining why he prefers Under Armour over Nike cleats (RICHMOND.com, 8/12). 

The K.C. STAR goes with the header, "Mizzou AD Jim Sterk Brings Calm To School In Need Of It." Sterk inherited "turmoil" when he took over a year ago on Aug. 9, and he has "proven to be a calming force at a time Mizzou athletics, and the school in general, desperately needed it." The department was "floundering when he took over after Mack Rhoades’ abrupt departure for Baylor last July." 

The S.F. CHRONICLE goes with the header, "For Quakes' Academy and Others, Goal Is Global Foothold for U.S. Soccer." There is a "quiet revolution going on in the Bay Area" that is an "offshoot of a bigger one that will likely change the way the world’s most popular sport is played by Americans." The effort "should help the fortunes of the U.S. men’s national soccer team in its goal to become a world power" and allow talented players a "realistic path to professional soccer."

Elsewhere: 

• Young American pro cyclists promising to elevate U.S. on int’l stage.
• ESPN streaming service a surrender to grim new reality.
• Tony Romo’s success in booth could change NFL TV analyst culture.
• Bill McGuire wants "more wins, new stadium" for Minnesota United.

Digging @TrevorImmelman on TNT. Says @b_dechambeau probably factors in how a plane flying overhead affects the break of a putt. Great line.

— Alex Myers (@AlexMyers3) August 12, 2017

I met Bryan Murray in 1980, my first year covering sports. Have yet to meet a finer person in the business. Condolences to family, friends

— Chris Cuthbert (@CCtsn) August 12, 2017

Loria and Samson are toxic. Enough to where fans won't even show up because of them. Someone needs to tell Jeter this.

— Zach Krantz (@ZachKrantz) August 11, 2017

SO proud to share that @wademartin93 is the new VP of Corporate Partnerships & Hospitality for the @Athletics! #GoingbacktoCali #sportsbiz pic.twitter.com/4qencVLSCa

— Heather Joy Martin (@HevCollart) August 11, 2017

#DFWTVRatings 👀🏈⚾️⛳️📺
Cowboys/Rams🏈(CBS11) 11.2
Astros/Rangers⚾️(FSSW) 2.8
PGA Championship⛳️(CBS) 2.0

— Bill Jones (@CBS11BillJones) August 13, 2017

Impromptu dance battle between @WashMystics & @IndianaFever! pic.twitter.com/VBNsVJmwxq

— WNBA (@WNBA) August 13, 2017