This pretty much describes the entire 2005 season for the Royals:

There was nothing macabre or morbid about the Red Sox' 5-2 victory, just that it was embarrassingly one-sided until Mike Timlin gave up two runs in the ninth inning. And the Sox have the pleasure of playing two more games at Kauffman Stadium against the worst team (40-83) in the major leagues.

Royals need to go 23-16 to avoid 100 losses.

NCAA backs down on banning "Seminoles:"

Florida State, the top athletic school of the 18 listed, threatened a lawsuit after the list was released, citing that the Seminole Tribe of Florida announced in June it supported the school's use of its tribal name.

The staff review committee found the relationship between the university and the Seminole Tribe to be a “significant factor,” the NCAA said in a news release.

Silly issue. On the one hand, the easily offendable among us object to nearly everything. On the other hand, why would you want a mascot that offends lots of people? There are no winners here.

Sprint Arena to present a pleasing facade from all directions:

Too many arenas built in the United States in recent years have been the mega-equivalent of frontier-town architecture — showy storefronts facing a Main Street with plain clapboard shacks behind them.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you: The Glass Doorknob! Coming soon to downtown Kansas City!

Photo credit: Downtown Arena Design Team/Kansas City Star

Ah, football . . . beer . . . football . . . beer . . .

The NFL is seeking a multiyear deal, potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The league's beer sponsor has the rights to use the NFL shield, playoffs and Super Bowl logos in advertising and promotional efforts. Incumbent Coors Brewing signed a $300 million, five-year deal in 2002. That contract gave the NFL an option to seek a new partner after four seasons.

Broncos 26, 49ers 21. Result overshadowed by death of 49er lineman after the game.

Cardinals 24, Chiefs 17. Chiefs now have Kansas City's longest current pro franchise losing streak.

Jets 28, Vikings 21. Jets win sloppy pre-season game.

Thomas Herrion dies after football game in Denver:

Herrion was on the field Saturday for the 49ers' final possession. He played left guard on a 14-play, 91-yard drive that ended with a San Francisco touchdown with 2 seconds remaining.

A video review of the drive revealed Herrion did not show visible signs of trouble. He blocked Broncos linebacker Terry Pierce on the final play of the drive, a 23-yard touchdown run by reserve quarterback Cody Pickett.

And there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth in California as the A's drop a series to the Royals:

After playing better than any club in baseball for roughly 2 1/2 months, the A's have reverted to their May persona. They coughed up a highly winnable game to the woeful Royals, losing 5-4 in 12 innings at McAfee Coliseum.

Royals win streak at 2, need to go 23-17 to avoid 100 losses.

South Dakota State University's two main athletic venues get big scoreboard upgrades:

Installation of a multi-million dollar scoreboard project is under way at South Dakota State University.

Crews began installing the support structure for a new scoreboard at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium on Monday, Aug. 15. The scoreboard, which is being manufactured by Brookings-based Daktronics, will measure approximately 121 feet wide by 56 feet high and feature a large full-color ProStar® video replay screen in the center.

Other stadium improvements, including new signage and a new sound system, are expected to be completed in time for the Jackrabbits' football opener Sept. 2.

Once work at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium is compete, crews will begin installation of a new scoreboard in Frost Arena. It will be the first scoreboard replacement at the basketball, volleyball and wrestling facility since it opened in 1973.

The Frost Arena project will include a four-sided scoreboard with four ProStar® video screens measuring 12 feet by seven feet, two ProAd® displays measuring 60 feet long by four feet high and a new full-color digital ProTable® scorers table.

The $3 million project is being financed by the SDSU Foundation.

Pathetic.

Sitting in last place, 15 games under .500, the Mariners certainly aren't going to feel bad about beating anybody.

But having just swept the hapless Kansas City Royals with an 11-5 drubbing in front of 35,224 at Safeco Field, Seattle's manager and players could certainly sympathize with the team that just lost its 18th consecutive game to tie the 10th-longest streak in major-league history.

Royals need to go 43-0 to finish .500, 25-18 to avoid 100 losses, 1-42 to avoid losing all of their remaining games.

The NIT's lawsuit against the NCAA was resolved out of court with the NCAA paying $56.5 million to acquire the NIT.

At issue in the trial was an NCAA rule that required teams to attend its postseason tournaments, and no others, if invited. The NIT had called for an open market. Wednesday's action essentially closed that market. But it raised several new questions, including the motivations of both sides, how teams will be selected for the tournaments and the NCAA's intentions for the NIT.

What does the NCAA do with the NIT? The linked article states that the NCAA makes 90% of their money off of the Division I men's basketball tournament--far too concentrated. Maybe they'll turn the NIT into a consolation tournament, expanding the tournament field to 96 or 128, and taking all of the first round losers of the NCAA tournament or something like that. I guess we'll see.