About the Washington Commanders, Donald Trump said this week, “I wouldn’t have changed the name.” New owner Josh Harris insists he’s not revisiting that controversy, though it was just announced that the team will wear Super Bowl era uniforms in three games this season, evoking memories made under the former name. Something like that may give diehards hope that the R-word can be resuscitated. It would take time, but with incremental steps — like trotting out the old uniforms — and a conservative revision of the cultural zeitgeist, it shouldn’t be ruled out.

Foreign aid: With Virginia landing a 22-year-old Belgian basketball recruit with four years of European pro ball under his belt, I simply ask are there no college rules anymore? There are, in fact, official exceptions made for overseas pros wanting to play at U.S. schools. But unless you think working for a pro team on one side of the ocean is different than playing for one here, the NCAA’s workaround smacks of dubious expediency.

Money line: From the first chapter of Tales of College Revenue Sharing, five-star offensive tackle recruit Felix Ojo signed with Texas Tech for a guaranteed three-year, $5.1 million contract, while Miami OT Jackson Cantwell reportedly will earn more than $2 million annually with incentives. Given all that, imagine what quarterbacks are raking in.

Neon’s lament: Revenue sharing is only two weeks old, but Colorado’s Deion Sanders is calling for a salary cap for college football to reduce the amount of roster tampering. “The team that pays the most is going to win,” says the coach whose school can’t pay the most.

Sarcasm ahead: How did we ever manage to enjoy a baseball game before technology came along to clock a batted ball’s exit velocity?

Coming attraction: The MLB All-Star Game is not what it once was, but in coordination with the Home Run Derby, it’s easily the best all-star celebration sports has to offer.

Not a fan: The automated ball-strike system, with each team given two challenges, will be featured in the All-Star Game. Fine. But exhibition games are the only place for robo-umps.

Numbers game: The Orioles’ faltering rebuild can be attributed to the fact, noted by the Baltimore Sun, that of the 64 pitchers the Birds drafted and signed after Mike Elias took over as general manager in 2019, nine have reached Triple-A, with only one so far making it to the big leagues.

Stat stuff: Baseball’s best young pitcher could use a little more support than what the Pirates are giving Paul Skenes. Going into Thursday’s game, the right-hander had one win in his past 13 starts despite his MLB-leading 1.94 ERA.

QB issues: Eli Manning said he turned down a chance to buy a small stake in the Giants because the price was too high. He also noted that his TV work, notably on Monday Night Football, would have created a conflict of interest. That doesn’t appear to bother Tom Brady.

A fool and his money: Juan Soto’s reaction to being omitted from the NL All-Star team was irritation that he lost out on an all-star bonus in his $765 million Mets contract. Apparently, money can’t buy self-awareness. Soto will just have to make do this season on a little less than $47 million.

Net results: The great Arthur Ashe’s stunning upset of Jimmy Connors in 1975 is my choice as the most satisfying Wimbledon final of the past 50 years.

Hoop du jour: If the NCAA basketball tournament is bloated from 68 to 72 or 76 teams, disgruntled fans will be told to get used to it. And they will. But there are some things we shouldn’t have to get used to.

Bob Molinaro is a former Virginian-Pilot sports columnist. His Weekly Briefing runs Fridays in The Pilot and Daily Press. He can be reached at bob5molinaro@gmail.com and via Twitter@BobMolinaro.

Originally Published: July 10, 2025 at 2:40 PM EDT